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Whether they shared a class, were paired up for a project, or
crossed paths while letting loose on a Friday night, countless
couples have met and fallen in love during their time as Catholic
University students.
As the following stories
show, for some, college
romances last a lifetime.
CUA
Sweethearts
By Katie Bahr
16 The Catholic University of America Magazine
Joe and Elissa (Milone) Metz
50 Years of Family, Faith, and Service
Joe and Elissa Metz hold many important
memories from their time at CUA.
Joe still remembers how nervous he was
when his parents drove him to campus for
the first time in 1958. Elissa remembers
gathering with classmates on the University
Mall after President John F. Kennedy was
shot in 1963. And both of them can
remember the class project that resulted in a
life-changing romance.
The year was 1963. Joe was a politics
major in his senior year and Elissa A. Milone
was a speech audiology and pathology
graduate student in what was then known as
the Speech and Drama Department. As part
of her program, Elissa was required to
administer a number of hearing tests.
“I saw her walk by and asked one of my
fellow classmates, ‘Who is that girl?’” Joe
remembers. “I signed up for a test because I
wanted to meet her.”
After that, Joe and Elissa would occasionally
see each other around campus. They became
friends once Joe, who was by this time
pursuing his master’s degree, took a job as a
tour guide in the National Shrine of the
Immaculate Conception (which had not yet
achieved basilica status). Elissa had a job at the
Shrine selling memorial plaques. She would go
to noon Mass every day and leave her books at
his guide desk. Occasionally they would grab
lunch in the cafeteria together.
After growing closer and eventually dating
for a year, the couple got married Aug. 14,
1965, at St. Agnes Cathedral in Rockville
Centre, N.Y. Many of their Catholic
University classmates and friends attended.
In the years since, Joe and Elissa have had
many personal and professional successes.
Elissa taught speech and hearing in three
D.C. public schools. Joe earned his doctorate
in politics from CUA and his law degree
from Fordham University. He worked as a
professor and as a director of a national pension
and investment consulting company. Together
the couple raised four children.
Joe and Elissa believe the faith formation
from their time at CUA has helped them in
life. Their biggest struggle came when their
oldest son, Joe Jr., was hit by a car in 1989. At
the time, he was a 22-year-old student at
Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore. He
died instantly.
“I think without our faith, with the loss of
our child, we would have fallen apart,” Elissa
said. “That has kept us strong and kept us
going.”
As a living tribute to their son, the couple
took a working pilgrimage to Lourdes, France,
where they served ill pilgrims. Ministering to
the suffering proved to be “a cure for the
heart,” Elissa said. That trip has become a
yearly tradition for the couple. This year, they
plan on going twice — as nonworking
pilgrims in May with 350 people, and again in
August to do volunteer work.
“Our 50th anniversary is Aug. 14 and
we’re going to celebrate it at Lourdes with a
Mass there. Hopefully our children and grandchildren will be there with us,” Joe said.
Today, Joe and Elissa are very active in the
Diocese of Rockville Centre. They serve as
lectors, Eucharistic ministers, and RCIA
instructors, and they have helped lead the
diocesan fundraising appeal.
They also have remained active with the
University. The couple stays in contact with
friends from the University; during the
1990s, they served on the University’s Board
of Regents and Board of Governors. In 2002,
their son, Edward, earned his doctorate in
psychology from CUA. While at the
University, he met his wife, Allison, who
earned her doctorate in philosophy in 2001.
To round out the Metz family, daughter
Marissa, a graduate of Georgetown, married
Matthew York, who graduated from CUA in
1990. Youngest daughter, Gigi, studied at
Georgetown and Fordham Law School.
Looking back, Joe says his years at CUA were
some of the best of his life. He found the faith
formation he needed and the wife he loves.
“We were young and the campus was a
happy place for us,” he said. “No matter what
you do in life, your mind always goes back to
those days and it’s more than a university. It’s
a real home and you never lose it.”
Louis Ruggiero
and Rosanna Scotto
A New York Power Couple
For Rosanna Scotto and Louis Ruggiero,
college was a time to explore their individual
interests and pursue passions. Rosanna, a
theatre major, spent much of her time in
Hartke Theatre auditioning and rehearsing,
even on the weekends. Louis, an accounting
major, was more interested in sports.
