When Emily Wilson-Hussem began sharing matchmaking posts on Instagram—inviting single Catholics to leave their names and locations in order to connect with others—little did she imagine that her spontaneous experiment would end up bearing fruit: 12 marriages, 20 engagements, hundreds of dating couples, and even a baby.
The Catholic speaker and digital creator understood that young Catholics want holy marriages, but need help finding each other. This led her, along with her husband Daniël Hussem, to create a new Catholic dating app called SacredSpark.
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The app combines technology and tradition to foster online connections with the purpose of creating lasting relationships outside of the digital world.
“Over the years I have seen the difficulty that singles have in connecting with each other, especially those of the same age. Many young Catholics I met were going through a difficult time, and I felt like a prompting from the Lord,” Wilson-Hussem told CNA, EWTN News’ English agency.
After seeing the great response to their Instagram posts—but also the limitations of using that social network to unite people—the Hussems decided to create an application focused on the dignity of each user, made in the image and likeness of God.
More than appearances
One of the main features of SacredSpark is its commitment to more authentic connections. All profile photos appear blurred at the beginning and are only revealed when two people “match”. Instead of simply swiping between images, users can record audio messages to introduce themselves, so others can listen to them and discern if there might be a connection.
“We created this feature because we want relationships to start with something meaningful, beyond appearance,” Hussem explained.
Unlike other dating apps, SacredSpark does not allow you to apply physical filters such as eye color, hair, or height.
“We want the experience to be deeply intentional, focused on the person as a whole, not just their physical appearance. If we look at the purpose of a sacramental marriage, do those details really matter? They are superficial things that can distract from what is essential,” Hussem said.
“Our focus is on the image and likeness of God in every person you connect with on the app. That’s a core part of what we do,” Wilson-Hussem added.
The role of the “celestino”
The app also includes a “matchmaking” function that allows users to invite a friend or family member to act as their intermediary within the platform.
“A lot of the success of my posts was thanks to people offering to connect others. For example, one girl said, ‘I have a brother, Jeff, he’s 31 years old and he lives in Wisconsin. If there are any good girls out there, I’d love to put them in touch,'” Wilson-Hussem said.
“I would say at least half of the marriages came about because of someone introducing someone else. We thought, this is incredible. A lot of people know single Catholics and want to help them. Our singles need support, to feel like there are people in their corner.”
“You can hire a matchmaker for thousands of dollars, someone who must know you from scratch. But the people who have known you your whole life know who you are and what you are looking for. Why not activate those people to accompany and support our singles?” he added.
A mission to rebuild the family
SacredSpark will be launched to the public in mid-October, although those interested can now sign up on the waiting list.
The Hussems hope their new app will “rekindle hope in Catholic dating.”
“Our mission is to help build the Church, one relationship at a time,” said Daniël Hussem.
“I think a big part of the cultural collapse comes from the collapse of the family,” Emily added.
“We want SacredSpark to be a place where people connect who will build the Church by entering into sacramental marriages and forming families. Family restoration will be key in the years ahead, and we hope SacredSpark will play an important role in that.”
Translated and adapted by ACI Prensa. Originally published in CNA.
Francesca Purchio Fenton
Francesca Pollio Fenton is the Social Media Manager at Catholic News Agency. He received his bachelor’s degree in Communications with an emphasis in Digital Media from the University of Colorado, Denver (United States).