‘I couldn’t stop smiling’ – Faith on display at Wedding Anniversary Mass
Over 120 couples, commemorating their wedding anniversaries of five and 25 years, participated in the yearly Wedding Anniversary Mass held at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark on May 7. The Mass was presided by Bishop Gregory Studerus, the auxiliary bishop of Hudson County.
During the afternoon, Bishop Studerus acknowledged the enduring nature of the couples’ marriages. There was a poignant moment where they held each other’s wedding rings while the bishop prayed for God to sanctify their love and to bless them with the grace of the sacrament of matrimony. Towards the end of the Mass, Bishop Studerus imparted a final blessing upon them, after which the couples lined up in the center aisle to receive a blessed pin and exchange a few words with the bishop. The homilist for the Mass was Father Timothy Graff, director of social concerns for the Archdiocese of Newark, who oversees the Family Life Ministry in the archdiocese.
In his homily, Father Graff began by comparing marriage to Good Friday. The cross is the great equalizer, he said. People come to it from all points of life, but the one commonality is that they come as they are.
“Not as they pretend to be, not as they hope to be, but simply as they are. Because they know that there’s something about the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus that makes a difference in their lives, and so they bring everything that they have to that moment,” Father Graff said.
Father Timothy Graff addresses the 120 couples and their families during the Wedding Anniversary Mass held at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart on May 7. (Joe Jordan / Archdiocese of Newark)
Just as the cross is the constant in Holy Week, so it is in marriage, he said.
“Do you know why you are here?” Father Graff asked. “Because of your faith. In good times and in bad, you are people of faith. In sickness and in health, you are people of faith…. And [you are] a witness of Christian marriage in a society and Church that is so in need of your witness. We can look to you – look to your love, look to your commitment – and say, ‘that’s what it means to be people of faith.’”
Jersey Catholic spoke with four couples honored at the Mass about what makes for a long-lasting marriage and their thoughts on the special day.
Bill and Suzanne LaRosa – St. Henry, Bayonne – 25 Years of Marriage
What makes for a lasting marriage?
“Arguing and giving in,” Bill joked.
“Giving in and making up,” Suzanne said.
“A lot of patience and always remember why you fell in love,” Suzanne added. “Always remember what you said at the altar on the day you got married. It’s remembering every day what you saw in each other.”
“This was a very special day,” Bill said.
Steve and Concettina Hambos – Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Ridgewood – 25 Years of Marriage
What makes for a lasting marriage?
“Our faith,” Steve said. “When you’re with the right person, there’s no worries – the trust is always there.”
“Patience,” Concettina said, noting that Steve is the more patient of the two of them.
And while Steve sees a lack of patience in society contributing to short-lived marriages, “in this day and age, it’s not easy the way things are. People get married [and last] for five, six months.” Concettina viewed the Mass as a reminder of why marriages last.
“This is nice to see,” she said. “This is a testament to faith and the sacrament of matrimony. It’s a sacrament and a lot of times people forget that.”
Left: Concettina and Steve Hambos meet with Bishop Gregory Studerus following the Mass. Right: the couple pray alongside Concettina’s parents, who recently celebrated 60 years of marriage. (Joe Jordan / Archdiocese of Newark)
Paul and Luisa Hirsch – Our Lady of Lourdes, West Orange – 7 Years of Marriage
What makes for a lasting marriage?
“Communication and faith. Put God first in everything you do,” the couple answered simultaneously.
As a young couple that sat among others who have been married for decades longer than they have, Luisa called the Mass “a blessing” and Paul said it’s “a beautiful thing.”
“It’s so nice to see our faith lived out,” Paul said. “Marriage is such a testimony of faith. It’s a vocation that’s being put to the test in a world that tries to condemn it. To see couples that have been married for 25 years, 50 years, is an inspiration for us.”
The pair continue to be inspired by the couples they see at church every week, they said, some of whom have been married for 70 years.
“They’re still together, they’re still going to church, they’re still holding hands,” Paul said. “Marriage is more than just a romance – that’s the Hallmark thing. It’s understanding that God is who put you together, and blessed you, and gave you this opportunity.”
“This Mass today is a reminder of what marriage is all about,” Luisa said.
Left: Paul and Luisa Hirsch meet with Bishop Gregory Studerus following the Mass. Right: the couple hold each other’s wedding rings as the bishop blesses their marriage. (Joe Jordan / Archdiocese of Newark)
Jessie and Jocelyn Jarilla – 27 Years of Marriage
What makes for a lasting marriage?
“God is number one,” Jocelyn said.
“It’s faith – in communication, respect, love, and patience,” Jessie said.
When reflecting on the Mass, Jocelyn admits she was smiling the whole time seeing so many people celebrating anniversaries of marriage.
“You go through many difficulties in a marriage, but you continue to cling to each other – and you see that here today,” she said. “It warmed my heart. I couldn’t stop smiling.”
“You see people here who lean on their faith,” Jessie said.
Featured image: Bishop Gregory Studerus meets a couple following the Wedding Anniversary Mass held at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart on May 7. (Joe Jordan / Archdiocese of Newark)
