“Because we had met in a prayerful environment, prayer provided the foundation stone of our relationship in the early years and continues to do so,” said her husband Robert.
Anthony Buono, the founder of the U.S.-based website Ave Maria Singles and a columnist for CNA, agrees that online dating services can be beneficial for couples who want to make faith a part of their relationship.
Speaking about his website, Buono explained how it provides a unique feature, “we start with requiring that you be a committed Catholic, that you have determined your vocation is to marriage, and are ready to make a commitment to the right person.”
One often overlooked advantage of online dating services is their ability to connect people who would otherwise have never met, Buono noted.
“One couple that stands out for me involves a woman who contacted me 5 times over four years to tell me she was giving up; was done with the ‘online thing’ and wanted to cancel membership. All 5 times I talked her into staying on the site and giving it time because (as I always tell people) you never know when that one person you are praying for will join and discover you.”
“Sure enough,” recalled Buono, “after the 5th time of convincing her to stay and give it more time, a man joined who was 1,000 miles away from her, and contacted her.”
“A year later they were married and she is happier than she ever thought she could be. I just know God rewarded her for her faith and perseverance. They now have three children in their growing family.”