Diocese Honors Couples Celebrating Wedding Anniversaries

By Marie Elena Giossi

Men and women whose love has magnified the Lord in the sacrament of marriage celebrated their silver, ruby, golden and diamond wedding jubilees at the annual Diocesan Wedding Anniversary Celebration last Saturday morning, April 5.

Marie Elena Giossi Photos 

One hundred twenty-seven couples from Brooklyn and Queens registered through their parishes to attend a special Mass and reception, organized by the diocesan Office of Faith Formation as a way for the diocese to recognize and rejoice with local couples marking significant wedding anniversaries, particularly 25, 30, 40 and 50 years or more.

The diocese has been honoring married couples in this way for many years according to Ana Puente, marriage ministry coordinator in the Faith Formation Office.
“We do this celebration because we want couples to know we support the sacrament of marriage and join with them in celebrating their anniversaries,” she said.

Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio celebrated the 11 a.m. Mass at Our Lady of Angels Church, Bay Ridge. Father James Devlin, pastor, and Father Fred Marano concelebrated. Deacons Jaime Varela, Edward Gaine and Jimmy Garcia assisted on the altar.

Large white bows trimmed pews along the center aisle as dapper grooms walked graceful brides to seats as directed by Faith Formation Office staff, including Dr. Phil Franco, director; Iris Flores, Pre-Cana registration coordinator; Sister Alice Michael, SUSC, RCIA coordinator, and Ana Puente.

Double Blessing

The Wrynns of Queens were there to celebrate a double blessing. James and Nell Wrynn of St. Kevin’s, Flushing, will mark their golden anniversary later this year on Oct. 2. Their son, James Jr. and his wife Maura of Our Lady of the Snows, North Floral Park, were also present in honor of their upcoming silver jubilee on Sept. 10.

As children and grandchildren snapped pictures, twosomes exuded a youthful excitement belying the lines of wisdom gracing their cheeks and brows.
Eleven couples had been married at least 50 years. Four were celebrating 60 years or more.

Brooklynites Angelo and Justine Grado from St. Agatha’s in Bay Ridge took the proverbial cake with nearly 65 years under their respective belts. They wed on June 26, 1943.

Close behind them in years of nuptial bliss are November bride Clara Staiti and her hubby Fred. Parishioners of St. Patrick’s in Bay Ridge, they’re happily heading toward their 61st year on Nov. 16.

Diamond Jubilees

Two couples celebrating diamond jubilees, Mary and Howard Dunn and George and Lillian Harrison, wed exactly five months apart in 1948. The Dunns of St. Anselm’s, Bay Ridge, exchanged vows on June 6 and the Harrisons of Our Lady of the Snows, did so on Nov. 6.

Looking upon the smiling husbands and wives, the bishop himself smiled and began Mass by sprinkling Holy Water on their heads. He thanked God “for their long and happy marriages, for the children they brought into the world and all the good they’ve done.”

Couples were reminded of the sacred covenant to which married men and women have been called from the beginning of creation in the first reading from Genesis when God formed man and woman to “become of one flesh.” They then listened to the words of the apostle Paul to the Colossians: “Put on then…. compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another… over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.”

Finally, in John’s Gospel they recalled the respect and love between Jesus and Mary, who discovered God’s will through each other.

In his homily, Bishop DiMarzio recalled simple ceremonies and football weddings of yesteryear.
“Today people spend thousands of dollars… and the marriages don’t last. People have lost sight of the sacrament of marriage,” he said.

He noted that nothing else comes closer to understanding God than the love found in the sacrament of marriage. While every marriage has trouble at times, he said that those who work through the trouble and hold fast to their commitment for the long-term deserve to be extolled.

Husbands and wives were invited to renew their vows in English, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Creole or the language of their choice. Couples had their pictures taken and personalized certificates will be mailed to them.

“God gave us a gift. So many people don’t make it this long,” said Margaret Schmalz, who wed her husband Robert on Feb. 1, 1958, when she was 19 and he was 22. The couple from St. Margaret’s, Middle Village, went on to raise six children and now have 14 grandchildren.

“We’ve had some very sad years,” Margaret said in reference to a son who passed away. But Robert quickly chimed in, “We’ve had very good years, too.”
Now they’re enjoying retirement, which gives them time to focus on being with each other and “being happy,” he said.

“The grace of the sacrament of marriage is the presence of Jesus in your life,” the bishop told all of the couples. He asked God to continue to grant the husbands and wives strong love, peace and joy in their lives and blessings upon their homes.

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