It all began in a car park following a Catholic Youth Ministry event; two years later Catherine Gallo Martinez and Gaetan Raspanti celebrated their engagement at St Lawrence Parish hall after Eucharistic Adoration with family and friends at St Lawrence and Mary Immaculate church in Balcatta.
“I was lost, limping and it was dark” Miss Gallo Martinez said, about the night she first meet Mr Raspanti. “I was praying to God to guide me to my car.”
Miss Gallo Martinez had forgotten where she had parked her car when Mr Raspanti arrived to the rescue.
“I remember seeing her wandering about as if she was lost.” Mr Raspanti said.
“I stopped to ask her is she was okay, then I directed her to the street around the other side of the church and gave her a lift to where she had parked her car.”
Miss Gallo Martinez describes this moment as if it was something out of a fairy tale.
“He was just like a prince on his white horse who came to save the day.” She said.
“Instead he came in his white car to my rescue.”
It was the beginning of a beautiful relationship that would result in a marriage proposal in the presence of the Tabernacle and Our Blessed Mother on 29 April 2012, the feast day of St Catherine of Sienna.
“Gaetan took me to an old church.” Miss Gallo Martinez said.
“He was praying and kneeling down then he turned to me and said that he loved me in good and bad in sickness and health and that he wants to give his whole life to me and asked me ‘Catherine Gallo Martinez will you marry me and be my wife?’”
Miss Gallo Martinez admits she cried as she nodded and said ‘yes.’
In the months that followed the couple have come to recognise that the Sacrament of marriage is not one to be treated lightly.
Every week they meet with Father Andre from the Franciscans of the Immaculate and together they are learning about the importance and true meaning of marriage, and why matrimony has been given the special status of being a Sacrament.
“The sacrament of Holy Matrimony in the Roman Catholic church is the best and surest means for married couples to live and become holy.” Mr Raspanti said.
“It is Christ’s own plan for all those who would desire the most blessed and fruitful marriage, as it is a Sacrament instituted by Christ himself, raising the state of marriage to a vocation.”
Miss Martinez echo’s her fiancé’s view.
“I have felt many graces already from taking this step (engagement).” She said.
“Father Andre is preparing us for marriage and the graces from his teachings and guidance are amazing.
I feel overwhelmingly blessed and I thank God for Father Andre.
“I am already experiencing the beauty of my vocation in the maturing of my soul and refining the way I love.
“Holy Catholic marriages are definitely important because they are sacred and where there is sacredness there is truth.”