Dominic lost his first wife to breast cancer. Before she passed say, she told him that she wanted him to marry again, but she had one request: “‘Just make sure you find a good Catholic girl!’”
When Dominic, who lives in Bethlehem, PA, joined CatholicMatch, he had three daughters that were 9,7, and 6. “It was hard to start dating because whoever I met had to realize I was a ‘package deal.'”
However, “I felt CatholicMatch was going to be the answer to my prayers.”
He was on CatholicMatch for about a year when he noticed Nicola’s profile. “I was instantly intrigued. I sent her a ‘smile’, and I really hoped she would send a reply.”
Dominic, 41, chose to send Nicola, 34 that electronic smile and message because he found her attractive, and from reading her profile, he could tell that she had a zest for life. “I also could tell that she cherished God, life, and her family. I was attracted to her beauty, but there was more. She had many pretty pictures on her profile, but my favorite was a photo of her at work. She was dressed in scrubs (she is a nurse). She was holding Mentos and smiling. From that single picture, I could tell she liked to have fun—plus her smile was amazing.”
Online Dating Left Nicola Drained and Disenchanted
Nicola, from NYC, had tried two dating websites without any luck. “The men that I met on those websites were there just to date indefinitely. I wanted to be married and eventually have my own family.”
She continues, “After so many first dates, occasionally up to three dates, the men either stopped calling me—or I didn't think we were a match. I got tired of dating. It wasn't fun and exciting
anymore, especially when one guy mentioned to me that some single women date for free meals.”
Consequently, Nicola took a break from dating to take care herself. “During that time, I wondered if there was something wrong with me. I came to the conclusion that there wasn’t anything wrong with me because I am a happy, kind, healthy, and helpful person who volunteers for charitable causes. I was just dating the wrong men. So, I learned how to protect my fragile heart and filter the bad men out of my life. I needed to be with a man who respects women. From then, I did not make excuses for a man's bad behavior, and I did not tolerate disrespect.”
Even though she was on two dating sites before CatholicMatch, she still felt nervous and afraid of meeting or talking to strangers online. “I am shy, and I have always been conservative, so I wouldn’t make the first move. I waited for the guys to approach me. I also preferred to meet someone at a gathering, like a party where we have common friends.”
However, meeting someone special through her friends didn’t seem to be working. After seeing an ad on the back of a church bulletin and receiving a lot of encouragement from her family, she finally decided to join CatholicMatch with the hope that she would meet someone who held her same beliefs.
On January 25, 2014, after having been a CatholicMatch member for three years, she noticed a
message from Dominic. “I was physically attracted to his kind, sincere eyes. Then, I read what he wrote on his profile—he just captivated me.”
Eight-Hour First Date
On February 8th, 2014, they met for their first date at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY. The MET is one of Nicola’s favorite places to visit, and she thought it would make for an ideal first date because they could walk around and talk while appreciating the art. “I showed up fashionably late because I was afraid that he might not show up or he could be one of those creepy guys,” Nicola explains. “Also, I have never dated someone from outside of Manhattan, who is more than five years older than me, widowed, and has children. He's all of the above.”
Luckily, Dominic turned out to be someone special. “I told myself that I should give him a chance,” Nicola remembers.
As they walked and talked while looking at the artwork, Nicola shared her plans for a trip to Rome. “She was going to Rome for the Consistory as her uncle, Bishop Orlando Quevedo, was being elevated to Cardinal by Pope Francis. She was leaving in two weeks with 150 of her family members.”
Nicola picked the place where they met, but she asked Dominic to plan the rest of the date. “I wanted to be with a real gentleman. He took me to lunch at Nobu. We're foodies, and we love Japanese food,” she says.
Dominic adds, “We were so comfortable with each other. I asked her if she needed to go home. She said she was having a good time, and it was up to me, so I took her to a cello recital at the Juilliard School. Then we walked back to the MET through a snow-covered Central Park. We managed to get lost and then had to take a cab because it was so cold and dark. The first date lasted over eight hours! It was the best first date I ever had.”
Nicola agrees, “It felt as though we knew each other for a very long time. It was like magic.”
Nervous About Being An Instant Mom
Over the next nine months, Dominic and Nicola bonded over their faith and love of family. They both have careers as healthcare professionals, so they found that they had a lot to talk about. In addition, they enjoyed cooking together and spending time with each other’s families.
Although everything was going smoothly, Dominic understood that Nicola didn’t feel confident about being an instant mom. “I wanted her to realize that she did not have to fit into any mold. I just wanted her to be herself,” Dominic says.
The Surprise Birthday Trip of Lifetime
Knowing that Nicola loved to travel, Dominic took Nicola on a surprise trip to Venice, Italy for her 35th birthday. “Dom and I had never traveled together, and he thought it would be nice to go on a vacation together for my birthday. So, when he asked me where I would love to go, I said, ‘I would love to travel somewhere neither of us has been to so that it would be an
adventure for both of us.’ We both thought about going to Iceland to see the Aurora Borealis, but I told him, that he can surprise me, and so he did. I didn't know where we're going to until we were almost at the airport,” she recalls.
On November 9, 2014, Dominic proposed to her on a gondola ride. “He hired someone to serenade us with a guitar while we're on the gondola. Someone was also inconspicuously recording a video, and someone else had a banner ready to drop off the bridge to ask me to marry him. It was so special. I was about to cry until I realized that I was being recorded on video, so I composed myself. I didn't want my makeup to get ruined and get caught on video for our families to see.”
On August 29, 2015, they were married at the Church of Saint Rita in Staten Island, NY. Nicola’s uncle, Cardinal Orlando Quevedo, Archbishop of Cotabato, traveled from the Philippines to marry them. See video highlights from their lovely wedding.
Nicola + Dominic // Highlights from Joey G's Memories Video & Photo on Vimeo.
“My greatest joy is sharing my life every day with such an amazing woman. I know that God sent her to us because she completes me and she completes our family. There was a void in my life that is no longer there. Nicola wrote in her profile that ‘when you meet your Catholic Match, it will all make sense.’ She was right. When I met her, it all made sense.”
On June 19, 2016, Dominic had the best birthday and Father's Day of his life because Nicola delivered a baby boy.
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