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A car was waiting for her before she ever set foot in the country.

It’s the kind of detail that sounds like the end of a love story, not the middle of one. But for Juliana — a 24-year-old from New Zealand — it was simply the moment she understood that the Canadian man she’d been introduced to a few months earlier was serious, thoughtful, and entirely unlike anyone she’d met before. He had bought a car for her to use, arranged a place for her to live, and quietly prepared a soft landing for a woman moving to the other side of the world to see where God might be leading.

But to understand how a young woman in New Zealand ended up with a car waiting for her in Canada, you have to go back to where it began — with an introduction, and a saint.

Juliana joined CatholicCourtship in early 2024, back when the platform started personal matchmaking introductions between members. By her own account, the odds were not in her favor. She was, as far as she could tell, the only person from New Zealand on the entire platform, with only a handful of Australians scattered nearby. Left to ordinary browsing, it seemed almost impossible that anyone would notice a young woman tucked away at the bottom of the world.

Then, just a couple of days before the feast of St. Joseph in 2024, the introduction came: a young man named Dominic, all the way from Canada.

What few people knew was how close that introduction never came to happening. The matchmaker who paired them later admitted it had been a hard call to make. The sheer distance between New Zealand and Canada gave him pause — on paper, it seemed almost impractical. But after bringing the decision to prayer and asking for God’s will, he felt moved to introduce them anyway. The two were simply too compatible in their values, too clearly suited to one another, to keep apart over a matter of geography. If it was God’s will, he reasoned, distance would prove no barrier at all.

They began texting through the CatholicCourtship app, and within about a week moved their conversation over to Facebook Messenger. Two weeks after their introduction, they had their first video call — and then another, and another. The distance between them was almost comical: a literal hemisphere apart, on opposite sides of the globe. And yet, after only a handful of those calls, Dominic did something that made the thousands of miles between them suddenly feel surmountable.

He asked to come visit her in New Zealand.

That visit happened in September 2024. Whatever expectations either of them carried across the Pacific, the reality exceeded them. The two got along so well in person that, after Dominic flew home, Juliana made a decision that surprised even herself: she applied for a visa to Canada so the two could explore their relationship within actual reach of each other. This is an essential part of courtship – spending time in person to discern whether the man or the woman has sufficient virtues to be a spouse!

It was here that Dominic’s character showed itself most clearly. While Juliana sorted out paperwork and prepared to leave behind everything familiar, he was busy preparing for her arrival. He bought a car for her to use during her stay. He arranged a place for her to live. None of it was asked for; all of it was simply done — the quiet, practical kind of commitment that doesn’t announce itself but builds a foundation a person can actually stand on.

Juliana moved to Canada in December 2024, arriving in time for a white Christmas — a fitting beginning for a New Zealander used to summer in December. With the distance finally closed, the relationship deepened in the way only daily, in-person life allows. And when the time came for Dominic to ask the question, he chose his moment with intention.

He proposed on the feast of St. Joseph in 2025 — exactly one year, almost to the day, from the introduction that first brought them together just before that very feast. For a couple whose story had been quietly threaded with the foster father of Our Lord from the beginning, the symmetry was unmistakable. What had started under St. Joseph’s patronage was now sealed under it.

With the help of both their families, Dominic and Juliana planned a beautiful wedding in Canada, and on September 6, 2025, they were married.

Looking back, Juliana is quick to credit the introduction itself for making any of it possible. “It’s just so hard to find the right person nowadays,” she reflects, “and here we are, thrown right into each other’s path.” She’s candid that without that arranged introduction, the two would almost certainly never have found one another. Dominic told her as much himself — that if it weren’t for the introduction, he would never have thought to reach out to a woman all the way across the world.

In her words, those introductions did more than connect two people. They gave a real chance to those living in the remote corners of the world, and added “a beautiful touch of divine Providence” to every meeting and outcome — a phrase that captures her whole story rather neatly.

Today, Dominic and Juliana have settled into married life in Canada — and as of this summer, they’re preparing for something new. The couple is expecting their first child in July 2026.

“We thank God, St. Joseph, and CatholicCourtship for bringing us together,” Juliana says. “We are blessed and happy in our married life.”

From a single introduction just before the feast of St. Joseph, to a marriage and a child barely two years later — half a world bridged by a little providence and a great deal of intention.
And we at CatholicCourtship couldn’t be happier for them.

The post Dominic and Juliana’s Story appeared first on CatholicCourtship Blog.

It’s a common scenario: Traditional-minded women want a man to make the first move and take the lead in courtship, so they choose to wait for masculine initiation. But when courtship moves to the online sphere, these same women often find themselves fruitlessly waiting for a man to find them. How to get around this frustrating quandary? The answer is simple, if not a bit controversial – initiate a conversation!

