404 Not Found

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.

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.