Radiating the joy of marriage
Neary 150 couples participate in Wedding Anniversary Mass
By Ed Hopfner
Nearly 150 couples joined Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone on Saturday, February 22, for the annual Wedding Anniversary Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption. The timing of this special celebration coincides with the California Catholic Bishops’ Radiate Love initiative, supporting and promoting sacramental marriage.
Attendees included newlyweds in their first year of marriage and couples who have journeyed together for more than six decades. John and Marilyn Lee, who will mark their 65th wedding anniversary in 2025, were recognized as the longest-married couple in attendance. In all, 33 couples celebrating 50 or more years of marriage were honored, including seven who have reached at least 60 years together.
The Archbishop’s homily drew from the Gospel in which Christ declares Peter as the rock upon which He would build His Church, one that even the “gates of hell” could not overcome. He then stated that married couples are the number one weapon in the Church’s arsenal in this battle, since the family is the primary and most effective way the Faith is handed on.
“Love can overcome every fear, said Archbishop Cordileone. “It is good, then, to celebrate anniversaries, to renew commitments by reliving the memories of that initial fire of commitment. It can help us to persevere and willingly, even joyfully, lay down our lives for the one we love. With this, there is no way that the gates of hell can keep the Church away from overcoming it.”
The Mass also included two special moments for the couples including renewal of wedding commitments and a blessing of wedding rings by Archbishop Cordileone. The Archbishop offered a prayer and blessed the couples with incense. The incense, the Archbishop explained, is a sign of the prayer rising to God. The blessing of the rings is a sacred sign and symbol of their life-long love for each other.
Following the Mass was a reception featuring a slide show of the couples with music by harpist Anna Maria Mendieta.
Photos: Francisco Valdez