“My parents dropped me off in August for
preseason practice and when I met the
football team, I immediately had 50 friends,”
he said. “I’ve remained friendly with a lot of
those guys over the years, which is a real
testament to the school.”
The pair might never have come in contact if
not for their roommates, who were dating.
Rosanna and Louis met during a group night
out in 1977 at the now-closed Rathskeller bar
on campus. Rosanna was a sophomore and
Louis was a freshman. They instantly connected
because of their New York backgrounds.
“Louis grew up in Queens and I grew up
in Brooklyn,” Rosanna said. “I think New
Yorkers can always find one another in the
crowd. It’s like a magnet.”
Spring 2015 17
Brendan and Andrea (Parisi) Koeth
➤
Photo: Bill Adkins
Photo: Cesar Olivares
“I think Catholic University generally attracts
good-hearted people,” Justin said. “Sharing that
background with somebody is invaluable to me.”
How they met: Justin DiFranco, B.S.B.A.
2011, met Rosette (Gianniotis) DiFranco,
B.S. 2010, M.S. 2011, when she approached
him as he was walking through Centennial
Village one evening. After spending several
months getting to know each other, they
started dating. She has a close relationship
with her family, who live locally, so the
couple spent many weekends visiting her
parents’ house for Sunday dinner. “At first
that was intimidating for a college
sophomore,” Justin said.
Their wedding: Oct. 4, 2014, at the Greek
Orthodox Church of St. George in Bethesda,
Md.
Samuel and Christie (Shaw) Weaver
“Our entire relationship — from day one through
the wedding day — we have been supported by
an amazing group of CUA friends.”
How they met: Samuel Weaver, B.S.Arch.
2009, and Christie (Shaw) Weaver, B.A. 2009,
met during the first weekend back before their
junior year commenced at a party at the
Rugby House. A mutual friend introduced Sam
to “Christie from Philadelphia.” “I promptly
engaged in the obligatory Redskins-vs.-Eagles
banter which, eventually, led to a first date,”
Sam said.
Their wedding: Jan. 31, 2014, at St.
Vincent Chapel on campus.
“Sharing memories of our undergraduate times
at CUA and having so many common friends
from our years [there] has made life after college
extra rewarding, allowing our friends to become
part of our family.”
How they met: Brendan Koeth, B.S.B.A.
2008, J.D. 2013, and Andrea (Parisi) Koeth,
B.A. 2009, M.S.M. 2013, met through
Alpha Phi Omega. Their first date was in
April 2008 after volunteer training for Pope
Benedict XVI’s visit to campus.
Their wedding: Nov. 16, 2013, at the
Church of St. Joseph in Bronxville, N.Y.
John and Erin (Kilroy) Simpson
Photo: Eli Turner
When Joe Petrizzo enrolled in the National
Catholic School of Social Service in 1990, he
never expected to meet his future wife. At the
time, Joe was a brother in the Conventual
Franciscans and had taken his temporary
vows. After studying at Queen’s College in
New York and working for several years, he
was directed to pursue his master’s in social
work at CUA.
While there, he met Mary Murphy, who
had a strong familial relationship with CUA —
three of her brothers also attended. After
earning her bachelor’s degree in politics from
CUA in 1987, Mary was back to pursue a
master’s degree in social work. In her second
year of graduate studies, she was in charge of
welcoming new students — including Joe —
to the program.
The social work students were a tight-knit
group and it wasn’t long before Mary and Joe
established a connection. “We were in the same
group of friends and we would hang out at the
friary,” Mary said. “He was a good friend.”
A year and a half after Joe entered the
program, Mary had graduated and was
working at the National Council on Aging.
Joe was questioning whether he should
remain in the Franciscans. The pair had
questions about where their relationship was
going. For help, they sought spiritual
direction in the spring of 1992. They were
instructed to use Lent as a time to pray about
where God was calling them.
“Here I was a practicing Catholic and I
didn’t want to start a relationship with someone
Justin DiFranco and
Rosette (Gianniotis) DiFranco ➤
Photo: Sarah Merians Photography and Video Company
An Unexpected Partnership
The Newlyweds
Four alumni couples who have recently tied the knot reflect on their relationships.
Web Extra: For more about these
four couples, visit cuamagazine.cua.edu
➤
18 The Catholic University of America Magazine
Joe and Mary (Murphy) Petrizzo
in the religious life,” Mary said. “We took that
time to pray about it and we used it really
well.”
