When Madalynn first met Slater, she didn’t just find a husband—she found someone who would help lead her closer to Christ.
From the beginning, they served as a mutual source for spiritual formation and emotional support.
“I was raised a cradle Catholic,” Maddie explained. Although baptized Methodist, her mother’s Catholic faith shaped her childhood. She attended Catholic school and Mass regularly, even at the parish where she would one day marry Slater. But as she grew older, she admitted, “I was a cafeteria Catholic for a while. My faith life before him was a little more new-age—oracle cards, friends who saw psychics, friends who were into some out-there religions.”
That all began to change when she met Slater. “His presence encouraged my want and desire to return to the Church,” Maddie said.
In fact, one of their very first dates included him walking her through going back to confession—and then helping her complete her penance afterward.
“The building blocks were there,” she reflected, “but he played a big role in it.”
Slater’s own journey to Catholicism was just as remarkable. Raised by his grandmother in a loosely Protestant environment, he rarely attended church except on holidays. “Most of my life, if you asked me if I believed in God, I would say, ‘yes, no, maybe—it’s complicated,’” Slater admitted.
Then came the COVID lockdowns. Searching for truth, he began watching theological YouTube videos and reading Christian sources. “I got antsy. I needed a church,” he said. But choosing a denomination was overwhelming. After months of prayer and discernment, he declared: “I am entering the Catholic Church, and you can’t stop me.”
On October 30, 2022, Slater was conditionally baptized, and the very next day, confirmed. Newly Catholic, he longed to find someone who shared his desire for holiness.
That’s when CatholicMatch brought them together.
“I was using a few online dating sites, but I always wanted somebody who was more morally centered,” Slater said. “So we could strive for virtue rather than just being buddies or treating each other as transactional objects.”
Maddie was also weary of secular dating apps, and the quality of men they attracted. “I was really tired of them,” she said. In just two short months, she came across Slater’s profile—and decided to send him a message.
“Sorry if this is presumptuous to message first, but I found your profile very interesting,” she wrote.
What caught her attention was his humility, traditional mindset, and unique background. “He talked about being a linguist, that he went to Yale. Honestly, he didn’t seem real,” Maddie laughed. “I couldn’t believe an Ivy League graduate was in my small town in Indiana!”
Because of their differences, Slater nearly ignored her message.
The night before she sent her message, Slater had decided he was going to take a fast from online dating. When he received her message, he almost didn’t reply. “When I first read her profile, I thought we wouldn’t be a good fit,” he admitted.
“But I told him to let me decide about that,” Maddie added, laughing.
Their first date, on March 7, 2023, was unforgettable. Slater arrived with gifts: a Pope Francis bobblehead, a Padre Pio cross, and a prayer card—all of which are still displayed in their home. They met at a coffee shop at 5 p.m. and stayed until closing time. Maddie had planned to attend choir rehearsal afterward but canceled just to keep talking with him.
Slater admitted that in those early days, “I didn’t know what would come of it.” They disagreed on politics, theology, and even some Church teachings. But instead of turning away, he began to pray—for her and for their relationship.
“Despite our differences, she was very respectful,” Slater said.
Their mutual respect and curiosity for each other would become the bedrock of a fruitful relationship.
“I was so appreciative of the way he treated me,” Maddie said. “Learning new things, emotional sensitivity, and the way he treated me with dignity for my soul rather than just treating me as a body.”
Slater always made an effort to be patient, respectful and considerate of her views when engaging in philosophical and theological discussions. “When she asked me about my beliefs, I shared honestly.” he said. “Over time, she became more accepting of a proper understanding of Church teaching. Even things that aren’t necessarily dogmatic—she was increasingly open to see where I was coming from.”
As their relationship deepened, they both prayed about the future. “There was always a serious level of commitment,” Maddie said. “I could see that with him from early on.”
Being with Slater brought her peace she had never experienced before. “There is a level of calm that comes from him that I don’t experience around anyone else. I wanted to keep that peace.”
They decided to get married.
After months of heartfelt conversations about morality, values, and life goals, Slater knew it was time. One day in July, the couple wandered into a jewelry store “just to look.” When Maddie tried on a ring that fit perfectly, Slater bought it on the spot.
On July 7, 2023, after daily Mass in Indianapolis, he took her to the first church he had visited when he moved there. At the fountain dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes, Slater knelt down and asked her to be his wife.
Her reaction was immediate: “What, right now?” she laughed.
“Yes!” he said.
“Oh, of course!” Maddie replied through happy tears.
The couple married on April 13, 2024, at Little Flower Catholic Church in Maddie’s hometown. The Mass was celebrated in the Anglican Ordinariate rite, which held deep meaning for Slater. “It really was beautiful,” Maddie said. “I really appreciated it because all of his friends got to participate in the Mass as altar servers, choir members, or something else.”
Their relationship is rooted in a deep love for God, and sacrificial fasting.
Throughout their relationship, the couple developed a devotion to St. Rita of Cascia, so much so that they named their firstborn son Cassius in her honor. Now, with baby Cassius in their arms and another little boy on the way, Maddie and Slater are joyfully living out their vocation as husband and wife—rooted in prayer, fasting, and trust in God’s providence.
Their advice for Catholic singles: don’t give up!
Reflecting on their journey, Slater offered encouragement for other Catholic singles: “Don’t give up searching for your partner. Even if you’ve been on the platform for a long time, keep praying, keep hoping.”
“Eventually somebody will message you—you’ll hate their profile—you’ll respond anyway—and then you’ll get married,” he joked.
But, in all seriousness: “The night before Maddie messaged me, I had decided to delete my profile. I got rejected three times and was ready to quit.” Now, they have a beautiful 9-month-old son, and another on the way who is set to arrive in December.
Maddie agreed: “Follow your gut instinct when you feel drawn to a person, and put faith in the Holy Spirit. We should not have matched as well as we did. But there was a reason for it.”
