“I think I just met the man for me, but I forgot to ask his name,” Stephanie Farnen told her mother after meeting a man at the St. Joseph Parish picnic in Salisbury. Although they had seen each other around, Doug and Stephanie hadn’t officially met until Doug invited her to try the ATV’s at the picnic. When the picnic was over, Stephanie helped Doug get the ATV’s back to his shop and they ended up visiting well past midnight.
Doug wasn’t looking for a new wife after his previous attempt at marriage had failed. But he and Stephanie enjoyed each other’s company. He remembers praying: “Lord, I already tried doing it my way. If you want me to have somebody, you have to put them in front of me.” “He did,” said Doug. The couple got married in St. Joseph Church in December of that year and are still going strong, almost 21 years later.
Mr. and Mrs. Farnen were one of several married Catholic couples from around the Diocese of Jefferson City who shared how they met at a parish picnic — and what that seemingly chance encounter led to. Click here to read more from the Catholic Missourian.