St. Joseph Catholic Church, Miesville

23955 Nicolai Avenue, Hastings, MN 55033

Saturday, February 25, 2017

11:30 AM

It was Saturday morning and Danielle was up, getting ready, and putting her make-up on. Her boyfriend, Jeff, was coming to pick her up from her apartment so they could go visit his sister together. Danielle had received a text from his sister, Christine, the night before, asking if they could meet up because she had something to give her. Once Danielle and Jeff were in the car he got a call from Christine asking if they could meet over at his brother Jeremy's house because that's where she was going to be.

His brother Jeremy lives near the little rural town of Miesville, MN. For over two years Jeff and Danielle have attended Mass together in the Extraordinary Form at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Miesville. She knew Jeremy and his family lived close to the church, but didn't know the exact location of their house. So while Danielle thought they were driving in the car to Jeremy's house, Jeff was actually taking her to the church so he could pop the question!

He had been planning this surprise for a little while now. In early February he had gone ring shopping with his sister and his good friend Troy. After he found the perfect ring he had to wait a while for it to be made. On Friday, February 24th, Jeff was notified that the ring was ready to get picked up and he got it that evening. Once he had the ring he called up Danielle's parents, who live in Florida, over video chat to make sure they approved. After they had a very nice conversation, Jeff contacted his sister so she could be involved in the surprise.

When Danielle and Jeff pulled into the parking lot of the church she was confused. After repeatedly saying they were going to be very late to Jeremy's house, Jeff told her it was going to be fine and that they should just stop in to say a quick prayer while they're at the church. So they walked in together through the side door like the normally do. Jeff took the lead and Danielle followed him up to the front pew on the right-hand side of the church.

They sat down in the church and said a little prayer together. After, Jeff immediately pulled out a colorful picture book that was sitting next to him and gave it to Danielle. She asked him what this was and he told her to open it and to go through their memories together. As she flipped through the pages she saw pictures taken throughout the course of their relationship with family and friends. She saw the good times when they went to Walt Disney World together and the winter pictures they took out in the snow with his family. There were even some pictures of her cat! And after going through each page very carefully, she turned to the last page and saw a picture of her and Jeff kissing. Written in italics underneath the picture was, "Will you be my everything?"

At that moment Danielle's heart was racing so fast! She knew where this was leading to and she was so overwhelmed with emotion. Jeff calmly asked her to stand up and he got down on one knee. He pulled out a small black box from his pocket, containing a sparkly white gold ring, and then he asked her, "Danielle, will you marry me?"

Danielle, who waited for this moment for so long, was overcome with joy! She was so happy that she bent down to give him a hug. After they shared a long, loving embrace he asked her if she wanted to wear the ring and she nodded excitedly in anticipation. Then he put the ring on her finger and they shared a kiss.

Christine came to meet them in the front part of the church. She was in on the ruse the whole time and was taking pictures of the moment from the choir loft. She actually arrived at the church about 20 minutes before they did. It was certainly providential because the church was actually locked when she arrived. Fortunately, she found a custodian and she told him what was going on so he could open up the church for her.

Needless to say, it was a very happy day for the couple. Danielle couldn't wait to share the news with her family and friends. She loved the pictures Christine took of the moment of the proposal, and was grateful that Jeff came up with the idea for his sister to be there to capture the moment.

Now, there are more pictures to go in Danielle's and Jeff's book of memories to remember the good and happy times they shared together — now, and for a lifetime to come.

St. Joseph Catholic Church, Miesville

23955 Nicolai Avenue, Hastings, MN 55033

Sunday, March 12, 2017

12:30 PM

On Sunday, March 12, 2017, Danielle and Jeff had arranged for the priest at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Miesville, MN, to celebrate the Solemn Rite of Betrothal for them after Mass in the Extraordinary Form. It only lasted about 15 minutes, but it was a beautiful little ceremony for the blessing of their engagement.

For those who are not familiar, Betrothal, in the Catholic Church, is a deliberate and free, mutual, true promise, externally expressed, of future marriage between determinate and fit persons. When a Christian man and woman intend to pledge themselves to marriage, it is praiseworthy and in accord with ancient ecclesiastical custom to have the engagement solemnized and blessed by the Church. Although it is not a sacrament, it is a sacramental and a canonically binding agreement.

Since the couple wished to be betrothed, Danielle and Jeff went up to the communion rail to meet the priest once Mass had ended. Then the priest began the ritual with song and prayer. He was vested in surplice and white stole, with his assistant standing alongside him. He spoke, "Beloved of Christ: It is the dispensation of Divine Providence that you are called to the holy vocation of marriage. For this reason you present yourselves today before Christ and His Church, before His sacred minister and the devout people of God, to ratify in solemn manner the engagement bespoken between you." The priest continued with his allocution and then asked the couple to join their right hands together.

The priest asked for them to repeat after him, starting with the man. Jeff, holding Danielle's hand, looked at her lovingly, and said, "In the name of our Lord, I, Jeff Rother, promise that I will one day take thee, Danielle Duet, as my wife, according to the ordinances of God and holy Church. I will love thee even as myself. I will keep faith and loyalty to thee, and so in thy necessities aid and comfort thee; which things and all that man ought to do unto his espoused I promise to do unto thee and to keep by the faith that is in me."

Then Danielle, looking into Jeff's eyes, said, "In the name of our Lord, I, Danielle Duet, in the form and manner wherein thou hast promised thyself unto me, do declare and affirm that I will one day bind and oblige myself unto thee, and will take thee, Jeffrey Rother, as my husband. And all that thou hast pledged unto me I promise to do and keep unto thee, by the faith that is in me."

After, the priest took the two ends of his stole and in the form of a cross placed them over the clasped hands of the couple. Then he declared the couple betrothed and sprinkled holy water over them in the form of a cross. After, he blessed the engagement ring.

Jeff took the ring and placed it on Danielle's index finger saying, "In the name of the Father," then on her middle finger, "and of the Son," and finally placing it on her ring finger, "and of the Holy Spirit. Amen." The priest finished the readings for the Rite of Betrothal and the two witnesses came up to sign the document, along with the signatures of the priest and the couple.

It was a beautiful moment for Danielle and Jeff, adding abundant blessings and graces to their engagement.