Congratulations!  You have made a connection with a fellow CatholicPeople.com community member and now you two are ready to take a big step- meeting each other face to face.  It's exciting and fun, and it may make you a little nervous.  Here are some tips to making your first meeting with your Catholic friend a memorable one:

1) Dress Conservatively
Now, we don't want you to dress in any style that isn't you, because you are most comfortable when you can just be yourself.  But maybe just present yourself as a little bit spiffier than usual.  Dress conservatively and nicely.  You aren't trying to catch your new Catholic friend's attention, you already have.  Don't distract yourself with clothing, and concentrate on what really counts now: charming their socks off. 

2) Make Eye Contact
90% of both men and women say the first feature they notice about a person are their eyes.  So, show off those baby blues or deep, soulful browns.  We understand you may be nervous, but show confidence and make a better personal connection by making eye contact.  Don't burn a hole in your friend's head of course, but try to maintain a comfortable amount of eye contact when meeting a Catholic friend for the first time.  Making eye contact is a key signal that you are interested in a person.  Also, it is standard good manners.

3) Smile
A beautiful smile shows that you are a happy, kind person and makes people feel at ease.  Flash your pearly whites and smile big when meeting a Catholic friend.  Not only does smiling help people feel comfortable, it actually puts you in a better mood, subconsciously. 

4) Shake Hands
For your first in-person meeting with a Catholic friend, we suggest keeping the physical contact to a minimum.  Respect your Catholic friend's personal space.  No matter how intimate you might have become online or over the phone, being face to face is different, and it will take time for both of you to feel comfortable with each other.  So, when you first meet, give your Catholic friend a nice firm handshake.  If they go in for a hug, and you are comfortable with it, that's great.  But don't expect more physical intimacy than that.

5) Listen As Much As You Talk
During your first face-to-face heart-to-heart with your Catholic friend, you want to be careful not to monopolize the conversation.  By the time you meet in person, you have probably learned a great deal about that person already, so the basic chit-chat is out of the way and you can discuss issues that really matter to both of you.  Just be careful to be a good listener as well as a good conversationalist. 

6) Laugh
Laughing together is one of the greatest ways people can connect.  If you don't think you are naturally witty, come armed with a few great jokes to lighten the mood.  Here are some jokes you and your Catholic friend will love:

• A rabbi, a priest and a minister walk into a bar.
  The bartender looks up and says, "What is this, a joke?"
   
• A little boy was listening to a long and excessively boring sermon in church. Suddenly, the red sanctuary lamp caught his eye. Tugging his father's sleeve, he said, "Daddy, when the light turns green can we go?"
   
• Jesus was walking along one day, when He came upon a group of people surrounding a lady of ill repute. It was obvious that the crowd was preparing to stone her, so Jesus made His now-famous statement, "Let the person who has no sin cast the first stone." The crowd was shamed and one by one began to turn away. All of a sudden, a lovely little woman made her way through the crowd. Finally getting to the front, she tossed a pebble towards the woman. Jesus looks over and says, "I really hate it when you do that, Mom."

For more great jokes, visit our Catholic Jokes page.

Our Final Words of Advice:

 7) Be Yourself
We can't say it enough.  If you just relax and be yourself, you and your new Catholic friend will have a fine time at your first meeting.  And who knows, maybe you will want to see each other again . . .