Ed and Molly were both starting over, at least when it came to dating and relationships. They had each suffered the ending of a marriage gone bad, and its subsequent annulment by the Catholic Church. Now, the question, was where to begin the rebuilding process.
“When you’re older, it’s hard to find people,” said Ed, who was 37-years-old at the time he joined CatholicMatch. “It’s hard to find Catholics who go to Mass. The Internet seemed like the best way.” He heard of the site through Relevant Radio, as did Molly, and created a profile.
Ed was still taking things slow. He chose not to date for a year and a half after the divorce. His first seven months on CatholicMatch were spent just passively looking at profiles. “I found that healing,” he said. “I realized there were normal people out there who wanted the same things I did.”
The first foray into correspondence led to a long-distance situation, but when they met in person, the spark wasn’t there. It persuaded Ed to stick with searches in his own area around Milwaukee. He just didn’t want to spend several months prepping to meet someone and have it not work out again.
He connected with Molly. She was the same age, and had a busy life of her own, with three children from her previous marriage. On their first date, they took a two-hour walk through a park. They talked about what they wanted out of life. There was both personal compatibility and physical attraction. And in the spiritual realm, it turned out they both had a devotion to St. Josemaria Escriva. “I knew she was special,” Ed recalled.
The couple still stayed conservative in their approach, and remained open to the possibility that God might be calling them to friendship, rather than romance. This was in the summer of 2012, and they decided to keep it casual and low-key through August. If things were still good then, it would be time to look explore whether something more serious was their calling.
Ed did not have children in his previous marriage, and he admitted to feeling overwhelmed by Molly’s trio. He also noticed God slowly taking charge. He felt fatherly instincts with much greater frequency. And he got good advice from a faith-filled friend who eased his worries about potentially being a provider. “God loves practicing Catholics who are open to life,” was the advice Ed recalled receiving. “Trust Him.”
After getting her engagement ring at a Lourdes Grotto in Milwaukee, Molly visited the original Lourdes on her honeymoon.
