They Each Bought a Subscription After Seeing the Other’s Profile!

Caleb and Mary-Margaret were only on CatholicMatch for a couple days before they found each other. Funnily enough, they each bought a subscription after seeing the other’s profile. Caleb reached out first after noticing that Mary’s profile checked all of his boxes. She was pretty, a practicing Catholic, invested in her physical health, and loved cats. “It was the best thirty bucks I ever spent,” Caleb jokes. 

The two talked on the phone for two weeks before deciding to meet in person. 

For their first date, Caleb drove an hour and thirty minutes from Canton, Ohio to Steubenville, Ohio where Mary was located for graduate school. Mary then gave Caleb a tour of Franciscan University’s campus, followed by Mass where Caleb remembers how the sunlight seemed to shine through a stained-glass window just on them. 

The two still didn’t want to part so they ended up getting dinner. To their delight, Mary and Caleb found that they were able to maintain the strong connection they had established during prior text conversations and video chats, so they decided to meet for a second date in Caleb’s hometown. 

Mary and Caleb also met during the year Mary turned 24, on which she prayed to the Lord asking to meet her future husband. Caleb shared that he had been Confirmed into the Catholic Church on April 16, 2022—the same date as Mary’s 24^th birthday! Mary fondly remarks that “the Lord brought my husband into the Church on the day that I asked for him.”

Caleb enlisted the help of his parish priest for his proposal...

He arranged an engagement blessing in the church and the told Mary that there was an Advent blessing taking place at the church. Upon entering the building, they were surprised to find that the priest had turned off the lights of the church and lined the aisle with candles. 

With shaky hands Caleb got down on his left knee and popped the question by saying, “after the second date, I knew that if I was ever going to get married, I was going to marry you.” Along with the proposal Caleb’s priest performed the Rite of Engagement and Mary’s ring received a blessing.

Their engagement was met with a few challenges.

Distance proved to be the main obstacle for Mary and Caleb. Because they lived an hour and thirty minutes apart, they spent weekends driving to visit each other. Mary notes that the relationship required intentionality and effort, especially when their graduate school schedules became particularly busy. 

Mary also revealed a more personal barrier that she had to overcome. A few years prior to meeting Caleb, Mary had dated a man who ended up dying in a car accident. She shares that “I don’t think I realized how much that affected me until I got into a relationship with Caleb.” Because of this, Mary learned to work through her own hesitation and fear of committing to another person again. 

Caleb and Mary were married on August 12, 2023!

Mary reminisces about walking down the aisle in the same church where their engagement took place and where Caleb was confirmed saying that she was “so ready to see Caleb.”

The pair also reflects on their vows as a highlight of the ceremony as the moment where the marriage became real. 

Since their wedding day, Caleb and Mary have received joy from the little moments of building a life together such as decorating their apartment and sharing meals. Despite the difficulties to adjusting to a new chapter, the two share that they’ve experienced a great deal of peace and joy.

Caleb and Mary currently reside in Canton, Ohio where they eagerly await the birth of their first child!