Age Difference Range in Dating & Courtship?

[JamalChristophr]

Yeah I don’t think one should be old enough to be the parent.
I would not a date a man more than 10 years older because I know people who are ten years older with teenage kids and it freaks me out that their kids are closer to my age than they are.

That is fair enough. I have a feeling I might not be called to marriage in any case. I’m mad about St. Therese of the Child Jesus and St Catherine of Siena who both were radically espoused to Our Lord alone.

Guess I’m longing for heaven and will be glad when this sojourn is over.

Thanks everyone for the responses.

Jesus Bless You!

 

[Catholic1954]

My Grandmother was 18 when she married my Grandfather age 36; they raised 4 children and lived happily ever after until he passed away 20 years later.

 

[JamalChristophr]

My Grandmother was 18 when she married my Grandfather age 36; they raised 4 children and lived happily ever after until he passed away 20 years later.

Thanks for sharing that. It’s a beautiful testimony, I think.

It seems to me that in the end, a marriage between a man and a woman is about the working of Divine Providence. And it can be a beautiful thing particularly when you have two devoted followers of Christ entering into it.

But God’s ways are mysterious and he doesn’t call all of us to marriage, it seems, though we may have had some desire for it.

God Bless!

 

[O_Sapientia]

I am almost 23 and my fiancée is a few months shy of 20. We’ve been together for two years and known each other for about three. She is certainly quite a bit younger than I, and we met when she was 17. We will be married next May. I genuinely don’t think age is a big issue, it really only comes down to the maturity of the persons involved.

In Jesus and Mary,
OS.

 

[Batfink]

I used to think the gap would matter less and less as the couple aged, but actually a big gap can create problems later.

My aunt and uncle are 15 years apart. That worked fine when she (the younger one) was in her early 30s and he was in his late 40s, much better than I can imagine it having worked had they met younger … he was 31 and already divorced twice when she was sitting her GCSEs, for example.

But, it actually proved to get more difficult again as they got older … he was nearing retirement as she was still in the prime of life. He was 50 when their child was born. He will be an old man while she’s still menopausal. And the likelihood is that he will die when she’s still relatively young.

For me, I would be very reluctant to date anyone more than about 5-6 years different, and I would prefer as close as possible in age. But it’s ultimately down to the individuals in the (potential) couple to discern each relationship on its own merits.

 

[mikeeh]

I am interested to hear what fellow Catholics have to say about this age old question. Is there any hard and fast rules for ruling out persons as a potential spouse based on their age relative to your own age? As you know, for example, many men can find younger women physically attractive, and I suppose the reverse could be true but, perhaps, to a somewhat lesser degree. Anyways, I would like to be prudent and wise when and if I do enter into courtship or even having friends of the opposite sex. Is there a numerical difference at which one could say, “That could never work.”?

Age doesn’t matter. What matters is if you get along and respect each other. You can find love in some amazing places. There are plenty of people who are the same age in bad relationships or divorced. Of course, once you hint a 20 year gap you’re in different generations, but that’s just one problem among many problems every relationship will have. What makes a good relationship is being able to overcome the problems together.

I’m 44 and would date an 18 yo. How do you like that? They only have to be 18 in the US for the most part. Of course that’s not likely to happen, but age isn’t really a big deal IMO.

Bro, T.M.I. :ehh:

 

[marymary1975]

I don’t think that couples with substantial age differences are doomed to “it will never work” but truth is large age differences will bring big challenges and difficulties that will add more weight to marriage which is already per set not easy. If the couple is not aware of this challenges and very conscious of what they are getting into they will have a lot of trouble. Personally I don’t like anything over the 10 year range, particularly because my first husband was about 15 years older than me and I got the experience all this difficulties that in my case became a nightmare. Now there are many circumstances that play into. It is not the same a 20 year old with a 30 year old than 30 and 40. Also factors like culture environment play a big role on things. But people with 15-20 years of age difference are going to have a generational gap and a difference in life experiences and that may conduct to clashing different views on life. Of course there are people who are able to do it but is not easy and truth is when it comes to the big pictures in the vast majority of cases it doesn’t work.