For Gabbie and Brendan, Catholicism is their guide to everything in life, and dating was no exception to that rule.
They lived far apart but CatholicMatch connected them!
Shortly after meeting on CatholicMatch, Brendan asked Gabbie for her phone number, and their romance immediately took off. The couple discovered in their first call how easy it was to converse with each other.
They found they shared many things in common, and would enjoy spending time talking about their large families, current friendships, and of course, their Catholic faith.
Gabbie and Brendan lived about three hundred and fifty miles away from each other on the opposite ends of Pennsylvania. They excitedly looked forward to their phone calls and did not let the distance put a damper on their budding relationship. The couple quickly met and had a first date soon after connecting on CatholicMatch, where they bonded immediately and knew a second date would be soon following.
They fell in love despite some struggles...
Shortly after the couple began dating, Gabbie suffered from a concussion that impaired her sight and functioning.
Gabbie began a novena to St. Therese of Lisieux, asking the beloved saint to restore her sight and make clear her discernment about her relationship with Brendan. On the feast day of St. Therese, a bunch of roses inexplicably appeared on Gabbie’s door, her sight began to return to normal, and Brendan asked Gabbie to pray with him over the phone for the first time.
So, things got serious!
The couple’s relationship became more serious and intentional, they spent more time with each other on phone calls and visits became more frequent.
The couple faced challenges in their relationship, in addition to the long distance, the Covid-19 pandemic struck, and with schools closing and work becoming remote, Gabbie moved home to New Jersey and Brendan to Michigan.
The ups and downs of their relationship only made them stronger as a couple, and on Christmas, Brendan told Gabbie that he knew he wanted to marry her.
He planned a beautiful proposal!
Gabbie visited Brendan and his family in Michigan. The day after arriving, Brendan told Gabbie he had a nice dinner planned. Gabbie suspected a proposal was coming, as she utilized her nursing skills by counting Brendan’s heartbeats in the car, knowing his heart was beating faster than normal.
Her suspicions were shortly confirmed as Brendan proposed to her while the couple went for a walk at the lake. Gabbie could not contain her excitement and could not stop smiling, while Brendan’s brother hid and took pictures of the happy couple’s engagement.
The couple’s faith shone through at their wedding...
Four priests from various stages of the couple’s lives celebrated the wedding Mass. Their guest book was a bible meant for journaling, and they gave each guest a handmaid rosary as a favor.
Brendan recalled how the Mass was the best part of the wedding day, seeing Gabbie for the first time, and vowing to be with her for the rest of his life.
Their advice for singles currently on CatholicMatch is...
Brendan’s advice to readers using CatholicMatch is to be direct with your intentions, be prepared for rejections, and don’t let them get you down.
He also adds, "don’t be afraid to ask for a phone call or a date, and also don't forget you're talking to a real human being."
Gabbie added that it is important to know yourself before attempting to know someone new. Know what vocation you are being called to and be truly intentional. “Don’t be afraid of long-distance or to make sacrifices, be clear about your plans and what you want.”
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