“But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.” - Mk 10:6-9 Mitch and Clare met on August 4th, 2016 at a pool party during the summer before their senior year in high school. Clare walked into the backyard where the party was held and saw Mitch playing fruit ninja with a Samurai sword and a cucumber. You could say that it was love at first slice! Mitch and Clare immediately liked one another and were both mutually impressed by the others humor and ability to banter. Mitch knew when he left that night that he wanted to pursue Clare! As they spent more time together, Clare and Mitch grew in friendship and realized their shared love of Psych, winning board games, and Brian Reagan! Mitch was super nervous to ask Clare on a date (which is obvious because she is the most beautiful and kind woman he has ever met) but he finally worked up the courage after a high school football game. He purposefully threw a frisbee over a nearby fence so that they could walk to get it alone. Clare said yes! Their first date consisted of them going mini golfing and getting sno-cones afterwards! On October 30th, 2016, Mitch smoothly moved the conversation from soccer to asking Clare to be his girlfriend. She said yes again! It was through the beginning of this relationship that Clare helped re-introduce the most important person in both of their lives, Jesus! Through taking Mitch to Adoration, praying the Rosary with him, Clare witnessed and preached the Gospel! This in no small part led to him falling in love with Christ and His Church in college, which in turn made him fall even more in love with the most faithful woman he knows, Clare! Clare and Mitch did long distance for four years during college as she was in Texas and he was in Chicago. Though very challenging, the Lord sustained them both and this led to a lot of beautiful fruit being born. They learned how to love each other more deeply and communicate more charitably. After college, Clare and Mitch spent the summer working in Colorado at a Catholic summer camp! This was one of the most impactful experiences of their lives, as they both grew in love for the Lord and were surrounded by holy and authentic friendship. This helped prepare their hearts for what the Lord would call them to next. This past August, Clare and Mitch began work as FOCUS missionaries in Seattle. They have been consistently amazed by God’s mercy and ability to transform their own and students' hearts. The four years of long distance, the beautiful experience at camp, and the call to be missionaries in Seattle all prepared Mitch and Clare’s hearts to be ready to accept God’s high call of marriage. On January 1st, 2022 (Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God) Mitch took Clare to three specific locations in their hometown of St. Louis that represented the virtues of faith, hope, and love. It was in front of the tabernacle that Mitch got down on one knee and asked Clare the most important question he had ever told her, “Will you marry me”? She said YES!! On September 3rd, 2022 (Feast day of St. Gregory the Great) Mitch and Clare will vow before their community and before God that they will cherish each other by the grace of God all the days of their life. They will say yes to the Lord’s call to lay down their lives for one another as Christ laid down his life for the Church and to live out their marriage as a reflection of the most holy Trinity. Please pray for us as God prepares our hearts to be as joyful, pure, and free as Mary’s was on the day of the Annunciation.