Dr. George and Patty Allen from Litchfield renew their wedding vows at the diocesan anniversary celebration for couples married 50 years or longer. They were married Feb. 4, 1938.

Approximately 125 couples celebrated the last official day of summer this year by traveling to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Sept. 21 for the annual anniversary celebration for couples who have been married for 50 years or longer. Many of the couples were accompanied by family members who joined them at the Mass, which was celebrated by Bishop George J. Lucas.

Concelebrating with Bishop Lucas were Father Peter Harman, pastor of Cathedral Parish, and Father John Nolan, pastor of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Chatham. Father Christopher House was master of ceremonies. The choir and musicians from the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception provided a prelude and music for the Mass.

As is his custom every year, Bishop Lucas asked for a show of hands, counting up from 50 to see which couples had been married the longest. When he counted to 70, only Dr. George and Patty Allen of Litchfield were still raising their hands.

The couple was married Feb. 4, 1938, while George was still in medical school. Later he was deployed to Persia (now Iran) and India as a member of the Army Medical Corps. He returned to Litchfield to practice medicine, just as his father before him had. He retired when he was 86 years old.

Patty says she never imagined she and her husband would be able to celebrate more than 70 years together. "Heavens, no!" she said with a laugh. "I was 20 years old and he was 21. I couldn't think that far ahead. I guess you just hope you live that long. We're both 91 now. He'll be 92 in just a few weeks."

Over the years, the couple had three children, Amy (Allen) MacKenzie, Nell (Allen) Pol and Matthew Allen, who is deceased. They also have five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.  

"Our mother always says there isn't any secret to such a long marriage, but they are truly the most romantic people I know," said MacKenzie, who has moved back to Litchfield to stay with her parents and was with them at the Anniversary Mass. "They just mesh. They call each other pet names and they are extremely caring and considerate of one another."

James and Betty Bucher, members of St. Elizabeth Parish in Marine, embrace as they renew their vows at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. They have been married 54 years.

In his homily, Bishop Lucas spoke about what he feels is important in a marriage. "We had a wedding here yesterday at Cathedral, so people still come here," he said, noting long-married couples help bring others to the sacrament of marriage.

More than anything else, couples need to keep God in their marriages, said Bishop Lucas. "You know the truth and you witness the truth by your presence here today," he said. "We can sum up God's plan in one word: life.

"Marriage is designed by God to give life ... . Your faithful witness gives life to the world. God has been writing a love story in your life for 50-plus years," he said. "You are older now certainly, but more alive in Christ than you were back then."

Following Bishop Lucas' homily, the couples renewed their wedding vows. They held hands while they re-declared their commitment to one another, many sealing those vows with a quick kiss. After Mass, Bishop Lucas greeted the couples individually and many attended a small reception in their honor.   

The celebration is an annual event of the Office for Marriage and Family Life and was funded by the Annual Catholic Services Appeal. Because the Cathedral will be closed for at least one year for restoration, the 2009 anniversary celebration Mass will be held at St. Agnes Church in Springfield.