Meeting a devout Catholic partner through church or Catholic groups

[UnluckyLeprechaun]

I'm a "lapsed" Catholic, you could call me I supposed. I've just come out of a very disappointing relationship that I had very high hopes for initially as a potential life partner/marriage.

I started going back to mass around 4 years ago.

I would dearly love to meet a devout Catholic man. Are there any specific Catholic groups I should be looking for, either online or in real life? I know there are rosary groups and other events going on, I suppose I never went to them because of time pressures. Some of the groups had little interest and stopped running sadly.

Also wondering has anyone, of any denomination, met their partner or wife/husband at church?

How old are you? If you’re (I think the cut off for most of these is 30/35) I’d definitely suggest looking at getting involved with a summer conference type thing - Joel’s Bar, Youth 2000 lean on the charismatic side, but you’ve got Evangelium and the Faith Conference if you’re more traditional. I have attended all over the years and solely identify as Catholic rather than charismatic or trad and can attest that they are all faithful in their teaching and worship.
If you are older then throwing yourself into Parish and Diocesan events will likely be your best bet. City Parishes are thriving. Lots offer Alpha or Sycamore or Bible Timeline courses. I have a few Catholic friends who have met through being the only Catholics on a course at another denomination church!

I am married, but my single friends are not having much luck on the apps I’m afraid!

How old are you and where are you? There are several catholic dating agencies in the UK, if you give it a google.

if you arent a practicing Catholic yourself, are you sure you want a partner who is? it might also be difficult to find a man very devoted to his faith who wants to be with someone who is 'lapsed'.

I've been attending mass for the past 4 years and prior to that there was a gap of a few years during which my attendance was fairly sporadic as I was caring for three elderly relatives. One had terminal cancer, another multiple strokes and then another dementia.

I'm probably too old for those groups as I'm in my forties. I'll have to ask after mass and at the rosary groups.

I did befriend a lovely lady at my Aunt's old church not all that long ago and she introduced me to a man who had lost his wife and was looking to meet someone again. We never connected due to me helping my family and then I lost touch with her as she also became a carer to both her parents as well as bringing up teenagers and was absent from church for some time.

This isn’t an attitude that any true Catholic would hold so I would imagine that @UnluckyLeprechaun would have dodged a bullet if she missed out on this type of individual.

i just meant that a lot of people of faith might prefer a partner who shares that commitment as something they have in common and can share in together. when OP said she was a lasped Catholic i took that to mean that she doesn't practice her faith at the moment, which was an incorrect assumption. I didn't mean to imply that catholics gatekeep their religion or only want to associate with other catholics.

It would be an outlook on life as a Catholic that would be an attraction and an understanding of what that entails. If OP is going to Mass then she is not probably lapsed. I would say that to meet a partner of the same faith then OP needs to join in quite a few groups and social events in and around her own and nearby parishes.

My mother met my step father when they were both in their fifties via The Association of Single Catholics.

All the catholic men I know are already married or priests. 🤣

What about joining your diocesan Lourdes pilgrimage as a helper. Brilliant way to meet like minded people. I did 17 years with my own diocese, but then jumped ship to a larger pilgrimage and made loads of friends through it.

I would focus on getting more involved in Catholic life where you live. This may not put you in direct contact with a potential romantic partner but will allow you the opportunity to make friends with other Catholics, and you never know where those connections may lead (eg introducing you to a single relative).