61 couples renew marriage vows before Bishop

PATERSON  Serving as true witnesses of God’s love and presence in the world, 61 couples from around the Diocese marked their milestone wedding anniversaries at the annual Silver and Gold Mass celebrated in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist here Nov. 7.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney was main celebrant of the Mass, which was coordinated by the Diocesan Office of Family Life, and was concelebrated by several priests from around the Diocese. Couples marking 25, 50, 60 and even 65 years of marriage renewed their vows before the Bishop during the Mass.

The Bishop welcomed the couples to the celebration in the cathedral at the start of the Mass saying, “Happy Anniversary! It is a great joy for myself and all of us to join with our anniversary couples. We have so much to be grateful for and as St. John tells us, ‘God is love’ and God is really present in the world in the love of a man and a woman who live the vocation of marriage, joined together as one in the Sacrament of Marriage. It is a privilege to join with each of you as you celebrate your wedding anniversaries.”

As on their wedding days, the 61 couples exchanged vows holding each other’s hands. Before the Bishop, the couples renewed their love, fidelity and commitment to each other in Holy Matrimony. Each couple received a commemorative certificate signed by the Bishop honoring their significant anniversaries.

In his homily, the Bishop reflected on “encounter, listen, discern,” the three verbs used to characterize the Synod on Synodality, which Pope Francis opened last month for the entire Universal Church. To the anniversary couples, the Bishop said, “A lot of (the Synod) is to do what we have already been doing in our lives. To do what so many of us learned from our parents and our parishes growing up — to live our faith. For yourselves that encounter, listening and discernment led to the altar.”

The Bishop told the couples, “25, 50, 60 or 65 years ago, you made a promise to love him, to love her in good times and in bad and in sickness or in health all the days of your lives. You have been faithful.”

“You are a blessing to us,” the Bishop said to the couples, “Part of the call of the Synod is to be missionary disciples. My sisters and brothers, as you celebrate your wedding anniversaries today and as we are privileged to celebrate with you, you are missionary disciples, you are making God, who is love present in the world. You have that responsibility.”

The Bishop thanked the couples “as you continue to live your love day by day and in the years to come. Marriage and family and our understanding and definition of marriage and family has changed a little over the last 25 years. We live in a society that doesn’t respect the vocation of marriage as it did in the past. But you make God present in this world. You testify that a marriage of man and woman join the two that become one and live that vocation that is a blessing to our Church and our world. We need you to continue to live your vocation in such an exemplary way.”

Following the Mass, each of the couples had the opportunity to take a photo with the Bishop to mark the special occasion.

At 65 years, the longest married couple at the Mass was Concetta and Louis Golia, parishioners of St. Mary’s in Denville, who were married on Sept. 23, 1956 in Our Lady of Grace Church in Fairview.

The couple told The Beacon that “Keeping God in the center and working together,” are two ‘secrets’ to a happy marriage. The couple has four children, nine grandchildren and two great grandchildren. The couple also attended the diocesan Silver and Gold Mass to celebrate their 50th anniversary. Concetta Golia said, “I was excited to celebrate with the Diocese again.”

One couple marking 50 years was Carol and Peter Bartkowiak, who are parishioners of St. Mary’s in Denville. Married on May 22, 1971 in Syracuse, N.Y., the couple said, “It feels special, very special to be part of the diocesan celebration.”

The couple has two children and three grandchildren and is active in the parish, Carol Bartkowiak said, adding, “Living as a Catholic gives us a grace to never give up so easily.”

Celebrating their silver anniversary was Milagros and Manuel Sosa, parishioners of St. Anthony’s in Paterson who were married in the Cathedral on Nov. 16, 1996. The couple has two children and said they “felt great to be here in the Cathedral again where we were married.”

When asked what makes their marriage so successful, the couple said, “We never fight and we have a lot of trust and respect for each other.”

Also marking 25 years was Angela and Darren Calleo from St. Vincent DePaul Parish in Stirling. They were married on Oct. 6, 1996 at St. Patrick Church in Chatham. The Calleos have three children. They both said the secret to a long-lasting marriage was the “importance of being on the same page and having the same values. We are very family-oriented and we do everything together.”