Marie was concerned with this very problem when she first joined The CatholicCourtship in 2023. But when she saw Jack’s profile, something changed.

“I think it was an inspiration,” she reflects. “It can be a risk because you want a man to lead, but online, it’s a different story.”

In a public setting, after all, a woman could be noticed by a man without her needing to say a word. But on an online platform, profiles can get lost in the crowd, especially if the person you’re hoping to speak with is living a fair distance away.

Marie also thought about her sisters, who, though courting in person, had to strategically place themselves in the paths of their romantic interests before those men began to notice the girls’ attention. Liking a profile or sending a message seemed to be the online equivalent.

“A woman has to make herself known, especially with distance,” Marie attests. “It’s not a bad thing for a woman to say hi. If a man sees that interest, it might pique his own.”

But that brings us back to our first conundrum: Will a couple maintain traditional gender roles in a relationship where the woman initiates?

“I wasn’t the type to make the first move because I thought, ‘How can I turn the roles around afterward so that the man pursues?’” Marie shares. “But Jack took the lead in the relationship by addressing more serious topics and driving the conversation. At that point, things changed.”

After that exchange, their relationship proceeded along the anticipated traditional trajectory all the way to marriage, celebrated exactly one year after Marie had sent her first message.

Of course, while she encourages traditional women to be more open to making themselves known, Marie also cautions them to discern whether the men they’re conversing with are ready or willing to claim that leadership role like Jack did.

“You have to talk to determine where the other is in virtue and see whether they’re willing to embrace that traditionally masculine role.”

Regardless of who makes the first move, ultimately, it will be the man’s responsibility to adopt a position of leadership if he wants to progress along the path of traditional courtship.

But before that can take place, profiles need to be liked, and messages sent. Marie’s advice in this regard applies to both men and women.

“Say something the guy can identify with,” Marie suggests. “Mention something that interested you in his profile, or ask a thoughtful question.”

And then leave the rest in God’s hands, knowing that you’ve done your part and that the right man will respond in kind.

The post Should a Traditional-minded Woman Make the First Move Online? appeared first on CatholicCourtship Blog.

If you’ve ever tried your hand at long-distance courtship, you’re likely very familiar with how challenging it can be to get to know someone without the luxury of spending time in each other’s company. But with authentically faithful Catholics becoming harder to find, limiting yourself to courting locally might be hindering your chances of finding a spouse.

What’s a single and seeking Catholic to do? Learn from the experts, of course!

Jack and Marie, The CatholicCourtship’s first official couple, spent their entire courtship separated by a daunting thousand miles. But by approaching their courtship with intention, they were able to connect, grow in mutual understanding and affection, and ultimately, discern marriage.

Why Consider Long-Distance Courtship?

“The pool is so small, you definitely have to be open,” Jack claims. “You have to be willing to accept God’s invitation and literally go the distance.”

Coming from a previous relationship with someone who was Catholic, but not necessarily on the same page as himself, Jack speaks from personal experience. Knowing that he needed to make a decision that would be best for his future family, Jack chose to end the relationship in order to search for a woman with whom he could build a life together. As it turns out, that woman was living several states away.

Marie had also experienced her share of disappointments in dating before meeting Jack. Having already been in a long-distance relationship before, she knew exactly what would be required of her and Jack should they choose to begin the process of courtship. But she encourages single Catholics to be willing to embrace uncertainty, especially if it seems like the person they’re considering long-distance dating shares their beliefs and values.

Tips for Navigating a Long-Distance Relationship

Could you successfully navigate a long-distance relationship? You’ll be well on your way by following Jack and Marie’s advice:

1. Know yourself and know your faith

If you aren’t yet sure of who you are, what you believe, and what you need in a spouse, no relationship – long-distance or otherwise – is going to work. But this self-knowledge is particularly important when it comes to long-distance relationships because, without the ability to observe a person’s behavior or habits outside of the home, you and your partner will have to rely solely on verbal communication to express the unique facets of who you are and how you live.

If you haven’t already taken the time to do so, consider honestly reflecting on these questions so that, when the time comes, you will be able to share openly and confidently about what matters most to you.

2. Be willing to go the distance

Obviously, there are going to be additional costs associated with a long-distance relationship, primarily the cost of travel, lodging, and taking time off work. If you’re unable to travel for whatever reason, be wary of entering into a long-distance relationship, or of giving someone the impression that a long-distance relationship is a possibility.

But going the distance doesn’t just refer to physical distance. It also requires a willingness to be vulnerable and to make sacrifices for the good of the relationship.

“How much does a relationship mean to you?” Jack asks. “You’re going to have to work with each other, squash your pride, and find a balance between partners. Be willing to go the extra mile.”

3. Be intentional about sharing

Jack and Marie both acknowledge that the reason their relationship was able to progress to marriage is because of how much effort and care they put into their daily communication.

