With a clear blue late summer sky and a just-warm-enough temperature, Sept. 7 would have been a lovely day for a wedding. However, for the many couples who gathered at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception that Sunday afternoon, it turned out to be a beautiful day to celebrate decades of married life.
Approximately 100 couples came from throughout the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois to attend a Mass for couples married 50 years or more. Many brought their children and grandchildren to celebrate with them.
Bishop Thomas John Paprocki greeted the people as Mass began by giving thanks to almighty God for the gifts of married life and then by asking him to watch over the couples in the future.
In his homily, Bishop Paprocki talked about the benefits of married life. "Today, we celebrate that great gift of love which has been the bond that has united so many of you for 50 or more years in the sacrament of holy matrimony. It is truly inspiring to see so many of you who have lived so many years of marital fidelity and love.
"I am fairly confident in saying that your understanding of love for more than half a century has matured and that as you look back over your many years together, you can appreciate just how powerful that love has been in assisting you to navigate the ups and downs of a life lived together," he said.
"In our celebration today, we celebrate the fact that your marital commitment to one another shines forth as a beautiful example for the whole church to see," he said. "In a time when divorce has become such a regular occurrence, you show to young couples that it is possible to remain married to the same person, even when that marriage encounters difficult circumstances.
"It is also beautiful to see how, as time goes by and our physical bodies grow weak under the burden of years, your love for one another shines forth as you learn to rely on one another more and more to help each other do even the most ordinary tasks.
"Your dependence on one another is a visible sign of how your lives are intimately tied to one another and how important that love is which bonds you together," he said noting that husbands and wives "truly grow more precious to each other as they enter the twilight of their lives."
Not all of the couples who came to the Mass had been married 50 years — some had been wed many more. And a few couples came in anticipation of their golden anniversary. Mike and Marcella Reynolds of Holy Ghost Parish in Jerseyville are looking forward to their special day on Nov. 28, and drove about 80 miles to the see city for the Mass.
They weren't alone, Marcella noted. "We just spoke to another couple a few minutes ago who said they also had travelled quite a while to get here," she said.
Concelebrating with Bishop Paprocki were Father David Hoefler, vicar general and moderator of the curia and Father Fredrick Mbiere, who was visiting from Nigeria. Deacons were Deacon Larry Smith and Deacon Gregory Parquette, and Father Brian Alford was the master of ceremonies.
Music for the celebration, which included an hour of music and singing in advance of the Mass, was provided by the St. Boniface Parish Choir, Handbell Choir and musicians, who traveled to the Cathedral from Edwardsville. Jill Griffin was director and organist, while Emily Moore and Deron Griffin were cantors.
The annual Mass and reception for long-married couples is arranged and hosted by the Office for Marriage and Family Life with the assistance of the Office for Worship and the Catechumenate. It is funded by the contributions of the people of the diocese to the Annual Catholic Services Appeal.