Meeting on the online dating platform CatholicMatch, Laura and Alan found not only compatibility but a profound devotion to their faith that would guide them through their relationship and eventual engagement.
They were both very serious about their faith!
Laura, a 33-year-old teacher from Tampa, Florida, and Alan, a 34-year-old from the small town of Doylestown, Ohio, both grew up in the Catholic faith and have remained dedicated daily communicants. For both Laura and Alan, faith isn't just a part of their lives; it is the guiding force that shapes their decisions and aspirations.
As Laura puts it, she aims to put God at the center of everything she does with "reckless abandon," while Alan seeks to live his life in the image of the Apostles, pursuing Christ daily.
The couple's journey began when they independently joined CatholicMatch, drawn by the hope of finding a partner who shared their deep faith and values.
Laura had tried other dating apps like Hinge, Bumble, and Tinder but struggled to find like-minded individuals genuinely committed to their faith.
Upon reactivating her CatholicMatch account in January 2023, she connected with Alan, who had been on the platform since 2013 but only started using it seriously the previous year.
Their initial contact was initiated by Alan, who messaged Laura after noticing she had viewed his profile. Although both were initially uninterested in pursuing a long-distance relationship, as they began exchanging messages in April, they discovered a strong attraction to each other's devotion to the Traditional Latin Mass and shared personality traits.
They began reading the book “101 Questions to Ask Before You Get Engaged” by Christian counselor H. Norman Wright to discern their compatibility and whether marriage was right for them.
After a month of online communication and Facetime calls in which they got to know each other more personally, Alan flew to Tampa to meet Laura in person in May.
They had a wonderful first date!
Their first date at a local bar was a memorable experience, with Laura feeling an immediate sense of ease and comfort around Alan. They found themselves engaged in dynamic conversations and discovered a mutual desire for spiritual, mental, and physical growth.
“When we met in person, everything just seemed to be making sense,” Laura said.
With daily Facetime calls and in-person visits every other weekend, their bond strengthened as they shared their spiritual journeys and attended Church and Eucharistic Adoration together.
“Part of our journey has been sharing in the Lord on a daily basis,” Alan said.
One of their most cherished memories was a family vacation in Florida, where Laura got to know Alan's six siblings and their families. Their genuine connection and shared faith made every moment spent together all the more precious.
Surprisingly, the couple's decision to get engaged came shortly after their first meeting...
Both felt an undeniable connection and trust, fueled by their shared intention to seek a God-centered relationship. Their engagement became official on May 13, the Feast Day of Our Lady of Fatima, when Alan surprised Laura with an early-morning proposal at her doorstep.
Although they had been dating with the intention of marriage from their very first interaction, Laura said that she was not expecting to find Alan on her doorstep that morning as she was preparing for Mass. She recollected the exact words he said when he asked her to marry him: “I have prayed and prepared my whole life for a woman like you. I want to take you, our children, and myself to heaven if you will allow me. Will you be my wife?”
As they prepare for their wedding, the Feast Day of Our Lady of Sorrows, Laura and Alan acknowledge the profound role of Our Lady in their lives. The couple credits the success of their relationship to Our Lady of Sorrows, whom Laura and her family and friends have been praying to with the intention of her finding a good, Catholic husband since she met Alan.
Their shared faith has been the bedrock of their relationship, helping them overcome the challenges of a long-distance relationship and guiding them in their decision-making process. Their faith grounds their relationship in times of uncertainty and stress, according to Laura, who said that Alan “always helps to paint the picture for me of what Jesus would want me to do.”
In the midst of wedding planning and marriage preparation, Laura and Alan have found joy in the process, with their faith serving as a guiding light.
“There's no formula for how to date, and love doesn't equate to time. God can literally do anything He wants to, and we are so grateful that He matched us at the right time, in the right place, for the right reasons,” Laura reflected.
Their advice to other couples seeking love on CatholicMatch is to be open-minded, explore the platform's features, prioritize quality time together, and communicate with purpose to build a solid foundation for a lasting relationship.
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