For years I have been silently and at a distance admiring this very handsome man. His energy, his creativity, his smile. I knew our paths would cross as we both have the same interest, very similar stories, and two mentors who have known each other for years. Other mentors and friends along the way had been encouraging us to meet each other. There were times when we were at the same conference with each other but never got around to meeting face-to-face. Which is a good thing because I would've been so incredibly clumsy! You see, I knew for sure that this very handsome young man was going places in the church and would probably not have been interested or have given me the time of day, but things changed during Covid. While a member of the order of the Holy Cross I learned an old prayer prayed I'm told by Polish women that goes something like: “Oh, Saint Ann send me a man!” After talking to several friends who all know my love of good food all of them in some way or another told me that I probably should learn how to be a really good cook because after all the way to a man's heart is sometimes to make a good meal! And so I changed the old prayer: “Oh, Saint Ann send me a man and teach me how to feed him!” I do believe in the power of prayer! Shortly after his ordination as a deacon, I mustered up the courage to reach out to him to congratulate him, and that began conversation. Before I knew it he'd already had my heart. He sealed the deal when he surprised me with a wonderful gift of sweet treats and flowers on my birthday and then sang happy birthday to me over portal. Christopher brings out joy, innocence, and courage in me but most importantly he is a partner and a companion to walk with, pray with, laugh with, and when I need safe and courageous place to weep. But he's a much better storyteller than I, so I'll let him tell you his side.

The Universe had plans for Joseph and I before we even recognized it. The year was 2014. I was serving at Trinity Cathedral in Cleveland, Ohio and in a discernment process for ordination, when I was asked if “I knew Joseph Wallace-Williams from Trinity Church, New Orleans?” It was recommended that I reach out to him, as I was a young, African-American male (like him) who has had a ‘tug on his heart’ for religious life and the priesthood. I never reached out to him---or pursued religious life, but did answer a call to the priesthood. Years passed and so did our paths. Facebook suggested that we should be friends, and we both made that connection on social media. I was captivated by this beautiful man: his smile, his inspirational and prophetic posts, and his ‘crazy socks’! Our social media pages reflected that we had been at the same conferences at the same times (and I remember seeing him in the distance) but we never connected. In 2020, the story changed. Joseph messaged me and from that moment on, my life was made richer. For hours we would text, call, facetime and portal with each other. While we were living in such uncertain times, Joseph brought me peace, comfort, and hope for what the future had in store. His profile truly gave a glimpse of who he was. I had never met someone so smart, funny, life-giving, and prayerful. I had made a best friend–someone who I couldn’t imagine living life without. Joseph and I included one another in our “covid bubbles”: we visited one another, assisted one another in our life’s journeys as we welcomed new calls, inspired one another to pursue our dreams and ventured across the country: St. Louis, Cleveland, Westfield, and eventually both found ourselves in Philadelphia. Along the way, many memories were made; some that have been captured on this site but many that have been engrained only in my heart. On April 19th, 2022, Joseph asked me to be his life-partner, his husband. While I hesitated in 2014 to reach out to Joseph, in God’s time, on that day, I was able to give the easiest “yes”.