“We both put each other first,” Marie shares. “I could tell that Jack was putting time into the relationship. We talked every day and shared our lives. We were inseparable even before we met.”

Honesty and openness will go a long way (pun intended!) toward establishing a solid foundation of trust between partners.

The Day-to-Day of Long-Distance Relationships

What will your daily routine with a long-distance partner look like, practically speaking? If you and your partner are separated by distance, consider implementing these tips:

• Schedule regular phone or video calls instead of relying on text messages
• Express your expectations and hopes for the relationship early, to establish a routine that works best for your particular situation 
• Take photos or videos documenting what you’re doing throughout the day to share with your partner
• Coordinate prayer times so that both partners attend Mass or make a Holy Hour at the same time, whatever your time zones
• If possible, plan to meet within the first month or two of communicating
• Make thoughtful gestures, such as mailing a hand-written letter, arranging for a delivery of flowers on a special date, or creating a playlist to share
• Try new things “together” by taking up a new hobby at the same time
• Keep an element of fun in the mix by playing games, such as Would You Rather, 20 Questions, or charades

The Bottom Line

Long-distance relationships are difficult, to be sure, but with proper care and attention, they can also grow to become loving, committed partnerships, made stronger by their shared trial.

“We don’t take our relationship for granted because of the effort required,” Marie attests. “We value it so much more.”

Perhaps the saying is sound – absence really does make the heart grow fonder!

The post Surviving Long-Distance Courtship: Advice from Jack and Marie! appeared first on CatholicCourtship Blog.

Have you ever been ducked?

To anyone who doesn’t drive a Jeep, that may seem like a strange way to begin a conversation. But Jack, already well aware of the tradition of gifting Jeep drivers with rubber ducks, knew exactly what Marie meant.

Meanwhile, miles away, Marie was doing her best to be open to God’s guidance after hearing a particularly powerful homily on the need to be specific in prayer. In response, she had begun a 54-day novena, taking weekly trips to a nearby shrine to pray before the statue of St. Joseph on Wednesdays.

One of Marie’s specific requests was that her future husband have a devotion to St. Joseph, himself. So when she read Jack’s profile and saw that he was particularly devoted to Our Lord’s saintly foster father, she immediately reached out. Admittedly, Marie isn’t usually the type to make the first move, but she credited Our Lady and St. Joseph with inspiring her message.

Once Jack responded, the two kept up a steady text conversation until one day, when Jack added Marie on Facebook and called her on the spur of the moment. Unprepared for their first call but undaunted, Marie answered the phone – and the couple talked for 6 hours! From liturgical preferences to classic films and everything in between, Jack and Marie were pleasantly surprised to find that they had a lot more than just their shared faith in common.

“Even before meeting, we were inseparable,” Marie reveals. “We both put each other first and put time into the relationship by sharing what was going on in our lives every day.”

An incredible feat given that the couple lived a literal thousand miles apart at the time of their meeting. But despite the challenges that their long-distance bond created, in a short time, they were able to recognize that there was something very special about this relationship. About two and a half weeks after they first began talking, a particularly touching message from Jack brought Marie to tears – and a pivotal moment.

“I just thought, ‘This guy is so different. He gets it.’” Then, when she was praying later that evening, a thought sprung to mind: ‘I could marry him.’

After that revelation, Marie took down her profile, and she and Jack planned their first in-person meeting. Marie had been planning a trip to New England with her sister to admire the fall colors, and Jack joined the two, acting as a tour guide. Their time together went so well that Jack visited Marie in her hometown the following month to officially ask her to begin the process of courtship.

Fast forward a few months later, and Jack was planning a surprise for Marie.

“I called and asked her mother for permission to propose, and then coordinated with her sisters to plan the engagement.”

Unbeknownst to Marie, Jack flew back to meet her at the same shrine where she first prayed for her future husband. But the meeting didn’t go as smoothly as anticipated.

“There’s a tradition in Ireland that if a man wants to propose, he throws his hat inside the woman’s house,” Jack explains. “If she throws it back out, it’s a no, but if she keeps it, it’s a yes. Well, I threw my hat inside the shrine where they were praying, it hit a pillar, and it bounced right back out!”

Unwilling to leave his next move up to chance, Jack opted to throw his hat down at Marie’s feet instead. Through joyful tears, she eagerly accepted both his proposal and the rubber duckie he gave her as a nod to their first conversation.

Amidst a crowd of friends and family, the two were wed on August 17, 2024, exactly one year to the day that Marie’s first message started it all. To mark the fateful moment, a clock standing tall amid their reception venue counted down to the exact minute the message was sent.

“We’re beyond grateful for The CatholicCourtship,” Marie says. “And so excited to begin our life together.”

And we at The CatholicCourtship couldn’t be happier.

The post Jack and Marie’s Story appeared first on CatholicCourtship Blog.