Mario of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, tried using secular dating apps such as Hinge and Bumble but found it challenging to meet someone who took the Catholic faith seriously. He turned to CatholicMatch and, in May 2022, connected with Breeci.
For her part, Breeci of Columbus, Ohio, had previously used CatholicMatch and went on a few dates, but they didn’t go anywhere. She was also on Hinge and faced a similar challenge of finding someone with the same commitment to the faith. Then she met Mario on CatholicMatch, and this time, the relationship would lead to Matrimony.
They begin exchanging messages...
At the end of May 2022, the pair stumbled upon each other's profiles and exchanged messages. One potential challenge to pursuing a relationship with one another would be the nearly three-hour distance between them. But Mario noticed Pittsburgh connections on Breeci’s profile, like her being a Steelers fan and obtaining her doctorate at Duquesne University, so he figured, “Hey, why not take a chance?” The pace of their messages soon picked up, and the two exchanged phone numbers before going on their first date at the end of June.
They would meet halfway for dates.
For their first date, they had dinner at Walnut Grill in Robinson, PA. “We decided to go on a second date because the conversation flowed so well, and we had a lot in common,” Breeci recalled. In planning these dates, they were intentional about the time and place from the start. Breeci frequently visited her parents near Steubenville, Ohio, and her sisters in West Virginia, so the pair often met halfway between Pittsburgh and the town she was visiting.
They grabbed lunch in Wheeling, WV, for their second date when Breeci was visiting her sister there and met in Washington, PA, a halfway point between them, when she went to see her other sister in Morgantown, WV. After three dates, the couple felt comfortable doing more activities together. Their fourth date was at the Ohio State Fair in Columbus at the end of July. Keeping the faith at the center of their relationship, they attended Mass before the fair. After a fun weekend, they knew the relationship could go somewhere and wanted to continue their pursuit. Next came the proposal.
He proposed after just six months and she said "YES!"
Just a few months after the fair, Mario was ready to propose. He and Breeci had been open and talked a lot about marriage, so a proposal was a matter of “when,” not “if.” As faith and family were very important to them both, Mario asked her father for his blessing on Thanksgiving 2022 before proposing. He gave him his blessing, but Breeci’s mother also snuck in and gave him her blessing, too.
After running out different proposal scenarios in his head, Mario decided on Senti Restaurant and Wine Bar in Pittsburgh as the location since they both liked walking to neighborhood restaurants. He arranged with the restaurant staff for a semi-private table in the corner. Then, about a month after receiving her family’s blessing, on December 16, the couple went to dinner. After enjoying their meal, they ordered dessert, and Mario dropped on one knee and popped the question. She said “yes,” and they celebrated with dessert, champagne, and flowers before Facetiming with friends and family after leaving the restaurant.
They both had never envisioned being engaged after only six months. “Historically, we’ve both taken our time. I’m very analytical, but when you know, you know,” Mario said. “We talked about this before that we had both been on so many dates from dating websites and by that point in our lives knew what we wanted,” Breeci added.
They were married in Breeci’s hometown parish.
It was important to Breeci that they were married in the parish she grew up in in Steubenville and where her parents, grandparents, and most of her family were married. The couple also wanted to have a full Catholic wedding Mass. So, even though it would require a bit more traveling for their guests, they decided to get married in her hometown parish, St. Joseph Catholic Church in Tiltonsville, Ohio, outside Steubenville. Breeci’s hometown parish priest, Fr. William (Bill) Cross, would be the celebrant of the Mass and help them through the Steubenville Dioceses' marriage preparation.
Mario and Breeci met with Fr. Bill a few times during the marriage prep, including to go over their online compatibility assessment, which showed they were very compatible. They could complete most course requirements online, which was convenient given the three-hour distance between them. But they would do most of the courses together. Some of the main course topics included the Church’s view on marriage, NFP, and managing marriage finances. They both really enjoyed the presentation on the Church’s view on marriage by a local couple, feeling it set the stage for their marriage.
The wedding day finally arrived on August 19th, and with Fr. Bill presiding, they entered into the sacrament of Matrimony. CatholicMatch received a shoutout in Father’s homily and the best man’s and the matron of honors speeches. The reception occurred about 45 minutes away and across state lines at Valley Brook Country Club in Canonsburg, PA. “It was nice to get married in that church with Fr. Bill and have people show up and celebrate with us,” Mario said.
They began the married life uniquely.
Mario and Breeci have experienced their first months of married life differently than most newlywed couples, living separately in their respective cities while their house is being built. They plan to move into a new home together in Moon Township, PA, outside of Pittsburgh in January. They chose Moon Township because it’s close to both of their families.
“It was a challenge coming back from our honeymoon and not being with each other every day. But now we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel,” Mario said. Luckily, Breeci’s boss in Columbus has been very flexible, allowing her to take long weekends off to visit Mario when she is not scheduled to work. The couple looks forward to finally seeing each other every day and plugging into a local Catholic parish.
Advice for CatholicMatch users:
Mario’s advice for any CatholicMatch users is to be intentional and put effort into your profile. “When looking at potential spouses, put effort into that,” he said. For users considering pursuing a long-distance relationship, his advice is just to be open.
Breeci advises CatholicMatch users to start with the most important aspect of their life: faith (Hopefully). “Once you checkmark that, you go to the next thing,” she said. “But it’s not all about a checklist; our relationship worked because we got along so well and had a lot in common,” she added. As for users considering a long-distance relationship, “If you see a potential spouse just give it a shot.”
They both emphasize putting yourself out there and not giving up. “I was on CatholicMatch years ago and I just thought, ‘This isn’t going to work for me,’ but 15 years later, here we are,” Breeci said.
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