Joanne was happy with her life. The 57-year-old account executive from the Fort Lauderdale area kept an energetic lifestyle and had a good sense of humor, but she thought that life would be even better if there were someone to share it with. When her mom prompted her to join CatholicMatch and saw Father Frank Pavone had endorsed the site, she decided it was worth a try.
Jim, the same age, and living up in Michigan where he works in manufacturing sales, had a similarly fulfilling life, ranging from active family relationships to pursuing his passion for vintage wine-making. Like Joanne, he didn’t need another person. But having that special someone would sure make life’s journey a lot more fun.
It was only two days after Joanne joined the site that Jim came upon her profile. She liked what she saw upon noticing him in her encounters. “I thought he looked so happy,” she recalled. “And I was curious to learn more about him.”
After seeing his profile, she decided to take his questionnaire. But by the time she was finished, he’d already noticed her in his own encounters area and sent her a message. “(It) simply said ‘Hi Joanne’”, she said. “I felt something for him immediately. He was online and I answered him and we probably exchanged 25 e-mails that night.” As Humphrey Bogart said in Casablanca, it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Jim is developing his own idea for a vintage winery,, one of the many interests he shares with Joanne.
