Ryan and Suzie were in New York’s beautiful and historic St. Patrick’s Cathedral on the last Sunday of 2012. When the priest delivered the homily, he began to talk about young couples and the sacrament marriage. The priest further went on to say that online dating is a way God can bring Catholics together in our own day.
The homily was more than a little ironic—at that very moment, Ryan had an engagement ring in his pocket for Suzie, exactly one year after they met on CatholicMatch.
Back in December 2011, 26-year-old Suzie had returned to her San Diego home after a vacation to visit family. Her subscription to CatholicMatch was just a few days from expiring and her inclination was not to renew. She viewed Ryan’s profile, but didn’t make contact. But the 29-year-old from South Dakota did.
“His first message was asking how the transition out to California was from the Midwest,” said Suzie who had recently moved. “Sparks flew from those first few conversations.” She flew home to Iowa for a St. Patrick’s Day get together in March, and Ryan made the four-hour drive to come and see her.
There was no doubting that the online connection was just as real in person. “It was instant chemistry for both and after saying goodbye after Mass on Sunday we planned another trip in April for Ryan to visit California,” Suzie recalled. “Long distance was tough and every three weeks one of us was flying back and forth.”
Ryan and Suzie got a break in September of 2012 when her company allowed her to transfer back to Iowa, and with their love growing deeper, Ryan found a job of his own in the Hawkeye state so he could be closer to her. Not only was seeing each other more convenient, but they were able to spend more extensive time getting to know each other’s families.
That brings us full circle to the couple’s trip to New York over Christmas and what proved to be a prophetic homily. Ryan proposed, Suzie said yes, and they will be married this coming summer.
