Her "Deal-Breakers" Won Him Over!
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After the passing of her first husband, Irene spent six years on CatholicMatch.
She had gone on dates here and there but wanted to pursue a relationship with a devoutly Catholic man. Not wanting to waste time on incompatibilities, Irene decided to list her “deal breakers” in her profile after praying to the Blessed Mother to meet a nice man.
Her prayer was answered...
Soon enough she came across David’s profile and attracted to his kind face, she sent him a like.
David had been on CatholicMatch for three months when he received the notification from Irene. Looking through her profile, David was immediately attracted to her smile, gushing that it “just lit up my heart.” He was also interested in Irene’s deal breakers, admiring her for knowing exactly what she was looking for and refusing to settle for less.
17 days after matching, they decided to go on a date!
The two decided to meet at Irene’s favorite place to eat—The 99 Restaurant in Lowell, Massachusetts.
David was particularly nervous since it was the first date he had gone on in nearly 40 years. However, Irene and David were so comfortable talking with each other that they ended up staying at the restaurant for three hours! They set up the second date just over two hours later when David returned home.
Even though David lived two hours away from Lowell where Irene was located, he still drove to visit her frequently.
David converted to Catholicism during his first marriage and eventually became a regular attendee of a Traditional Latin Mass Parish in Nashua, New Hampshire. Since Nashua is only a short drive from Lowell, David and Irene often met after Sunday Mass. This gesture was also very special to Irene, and she felt herself astounded by David’s kindness.
A few months later, they were married in an intimate ceremony in Irene’s church.
Before the proposal, David and Irene had discussed and mutually agreed that they wanted to pursue marriage.
However, David wanted to make it official. He planned a simple yet sweet proposal in Irene’s kitchen where he got down on one knee and presented her with a ring.
On October 11, 2023, Irene and David were married in the Chapel of Saint Michael Church in Lowell.
Thirteen family members attended the ceremony and they all gathered at The 99 Restaurant afterwards—the site of Irene and David’s first date! Irene’s daughter brought a cake to celebrate, and they had a beautiful day surrounded by family.
After the wedding, David moved to Irene’s hometown of Lowell.
In reflecting on the highlights of married life, Irene shares that it “feels good to have my best friend here all the time…. I feel like I won the jackpot!”
The two also share that understanding each other’s love languages has strengthened their relationship, with Irene commenting that David’s acts of service make her feel so loved. She also expresses her gratitude to God: “I wholeheartedly believe that God brought us together.”