By Dan McCarty • Posted June 27, 2025

Philly Catholic Singles, an organization for local single Catholics in their 30s and 40s, met for a private talk, the sacrament of penance, Mass, and tours of the tomb of St. Katharine Drexel and the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul on Friday, June 20.

The group offers opportunities for single Catholics to meet each other in a faith filled environment.

In only eight months since its formation at a Philadelphia Eagles watch party last October, the organization has grown to 270 members.

“We have seen more than one person per day join our group,” said Lauren Joyce, director of Philly Catholic Singles.

The strength of the group, according to many members, is its ability to connect Catholic adults who want to meet in person and not through a dating app.

“Philly Catholic Singles gave me confidence to date intentionally with my faith and personality working together,” said one man. “It is more accepted to fly my Catholic flag and not hide from it.”

Father Stephen DeLacy, chaplain of Philly Catholic Singles, spoke to the group about the Jubilee Year of Hope currently observed throughout the universal Church.

Joyce believes the theme of hope is especially important to Catholics who find themselves single when they exceed age 30. That was the topic she and Father DeLacy decided to focus on as they planned this evening for young single Catholics.

“I brainstormed with Father DeLacy and we designed this event for our Philly Catholic Singles’ members,” said Joyce.

Jubilee years happen every quarter-century in the Catholic Church. The tradition stems from Scripture as jubilees became a time for renewal to set slaves free, forgive debts and forgive sins every 25 years. They represent an opportunity for a fresh start.

Additionally, Pope Francis declared a extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy in 2015, coinciding with the World Meeting of Families—2015 in Philadelphia.

“We humbly ask for the concept of grace of jubilee in our lives,” said Father DeLacy.

He also spoke about how God gave the Sabbath Day as a day of rest since the Book of Genesis says God himself rested on the seventh day after creating the Earth.

He did not do that because he was tired, Father DeLacy said, but because he wanted people to spend a whole day reflecting on being sons and daughters of God.

“If we are not taking Sabbath rest, we may only be operating at 20 percent of our relationships and our ministries,” said Father DeLacy. “God is trying to work out this concept with Sabbath rest.”

The priest reminded the participants that during the jubilee year they could receive an indulgence for the remission of temporal punishment of sins in purgatory.

To obtain the indulgence, a person must receive holy Communion

and receive the sacrament of penance and reconciliation eight days before or after, as well as pray for the intentions of the pope.

Following Father DeLacy’s talk at the tomb of St. Katharine Drexel, he celebrated Mass in the cathedral.

After the reading from St. Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians and the responsorial psalm, “From all their distress, God rescues the just,” Father DeLacy preached his homily on those Scripture passages.

In Corinth, St. Paul discovered immorality but he was attentive to the young Christian community in both letters that he wrote to them.

“The difficulties we have are hard,” said DeLacy. “We can say that. God uses our time to rescue the just. If we have our Lord, we have eternal peace and joy in us.”

The priest concluded the liturgy by reminding the congregation  that our negative self-image can be healed if we invite the Lord to help do so.

Joyce said she was grateful for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s support of Philly Catholic Singles. That includes Father DeLacy’s volunteering to serve as chaplain and his effort to attend all of the group’s functions.

“Father DeLacy has been incredibly generous with his time,” said Joyce.

She urges anyone considering attending one of Philly Catholic Singles’  events to “give it a shot and trust yourself to God’s hand as you cannot do that sitting on your couch.”

For more information visit www.facebook.com/groups/phillycatholicsingles.