Ely and I (Stephan) both found exactly what we wanted on Catholic
Match. Ely had just moved to a suburb of Chicago for her first real job
after earning her MS. There weren’t many singles among her neighbors
and co-workers, so she gave this site a try. You’d think I’d have an
easier time because I was in grad school in the city. I was meeting a
lot of interesting people, but not so many practicing Catholics or
people who share my values. I turned to Catholic Match too. After a few
false starts, we found each other.
From our first dinner on a
cold, snowy February Sunday, we’ve been learning about each other,
finding out how much we have in common, and falling in love. As I
watched Ely advance in her career, adjust to a move into the big city,
and interact with her family and friends, I was so impressed with her
strength and character. She gave me unflagging support through my
coursework and comprehensive exams. We discussed our ideas about
marriage and our vision of spouses encouraging each other to grow in
faith.
On April 1 of this year, I tried to play it cool as we
spent the day walking around an unfamiliar neighborhood on Chicago’s
north side. I was planning a low-key proposal and hiding the little box
in my backpack. We ended up heading back to the church near her
apartment and going to an evening mass. At the recessional, I asked her
to stay a moment while I said one more prayer. I prayed for a steady
voice and then turned to her and proposed.
In May 2007, we’ll be
married in the church where Ely was baptized and confirmed. We hope to
post some nice pictures from the ceremony… and 10, 30, and 50-year
anniversary announcements. We thank God for intending us for one
another, and Catholic Match for helping us find each other!
