Adult singles find faith and fellowship in new group

Jim Gerner was facing a common problem for single Catholic adults: With so many friends married and busy with families, how does a person find a community of like-minded people to support one’s faith and that offers an opportunity to build new friendships?

Gerner, an information technology professional at Mutual of Omaha and member of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Omaha, is hopeful a new group – Omaha Catholic Singles – may fill that role.

Although initially hesitant, he decided to check it out and go along with a friend to one of the group’s gatherings – a July 12 Mass at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Omaha followed by coffee, conversation and discussion of the day’s readings.

Gerner said he enjoyed the experience and the people he met and plans to continue. “I’m looking forward to what the next event is … and excited to see where it goes.”

The group, which was formed in June, primarily targets singles in their 30s, 40s and 50s, but welcomes singles of all ages, said Theresa Farrage, 41, the group’s co-founder and a member of St. Patrick Parish in Council Bluffs, who often attends Mass at St. Vincent de Paul Church.

Gerner, 40, who had been involved with both Arch O Young Adults and Young Catholic Professionals, said he had aged out of them and was looking for that next group.

“A lot of my friends … have married and started families, so it’s hard to meet up with them,” he said. “You might see them on Sundays or at work, but in order to find community you’ve got to find other single people.”

FILLING A GAP

Farrage, who works as a marketing and communication professional, said she had also felt that need, which prompted her to co-found the group with friend Casey Fuhrer, 37, a member of St. Vincent de Paul Parish and an accounting supervisor in the health care field.

There are many good groups for youth and young adults, Farrage said. “But it seems that when you hit a certain age, there’s not a lot going on, especially if you’re in a stage of life where you’re single.

“And, there are definitely activities for married people who have families … but there was room to add a space for Catholic singles to get together and share their values and grow together in the faith,” she said. “We felt like there’s a gap, and we could fill it.”

COURTESY PHOTO

Farrage also believes such a group is needed following the pandemic, and in this age when digital connections are prevalent but fall short of filling social, emotional and spiritual needs.

“After the pandemic, I felt like a lot of people ended up socially isolated, and may have lost contact with some of the friends that they had prior,” she said. “And, it’s very difficult to find that community in the digital age.”

Fuhrer echoed that concern.

“I’ve been seeing posts online where people are saying they’re having more meaningful conversations with AI (artificial intelligence) than with friends,” she said, “and it makes me feel so sad.”

“So,” Farrage said, “we want to meet the old-fashioned way and have face-to-face conversations at social gatherings so people don’t feel isolated.”

“There’s an epidemic of people feeling depressed or lacking friendships and not having that healing connection, and that’s a vital part of our well-being,” she said. “Whether it’s your physical, mental or spiritual well-being, you need a community to thrive.”

‘COMMUNITY AND FRIENDSHIP’

Fuhrer said reactions from people attending have been positive, and she is enjoying the contact with like-minded people. “It’s fun getting to know people, their life, their pets, their family, their jobs. We’re all starting to connect on things we have in common.”

While focused on personal connection, the group is not, however, a matchmaking group.

“We’re based on community and friendship,” Farrage said, “but if you happen to find someone in the group that you share a commonality with and it does lead to marriage, praise God, but we are mostly wanting to create that friendship that I think a lot of people in their 30s, 40s and 50s long for, but that’s very hard to come by.”

Omaha Catholic Singles plans to hold two events per month, one primarily social and the other more spiritual in nature, Fuhrer said.

“We always begin with prayer, and we’ll talk about Scripture … talk about what we believe, what God’s Word is saying to you, then maybe the next gathering talk about what God has been doing in your life.

“That’s what I want in my friends,” Fuhrer said, “to be able to talk about our faith and how we can pray for each other. … I want people to feel safe doing that.”

For more information visit the group on Facebook or Instagram.