Where do you want to live? How many children do you wish to have? What kind of parent do you want to be? What is your credit score? These are just a few of the essential questions Senior Theology teacher Father John Pankratz believes people should ask their spouse-to-be before marriage. This February, Fr. John taught the senior class about the fundamentals of healthy relationships. His students had the opportunity to grow their skills in communication and emotional intelligence when he had them participate in a ‘speed dating’ activity where the students had to ask each other several of the “essential questions”. They rotated between classmates in a speed-dating style, having conversations with their peers about relationships. Fr. John said, “Most of the questions—what are your priorities in life, etc—are all things you would want to discuss with someone you’re getting married to.” Fr. John hopes to inspire in the students a sense of faithful relationships by having them explore these new concepts.
Fr. John explained it would be a good idea to start teaching about dating and the importance of faith in dating. “I thought it would be a good opportunity to practice getting the students ready to discuss things before getting married.” Teaching students the importance of communicating with a potential partner about their priorities and exchanging views certainly impacted students; Senior John Pender said, “It really helped me to better understand how to include God in my relationship and forge a lasting and healthy connection with a significant other.”
In addition to teaching communication skills, the unit on theological dating also educated students about the sacrifice and commitment of marriage. Fr. John summed up his reasoning for the topic. “When it comes to preparing for marriage and our spiritual lives, it is definitely something we need to think about, prepare for, and get ready for during high school.” Father John’s unit of theological dating has helped the seniors to grow their understanding of relationships and the importance of faith as they continue on in their lives and start looking for marriage in the near future.
