Sylvia, originally from Ohio, avoided online dating for several years because she didn’t consider it an ideal way to meet someone.
When the “ideal” didn’t pan out despite her efforts to get out and meet people, she was content to try online dating.
Her sister had met her now husband on CatholicMatch (who, like JJ, is also a former seminarian from Indiana), so she decided to give it a try.
She had initially skipped her husband JJ’s profile because she didn’t think he looked very manly holding a small white lap dog in his picture. Funnily, it was his grandmother’s dog, and he had chosen that cute canine's picture specifically as an attempt to draw in ladies, but it had the opposite effect on Sylvia!
Sylvia was a member of CatholicMatch for 3 months before finding JJ. She started by talking to the men who messaged her, but when those all petered out, she decided to scroll through her likes and re-evaluate profiles she had initially skipped. She decided to click on JJ’s profile and give it a thorough read through.
She was actually very impressed by his profile and liked him back.
JJ sent the first message after that! The pair messaged on CatholicMatch for one week before meeting in person. Sylvia felt easy about their first date and really looked forward to it because she knew that even if it didn’t go further, they would have a great conversation based on how much they had in common.
They were both converts to Catholicism, and he was a former seminarian while she was a former aspirant in a religious order. She was all about future planning right away, so when JJ communicated the same thing on their first date, she was thrilled.
They met at a German restaurant halfway between them - a restaurant where they had at least half of their dates and still love to visit! Both of them have German ancestry, and they ended up going to Bavaria on their honeymoon.
They decided to go on a second date at the end of the first one.
They knew that their priorities and goals were aligned (staying rooted with family, nurturing a Catholic culture, and learning homesteading skills). They kept dating for four more months just to make sure, then got engaged on February 14th after meeting for the first time on October 2nd!
They were attracted by each other’s commitment to God and family, which is still what they appreciate the most.
JJ proposed in the home built by his grandfather, which later became their own.
There was no fanfare, just a simple “will you marry me?” with a ring that had been his mother’s tenth anniversary gift. It was fitting for them, as they both honor family heritage so highly. Sylvia had imagined what the proposal might be like ahead of time, and she had guessed that JJ would go down on his right knee because of the habit of genuflecting. She was flustered when he went down on the left and told him so. He explained that, in accord with the Roman Missal, his right knee was reserved for Jesus, and his left for her and the Pope.
When they were engaged, Sylvia got a job in JJ’s hometown and moved there.
One morning, she went to church to go to confession and ran into JJ going to confession too, which was a wonderful reminder of their commitment to God. Now, they both currently live in JJ’s hometown in Indiana.
They got married on November 19, 2022. Her sister got married in 2022 as well, they both served as each other’s maids of honor, and both are godparents to each other’s children! They were married at a German parish and had their reception at the home of a German club - complete with an Oktoberfest menu! The morning of the wedding, JJ had her mom surprise her with a missal he had inscribed. He set the ribbons for their wedding mass so that she could follow along with the Latin. Sylvia loved their vows and intentionally recited them as a prayer. When they both spoke them, she felt so strongly that they were praying together from their new union.
While they both adjusted well to married life, they both had to overcome some different personality obstacles.
JJ is a jump-in-and-do-it kind of guy. He gets an idea and then does something about it right away. Sylvia likes to stew over her ideas for a long time to get used to them first. At first, this led to consternation, but now she appreciates how JJ makes things happen. It has enriched her life so much, and she has become less trepidatious.
The highlights of their marriage have definitely been their two daughters, who have not changed their dynamics, but intensified them. When they looked at their newborn daughter in the hospital, they agreed that having her was the best thing they’d ever done!
For any current CatholicMatch users, they encourage you to focus on the essential things you are looking for in a spouse and let the connection grow after those are established.
