Singles bring many gifts to the Church Because singles lack many of the obligations of marriage or religious life, they are blessed with great freedom to use their time, energy and resources as they choose. They are often free to develop their own lives and to minister to others, both within parishes and in the world outside the Church. Those of us who are single can put our freedom to use in such ways as the following: 1. We can use our freedom for healthy self-development. Singleness can foster the self-knowledge and growth which are foundation blocks for mature Christian life. For many, single life will be an opportunity to establish an adult identity. David, a single man who works in religious education, happily confided, "Between ages 25 and 30 I feel I've established a clear sense of self simply by having to create a life and homealone. Now if I marry, it will be enrichment of an already meaningful life, rather than an escape hatch or a cure."