One of my favorite part of running this blog has been getting to know modern Catholic married couples and introducing them to all of you. Sometimes watching the news can leave me worried about our society. But hearing about the domestic churches developing in the homes of all these beautiful couples gives me renewed hope. Today, we get to meet another Spotlight Couple striving for holiness, Jason and Stephanie Scocchera. I met Stephanie through a Catholic moms group in Florida. I miss her and her adorable son already! Hope you enjoy getting to hear more about their family.

1. Tell us your story.

We met on E-Harmony in 2006 and had a long courtship of 5 years. On June 4, 2011, Jason proposed in a beautiful spot in South Miami around where Stephanie went to college. Along with a long courtship, we also decided to have a long engagement! Then, on March 16, 2013, we were married… but not in the Church. While Stephanie was raised Catholic, Jason did not grow up in the Church. However, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Jason was stirred to make his sacraments and become Catholic. This also meant that before making his Communion and being confirmed, we had to be married in the Church. Stephanie was totally on board… because who doesn’t want two wedding celebrations?!

So, on April 8, 2017, we were married in the Church, and this time in a much more intimate ceremony. The evolution of our marriage from not-so-holy to holier has been a true testament of what God can form in our souls and we are so happy that it all happened just as it did. Now, we are a family of three, with our two-year old son, Sawyer, who was born on September 17, 2018. 

2. What do you two like to do together?

There are many things we like doing together and probably our favorite is eating! We love enjoying nice restaurants and talking over a delicious meal. We get out for a date night about once a month these days. We’ve recently introduced the date brunch into our routine ever since Sawyer started preschool and when both of our schedules will allow for it. We also enjoy watching movies together, although there haven’t been many good ones out lately!

3. What does your domestic church look like?

Prayer has become a focus in our home in recent years since Jason’s conversion and then especially since Sawyer was born. We aim to make prayer an ongoing part of our daily lives. For example, starting the day with quiet, solo prayer time, at noontime (if Sawyer is home) saying the Angelus together (it’s been amazing seeing how even a two-year old can recall prayers and catch on!), listening to a recording of the Chaplet for Divine Mercy during snack time, and then finally, saying and listening to the Rosary with the help of the Hallow app at around 5/6PM when Jason gets home. With COVID restrictions, we’ve been participating in Mass from home because, although we’ve attempted a couple of times, we’ve found that it’s very difficult for Sawyer to socially distance himself from others! 

4. What was a trial you faced in your marriage? How did you handle it?

The biggest trial we have faced has been infertility. Research says that 1 in every 8 couples face infertility troubles; however, I know far more couples dealing with it than just the 1 in 8. After wanting to begin our family for five years and numerous doctor visits with no answers, we decided that adoption was how we wanted to start our family.

We knew adoption could be challenging and would forever be a topic we’d have to discuss (how we’d handle talking about it with Sawyer, what kind of adoption we’d have, etc.); however, we believe with certainty that God led us to our decision. For Stephanie, she grew angry with God, not understanding why He was preventing her from becoming a Mom. During a confession, the priest told her that she and Jason could go to Our Lady de la Leche, a chapel in St. Augustine, Florida, and pray for a baby (click the link if you are interested in visiting too- maybe to complete your June challenge to go on a local pilgrimage?). So we did. Six months later, Sawyer was born; three days after that, we brought him home from the hospital to become a family through adoption.

The silver lining of our infertility was Stephanie growing much stronger in her faith and Jason being led to Catholicism through the very tough years. God has been so good to us and made our adoption process incredibly smooth. It was all so simple and easy that the only explanation is that it was entirely the work of God, from start to finish.

5. If you could give one piece of advice to a newly married couple, what would it be?

Compromise, let things slide here and there, and do not hold your spouse to unattainable expectations. Most importantly, pray for your partner, let them know that you’re praying for him or her, and ask specifically how you can pray for your spouse. Have fun! We think that’s what God really wants!

6. Earlier this month, we discussed how prioritizing your spouse is a way to love them faithfully. How do you show your spouse that you prioritize him or her?

We prioritize each other by ensuring that we make it on each other’s calendars! Like many families, the evening is our family time and then when the kiddo is in bed, it is our time- talking, relaxing, watching a show, planning, and/or reading. When we let this together time fall by the wayside and life gets too hectic, we both start to feel bad. The good news is we always find our way back to our quality time and know that God wants it that way. 

Thanks so much for sharing, Stephanie and Jason! It’s so beautiful to hear how God brought Jason into the Church, and then Sawyer into your family. I know your marriage is an inspiration to me and I hope my readers find some inspiration here, too. Readers, if YOU would like to be featured as a future Spotlight Couple here on the blog, comment below or reach out to me!