On a beautiful golden fall day, 7,475 years of marital love were honored at the annual diocesan Mass for Jubilarians.
Bishop Michael F. Burbidge celebrated the bilingual Mass at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington Oct. 18 and hosted a reception afterward where he posed for photos with couples and families.
“It is because Jesus loves you that, in his divine plan, he called you by name and united you as one, as husband and wife in holy matrimony,” Bishop Burbidge said in his homily before a capacity crowd at the cathedral.
“You said ‘yes’ to his call, a yes that reflects what truly matters in life, perhaps, like these words in the country song, ‘Joy of my Life’: ‘Some may have riches. Some may have worldly things. As long as I have you, I’ll treasure each and every day,’ ” he said.
The diocesan Office of Marriage, Family and Respect Life sponsored the yearly event. More than 200 couples who were celebrating their 25th or 50th anniversary were in attendance, along with their families.
Kerry Nevins, senior director, said the values reflected in the gathering are needed in society, now more than ever.
The Mass offered “a powerful tribute” to the devotion and faithfulness to the covenant of marriage, he said.
“In renewing their promises, their holy bond was fortified and reaffirmed. Though marriage is increasingly under threat in our culture, these couples remind us of its enduring significance and why it is worth defending,” Nevins said.
For the couples honored, the event was nothing short of pure joy. The vast majority remained after Mass and attended the celebration in Burke Hall with light refreshments. Here they mingled, many wearing traditional clothing from their native countries. They waited to have their photo taken with Bishop Burbidge, where the wives were also given a rose.
Lily Alvarez Castro, along with her husband, Francisco, are parishioners of St. William of York Church in Stafford. They did not mind waiting in the long line because she said they were so grateful for their 25 years.
“We have a great family and we are so blessed. I am just so happy for everything we have,” she said.
All couples received a certificate from the diocese recognizing their milestone.
Krystyna and Andrzej Pudlo were among the first in line to greet the bishop. The couple from St. John the Baptist Church in Front Royal were celebrating 50 years.
“We wanted to celebrate with God. We are Polish and our wedding was in a very old cathedral in Poland with an organ. It was beautiful. And this celebration today in our cathedral here was so beautiful,” said Krystyna, who never stopped smiling.
Andrzej reflected on how they “started over” when they came to the United States.
“We have such joy to have been able to stay together, and it was our faith that helped us,” he said. “Only in America could we have done this and would there be such a celebration as this today.”
Tammy and Jim Ilaria of Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Vienna just returned from a cruise celebrating their 25th anniversary.
They gave credit to their respective parents for laying a solid foundation and setting a strong example. Like others, they were grateful for the opportunity to be together with fellow Catholics and be honored in a meaningful way.
“This was a wonderful opportunity to renew our vows because it’s a true milestone. In an era when half of marriages don’t make it, I am so thankful for our years. We feel blessed to have made it and look forward to the next 25 years,” said Tammy.
Shaffrey is diocesan director of media relations.
