In November 2017, for the first time, both Thomas and Danielle prayed the St. Andrew Christmas Novena, asking God to bring someone special into their lives. God heard their prayers.
Committing to not being alone
On November 25, 2017, Danielle, from Madison, WI, celebrated her golden birthday. It bothered her that at 25 she had never been in a relationship. Wanting to change her situation, she decided to take action and do two things: pray the St. Andrew Christmas Novena and join CatholicMatch.
The St. Andrew Christmas Novena Danielle (and Thomas) recited involves praying 15 times a day—from November 30 through December 24— this short invocation:
"Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, O my God, to hear my prayer and grand my desires through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen."
Instant results
As soon as Danielle signed up for a CatholicMatch account, she noticed a message from Thomas, who lived a hour away in Milwaukee, WI. However, she couldn't read his message instantly because she hadn't paid for a full membership. Danielle didn't want to wonder the whole waiting period to find out what Thomas had said. She decided she should pay for a membership.
"Knowing I had wanted to find a potential husband, with the encouragement of my mom and sisters, I made a payment for three months of CatholicMatch," Danielle, 27, writes on her blog. "With a membership, I not only gained access to CatholicMatch's additional features within the site, but I could now read Thomas's message. "
Seeing Thomas's message, she felt impressed by much attention he had paid to her profile. That first message evolved into texts and phone calls, which became daily conversations. After two weeks of talking, they made plans to meet in person at a coffee shop in Madison, WI.
Feeling nervous
Danielle didn't hide that she felt anxiety about their first date. "I had texted him a day or two leading up to it, expressing that I was quite nervous. I explained that I didn't want to go with any particular expectations."
Thomas told Danielle that he also felt nervous, but at the same time, he felt peaceful.
As it turns out, Danielle worried for nothing. From the moment she laid eyes on Thomas, "it felt like we had known each other for years," she says. "We did not experience any awkward moments, and there weren't any lulls in the conversation. "
The date went off without a hitch. The couple had so much in common and so much to talk about that they ended up hanging out at the coffee shop for four hours. To Danielle, "it felt as if the date just started."
Thomas, 31, says, "I decided that I wanted a second, and third, and fourth date within the first thirty minutes of meeting. Our conversation felt effortless, enjoyable, and we shared endless similarities."
After the date, Danielle knew she would go on a second date since she couldn't stop thinking about Thomas and how wonderful the date had been.
A surprise discovery
In Early January, Danielle and Thomas met for a vigil Mass in Madison. Then they decided to drive around Madison and point out the places they had frequented. Only a few years prior, Thomas had also lived in the area.
After showing each other where they worked, they pulled through a drive-thru to order a hot drink. Danielle thought it was the right moment to divulge to Thomas how the Lord had answered her prayers through the St. Andrew Christmas Novena. Thomas blew Danielle away when he told her that he also said the novena.
"To my surprise, Thomas shared that his mother and grandmother had also introduced him to that very Novena that same year, and his intention—if it was God's will—was that he would meet a faithful, Catholic woman," she recalls. "This was just one more of the many incidences that brought me to know that our relationship was meant to be. I knew God had a beautiful plan for us."
Why they clicked
Discussing why their relationship flowed so smoothly, Danielle and Thomas share what they appreciate about one another.
"Thomas's ability to engage in conversation and genuinely listen made him attractive to me," she explains. "Now that I've known him for a while, I appreciate how seriously he embraces his role as leader and protector for our family."
Thomas adds, "I initially felt attracted to Danielle by her unwavering faith, joyful disposition, and the kindness and tenderness she shows to all. I still greatly appreciate each of these attributes she possesses, but their seemingly unending depth has continued to amaze me. Just when I think she could not possibly be more kind, more joyful, or more faithful to God, she finds a way to show me that she can be."
Proposal at the only Church-approved Marian apparition site in the U.S.
On June 30, 2018, on their six-month anniversary, Thomas made plans with Danielle to meet up at the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help in Champion, Wisconsin—the only Church-approved Marian apparition in the United States. After walking around the site, they visited the oratory in the lower level of the chapel.
"We lit a candle in thanksgiving to God for our relationship and spent time in quiet prayer," she recalls. "Eventually, we went back outside to see the beautiful landscaping and a scene of Our Lady of Fatima."
Thomas began talking about the wonderful qualities of their relationship, and and proceeded to place his arms around Danielle and she leaned in for a hug. Then, he stepped back and knelt down in front of her.
"The moment this happened, I'm fairly certain I semi-lost consciousness," she laughs.
Things moved fast
The couple decided on a six-month engagement that flew by for them.
Thomas shares, "It was a whirlwind of preparing for the wedding, determining where we wanted to live after the wedding, and finding a future place for us to live. On top of that, we still had our careers. Despite the stress of wedding, it was wonderful to spend that time and have that experience with Danielle!"
Danielle and Thomas recited their marriage vows on Saturday, December 29, 2018, exactly one year after they began officially dating.
"I had always dreamt of a winter wedding, so it was absolutely wonderful," she says. "Some highlights of the day, for me, included seeing Thomas for the first time as I walked down the aisle. I also enjoyed surprising guests with a choreographed father-daughter dance and having the love and support of our family and closest friends."
Thomas felt moved by the Holy Mass and the blessing of having their family and friends present. "Going on our mini-moon was simply the icing on top of the cake."
On March 26, 2020, God blessed the couple with their first child whom they named Philomena Clare.
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