Their Marriage is Proof That Second Chances Come at Any Age 

Living in San Diego, Patrick and Lynn were devoted grandparents when they met on CatholicMatch in February 2022.

Lynn was attracted to a picture of Patrick holding his grandson. She reached out asking, “What’s a nice guy like you doing on a site like this?”

Patrick responded, “Well it’s CatholicMatch, how much safer can it get?”

Looking for companionship, Patrick recalls, “I wasn’t against marriage but I was looking for someone to spend time with who was a kindred spirit.”

Lynn shares, “I had to have a Catholic man.”

Both Patrick and Lynn had been through an annulment.

Though they both came from different backgrounds, Lynn had escaped Vietnam just before the fall of South Vietnam in 1975, and Patrick had been born and raised in The United States, they realized they had a lot in common. They were both very active in their parishes. They also found they had both experienced the loss of a child. Additionally, they both shared a passion for tennis!

Finding they were both tennis players, they decided to meet a couple weeks later for a tennis match and a snack. After that initial date, Patrick asked if Lynn wanted to go out again...

“Yes, but next time you have to take me on a real date,” Lynn responded. So, Patrick took Lynn to a nice dinner for their first official date.

Patrick’s kindness shone forth to Lynn. Lynn recalls, “I knew right away he was going to be my guy.”

Patrick shares, “I was drawn to Lynn’s happy, optimistic personality, love of the Lord, bright and easy smile, and deep dark eyes.”

One month into their relationship, Patrick asked Lynn to attend a funeral Mass for a diocesan priest. Among the many priests in attendance was venerable, Irish Monsignor Campbell, a long-time friend of Patrick’s.  Curious to know who Patrick’s lovely lady was, he asked, “Is there a wedding in the future?” Patrick replied, “I don’t know if the Holy Spirit has told you something that He hasn’t told me!”

Among the experiences they shared while dating was a trip to Las Vegas for Patrick’s birthday in May. “Lynn bought me a fabulous, over-the-top dinner,” Patrick recalls. For Lynn’s June birthday, the couple took a road trip driving from San Diego to San Francisco to see the sights.  

Though they were very compatible, there was one complication that loomed.

For a dozen years, Lynn has traveled to Vietnam to teach English to seminarians. Patrick initially wanted to hold off proposing until he saw how their extended time apart would affect their relationship.  

However, their relationship progressed so well that Patrick decided to take a leap of faith and propose to Lynn before her trip abroad. “It felt so right,” he recalls. On Christmas Eve morning, Patrick proposed and Lynn accepted. “I feel so blessed to have someone love me for who I am,” Lynn shares.

As it turned out, Patrick accompanied Lynn on her trip to Vietnam.

For two weeks, they lived in the Carmelite seminary in Saigon where they would rise at 4:30am for morning Mass and teach until 9pm. Rigorous and deeply spiritual, this experience bonded them. Then, Patrick left to go back to the States while Lynn remained for 6 more weeks.  

Their relationship survived the test of time and they married on November 11, 2023.

They united aspects of their parishes at their wedding. Patrick asked his long-time pastor at San Rafael Parish, Monsignor Mikulanis, to be the principal celebrant, with Monsignor Campbell in attendance. Lynn chose her church, St. Therese of Carmel as the venue. Lynn recalls, “I was happy and surprised to see my granddaughter and daughter play the cello and piano during Mass.”

Patrick shares, “The wedding was seamless. It was meant to be.” Lynn’s family handled the wedding details. Lynn had traditional Vietnamese wedding outfits tailored in Vietnam. At the reception, Patrick recalls honoring Lynn’s heritage. “We went around to each table with tea. We toasted the guests at each table. Our grandkids were at our elbows helping to pour the tea.”

After the wedding, the couple decided to live in Lynn’s house so she could continue to be an active part of her grandchildren’s lives. “There’s not been a hard part,” Lynn shares about married life. “It’s nice to come home to my husband. We enjoy eating together even if it’s just leftovers.”

Patrick adds, “Lynn has completed me and we’re one.”  

“All things are possible with God when we’re open to His will,” Patrick adds.

Their love story is proof that God gives second chances at any age!