For the entirety of Lent, the pair stayed
away from each other. Then, on Holy
Thursday, Joe drove to Mary’s mother’s
house, where he picked her up for Mass.
“He brought me this huge white Easter
bunny and said, ‘We need to celebrate,’” Mary
recalled. “He had made his decision, and I
knew. We celebrated the Triduum and he
started making plans to move into a new life.”
Leaving the Franciscans was not an easy
decision, but the other friars were “extremely
supportive,” Joe said. When the couple wed
at Holy Trinity Church in Washington,
D.C., in 1993, all the friars were there. Also
in attendance were social work professors
Marie Raber and Sandra Chipungu.
Today, Mary and Joe live in Silver Spring,
Md., and have four children, ages 10 to 20.
Joe works as the director of behavioral health
at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, Md.,
while Mary serves as the marketing manager
with Holy Cross Homecare and Hospice.
The couple says they look back on their time
at CUA as a happy, though challenging, period.
“Graduate school is pretty intense, so I
thought it was amazing having the Shrine
right there,” Mary said. “My favorite place to
go was one of the little chapels in the Shrine,
the smallest one in the basement. It was a
wonderful place to go and be at peace.”
Since graduating, Mary and Joe have
traveled back to the University for social
work events or to attend CUA basketball
games. Recently, they took one of their sons
on a tour of the campus.
“Catholic has always been — especially for
me — a special part of our family because so
many of us went there,” Mary said. “I think
it’s a very special place.”
Looking back on their marriage so far, Joe
says he is amazed how fast it’s gone — “It’s
like a whirlwind,” he said.
When it comes to marital success, the pair
believe it’s important to take a relaxed
approach to life’s challenges.
“Don’t have any expectations and roll with
it,” Mary said. “Life is not meant to be easy,
but with a good sense of humor and a more
laid-back attitude, all will be OK.”
➤
Though they became friends, the couple
didn’t start dating until the following year.
Their first date was the CUA homecoming
dance in 1978.
The couple continued to date for eight
years, during which time Rosanna moved to
Atlanta to work at television station WTBS.
Louis attended Hofstra University School of
Law in Hempstead, N.Y. After two years in
Georgia, Rosanna returned to New York and
got a job at a television station, where she
worked as a reporter for several years.
She was laid off from that job, on what was
coincidentally Louis’s birthday. It also was the
day he proposed to her.
The pair wed on Sept. 13, 1986, at St.
Bernadette Church in New York City. Their
reception was at the Pierre Hotel.
Louis and Rosanna have two children — a
daughter who works in the music business
and a son who is currently in college.
After years of mutual support and
encouragement, Rosanna and Louis are
highly successful in their respective fields.
Louis is an attorney in private practice and
Rosanna, a journalist, is the cohost of Good
Day New York, a morning television show.
The couple has returned to CUA several
times, including in 2009 when Rosanna was
honored with an alumni achievement award.
The following year, she hosted the awards
ceremony. Louis remains very interested in
the athletic program.
“We both worship the CUA cardinal,”
he joked.
“We both love Catholic University and we
feel like it’s given us the foundation to become
the people we are today,” Rosanna said.
As for their marriage, the couple says their
number one tip is simple: they put family
first and are respectful of each other.
“Marriage is hard work and I’m sure there are
times when I annoy him and times he annoys
me, but it all works out in the end,” Rosanna
said. “I’m usually very independent and can
multitask a million things, but when I broke
my hand six weeks ago, all of a sudden I needed
his help to get dressed, to make food, and he
has really been aces. If it was the opposite way
around, I think I would have been bellyaching
a lot more, but he’s been unbelievable.”
“Every spot on campus holds a happy memory
for us; not only of our story, but of the lifelong
friends that we met there, and who celebrated
with us on our wedding day. When we visit, it
feels like coming home.”
How they met: John Simpson, B.A. 2010,
and Erin (Kilroy) Simpson, B.A. 2010,
became friends after meeting at the nowclosed Colonel Brooks Tavern in Brookland.
They began dating after getting snowed in on
campus during the “Snowpocalypse” in
December 2010. “We trudged to the
National Christmas Tree in the snow and had
our first kiss,” they said.
Their wedding: Oct. 4, 2014, at St. Peter’s
Church on Capitol Hill.
Spring 2015 19