Friendship Dating-Why?
(When marriage is far off)

 Because:

1. If marriage is out, why pretend to prepare for it (with serious dating)?

2. We want to learn the art of friend­ship for when we do marry. Friend­ship is key to a good marriage.

3. We want to avoid the emotional stress of serious dating, and then, as is likely, breaking up.

4. We want to avoid the sexual temp­tations inherent in serious dating.

5. Young men and women are never playthings. No one should be used.

6. Love is doing what is best for the other person.

7. Friendship dating prepares us for healthy mar­riage, not divorce.

8. True love finds a way to wait.

9. We want to please God.

Friendship Dating Guidelines

1. When we get to know each other, there’ll be lots of warm, chaste hugs, but no kissing, no touching sensitive areas, no holding hands, no sex.

2. We say things like “You’re a great friend,” or “You’re my best friend.”
 

3. Even if we begin to have strong feelings for each other, we won’t say, “I love you,” or “I’m in love with you,” or “I want to marry you,” realizing that there’s a difference between honesty and telling all that’s on you mind, and that some feelings are best not expressed verbally.
 

4. We go out no more than once or twice a week.
 

5. We talk on the phone no more than three times a week.
 

6. We will make it clear when we want to end this friendship or lower its intensity. We’ll be honest with each other

 © 2001, Catholic Faith Alive!, Inc.