Boston College students Matt and Shanzi in the documentary The Dating Project. A Vancouver-based network of young Catholic professionals is discussing the film this month. (CNS photo)
It’s not certain if local Catholics find dating as much a struggle
as the American young adults featured in the award-winning documentary The Dating Project, but the topic is a
challenge, says Annabelle Chong.
“There are so many single Catholics, one wonders how the attitudes of the modern world have affected them,” Chong told The B.C. Catholic.
“Young adults have access to Pope John Paul II’s reflections of the gift of self as being the purpose of marriage, but also access to the common sense questions that The Dating Project raises, issues like knowing what you want, facing rejection, facing your fears, living life to the fullest as a single person, how to pursue a chaste relationship, and knowing when to commit.”
These questions will be at the fore of several events hosted by YP Lounge, an organization Chong founded to gather adults in their 20s and 30s to discuss trending topics.
David Baird, an associate professor at Catholic Pacific College, will speak at one of the events. “The documentary provides an engaging introduction to some of the opportunities and challenges faced by single persons today,” including “hook up culture” and online dating, said Baird.
“Whether or not singleness is on the rise, as (the film) suggests, the question of how to be single well and pursue romantic relationship with integrity is a perennial one, and so always timely.”
YP Lounge will host a showing of The Dating Project at St. Mark’s College in Vancouver March 18 at 6 p.m. and at Catholic Pacific College in Langley March 23 at 7 p.m. They will also host a follow-up discussion on the local Catholic dating scene, featuring a panel of several young professionals at UBC Robson Square in Vancouver March 28 at 7 p.m.
See How did we forget how to date? Documentary aims to find out out