53rd Annual Diocesan Wedding Anniversary Mass Oct. 20
Register for the anniversary Mass
Couples celebrating anniversaries ending on 0 or 5 and those celebrating 50 or more years are encouraged to register for the Wedding Anniversary Mass. They may register themselves and their guests at Tinyurl.com/53weddanni or by calling 316-685-5240.
Marriage On Tap Oct. 28
Engaged couples and couples married less than three years are urged to attend the next Marriage On Tap event Monday, Oct. 28, at Chicken N Pickle in Wichita. To register, visit Tinyurl.com/MOToct28.
By Jake Samour
Bishop Carl A. Kemme will be the main celebrant at the 53rd Annual Diocesan Wedding Anniversary Mass Sunday, Oct. 20. It will begin at 3:30 p.m. in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, located at Central and Broadway in Wichita. A reception will follow in Good Shepherd Hall.
The event offers married couples an opportunity to witness to their families, friends, and the wider community about the enduring beauty of marriage. Earlier this year, Pope Francis emphasized the importance of safeguarding marriages and families through the witness of “a possible and forever love,” especially at a time when many young people find it difficult to believe in lasting love.
This witness is particularly crucial for children, the pope said. “Children need to receive from their parents the certainty that God created them out of love and that one day they too will be able to love and feel loved as their parents did.”
Pope Francis said the seed of love planted by parents in their children’s hearts will, in time, flourish.
Married couples participating in the anniversary celebration bear testimony that Jesus is present in their marriages and families. The grace of Jesus offers the strength needed to remain united, a love that Pope Francis described as Christ’s presence among them and God’s fidelity to their union. “It is He who gives them the strength to grow together every day and to remain united,” he said.
Pope Francis also highlighted the importance of supporting newly married couples, urging the faithful to “take care of them,” especially those who are younger and in need of examples of faith and love.
In support of the pope’s exhortation, the Office of Marriage and Family Life is focusing its efforts on accompanying young married couples through the Marriage On Tap (MOT) initiative and other efforts.
The pope also alluded to the connection between strong marriages, healthy families, and healthy priests. This insight aligns closely with the diocesan Curia’s strategic anchors, “everything is relational, Catholic education at the service of the family and healthy priests.”