- Jan 15, 2022 -

We met in math class, early in 2015. Little did we know that Michael's offer to teach math (that he didn't know) would lead to two people who would grow in love, faith, and ultimately enter into the Holy Sacrament of Matrimony.

After a few years of dating, several months of planning, a trip to the jeweler, Michael with the help of his friends and family (who were also praying a 33-day novena at the time) figured out a way to surprise Sarah. The week started with Michael and Sarah attending Mass every day, praying for the ultimate ask that was to take place at the end of the week. This coincided with Louie Schadler, Ryan Ibarra, Natalie Brazzale, and many others secretly decorating a beautiful home out in the woodlands of SWFL. On the morning of March 19th, Sarah and Michael spent the day like they did any other—studying for law school, and working. Michael had to convince Sarah to dress up, so he suggested Latin Mass at 4:30pm, followed by "picking up Father Joseph" from Ave Maria before the Legion of Mary meeting at 7pm. Little did Sarah know that Fr. Joseph and Michael had planned this pick-up a week in advance. When the couple arrived at Ave Maria, Father, Joseph sent a text asking for them to "pick up him from the chapel”. Michael suggested going inside the chapel. They did, and it was there that Michael proposed to Sarah in front of the Blessed Sacrament. After the engagement, the couple went to the Legion of Mary meeting that was supposedly at a friend’s home. But the meeting would not be the plan for the night. A gathering would meet newly engaged Michael and Sarah. The night was amazing with over 50 friends and family members present, a bonfire, cake, wine and so much more. We were truly blessed with the most perfect day.

As Catholics, we truly believe that the sacrament of marriage is one of the highest callings that man is called to. Holy Scripture affirms that man and woman were created for one another: “It is not good that the man should be alone.” The woman, “flesh of his flesh,” i.e., his counterpart, his equal, his nearest in all things, is given to him by God as a “helpmate”; she thus represents God from whom comes our help. “Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh.” The Lord himself shows that this signifies an unbreakable union of their two lives by recalling what the plan of the Creator had been “in the beginning”: “So they are no longer two, but one flesh.”