A Match Made in Heaven
June 13, 2005
Must be: Attractive, outgoing, successful, funny. Let's face it, it's tough enough for singles to find a potential mate on the dating market without having to add to the list "practicing Catholic who subscribes to the church's teachings on love, sex and marriage."
In Germany, at least, that's where the new online dating portal www.kathTreff.org comes in. Catholics interested in marriage -- not just a casual flirt -- fill out a questionnaire about what they're looking for in a partner and include some personal details (favorite saint, typical alcohol consumption, for example).
With the purchase of a three-month, six-month or year's membership at a cost of 25, 40 or 70 euros ($30, $48 or $70). KathTreff's database of like-minded Catholics is open for perusal. The site was launched in May, and so far, around 300 participants have registered.
KathTreff is the brainchild of Austrian bishop Andreas Laun. The 62-year-old is known for holding very traditional Catholic views on sex and marriage. But he was inspired to take the high-tech road to match-making by a young couple, who told him of how they each longed to find a partner with compatible values.
KathTreff cautions the hopeful not to expect too much too fast, and recommends that they continue to try and meet the man or woman for a lifetime outside the virtual world of the Internet. Equally important, the site advises, is to accompany the search for a spouse with daily prayer. Miracles, it seems, just don't happen out of the blue after all.