Co-founded by an abbot of the diocese of Lyon and a doctoral student in computer science, the Navis Fidelis site aims to promote meetings between single practicing Catholics.
To reassure those resistant to traditional sites, face-to-face events replace “chats” to find a soul mate.
In less than a month of existence, Navis Fidelis has exceeded its first estimates and already has followers throughout France.
To find a soul mate, many believers rely on providence.
When this is delayed, more pagan means, such as dating sites, can help.
However, with their “matches” and their “likes”, these sites often put off practicing Catholics for whom faith is not a hobby, but an essential value.
It was with them in mind that a priest from Lyon created Navis Fidelis.
Singles refractory to traditional sites
"Father Spriet, priest of the diocese of Lyon in the parish of Saint Georges, knows many people who live an unchosen celibacy and who, after a certain age, begin to despair of founding a family", explains Rémi Pellerin, co-founder of the site.
“He first had the idea of creating a meeting group within the parish, the Saint-Raphaël group.
A hundred people showed up, which showed a real demand.
But many more did not dare to come, cooled by the nature of the event.
Father Spriet therefore wanted to “create a website where meetings would take place around events, in real life, instead of an online chat”.
Navis Fidelis is also distinguished by its registration conditions: be at least 26 years old and be sponsored by a member of the clergy.
"It's a bit of a community site", recognizes Rémi Pellerin, "because it is important to share common fundamental values in order to be able to build something".
Why 26 years old?
Because the site “is aimed at people who have entered working life.
At 18, you have plenty of time to meet new people, at university, when you go out… It's more when you leave the circle of studies that it's more difficult to meet people”, remarks the co-founder.
The guarantee of being truly practical
Sponsorship is another particularity that distinguishes Navis Fidelis from other Catholic dating sites: "Many people say they are Catholic because they have been baptized, but they are not necessarily practicing, or do not agree with certain fundamental principles of religion,” says Rémi Pellerin.
“It can be a problem if you go to mass every Sunday, if you want to live your engagement in chastity, have a certain number of children… and you meet someone very far from that.
To avoid misunderstandings, the site has therefore set up a system of sponsorship by an ecclesial referent, guarantor of piety.
Despite or thanks to these constraints, the success of the site, launched on February 2, exceeded the expectations of its founders.
“We were hoping for 300 registrants in the first month, we are now at 600, and we will quickly reach 1,000”, rejoices Rémi Pellerin, while specifying that “it is not limited to the Lyon region, it takes in the whole of France !
“No figures, of course, to measure the unions contracted through the site.
"Navis Fidelis also allows people to make friends, who will introduce them to other friends, to ultimately find someone..." Even among connected Catholics, in matters of the heart, it is always providence that decides .
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