Our Lady of Hope Church in Potomac Falls was filled with married
couples and their families for the Marriage Jubilee Mass Oct. 15. The more than
200 couples celebrating their 25th and 50th wedding anniversaries had a total
7,725 years of married love between them, said Arlington Bishop Michael F.
Burbidge. “Thank you for showing us a love like God’s love — faithful, permanent and life-giving,” he said.
In his homily, Bishop Burbidge spoke about Christ’s place in
marriage. “In a society that struggles so much with permanency, I am sure
you’re asked many times, ‘How do you do this?’ I’m sure your answer is the same
all the time, ‘Only in Jesus,’ ” he said. “(Marriage is) a sacrament because
it’s a sign, a visible sign of the love that the Lord has for His bride, the
Church.”
After the homily, each of the couples turned to one another and
renewed the marriage promises they made 25 or 50 years ago, and received a
blessing from Bishop Burbidge. The
annual Mass is sponsored by the diocesan Office of Marriage, Family and Respect
Life.
Lawrence and Jacqueline Delclos
Married Oct 17, 1992, in New Hampshire
Three children
Parishioners of St. John the Evangelist Church in Warrenton
Why are you grateful for God’s presence in your marriage?
Jacqueline: It grounds us, and it’s
something in common that we share. It’s helped us through difficult times.
Lawrence: That’s the most important
thing.
Jacqueline: Having faith in a God
that loves us, that we don’t have to do it on our own.
Lawrence: We need that.
Jacqueline: Our best friends are here
because they’re celebrating 25 years and they’re our neighbors. That helps,
having a community that supports your same values.
Lawrence: I think having the kids
here and what it shows them is probably the most important thing. They all gave
us the thumbs up, too.
Deepak and Freda Mhetar
Married Feb. 1, 1992, in India
One child
Parishioners of All Saints Church in Manassas
Why are you grateful for God’s presence in your marriage?
Freda: There are so many reasons I
cannot tell. God has been so wonderful to us, especially for 25 years. Just
keeping the faith alive, I’m very grateful to God for that.
Joe and Sara Easter
Dec. 9, 1967, in Nebraska
Three children, one grandchild
Parishioners of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Winchester
Why are you grateful for God’s presence in your marriage?
Joe: He’s kept us together all these
years.
Sara: All the blessings and the
strength to get through the tough times.
Joe: Any time you have a problem, you
go to God for the answer. You listen to Him, not yourself. Although you don’t
agree with everything, it’s the best. He leads you.
Paul and Elaine Pelletier
Married July 1, 1967, in New Hampshire
Three children, four grandchildren
Parishioners of St. Bernadette Church in Springfield
Why are you grateful for God’s presence in your marriage?
Paul: He gave us health, longevity
and happiness.
Elaine: And our children and
grandchildren.
Buy photos from the Marriage Jubilee Mass here.
