Married couples show archdiocese the reality of love

Four generations of the Garcia family gathered for the reception after the Wedding Anniversary Mass Feb. 9 at St. Mary’s Cathedral. Seated are Carmen and Jesus Garcia, who celebrated 72 years of marriage, along with their daughters Carmen and Juanita and great-granddaughter Audrey. (Photo by Nicholas Wolfram Smith/Catholic San Francisco)
 
February 14, 2019
Nicholas Wolfram Smith
 
Whether they had celebrated their wedding five years ago or 65 years ago, a special archdiocesan Mass honored the witness to love provided by married couples. At the archdiocese’s annual Wedding Anniversary Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral Feb. 9, couples who had reached a new five-year increment in their marriage, along with any couples married more than 40 years years, renewed their vows and had their rings blessed. About 90 couples participated, with a total attendance of 400.
 
Auxiliary Bishop Robert F. Christian celebrated Mass and delivered the homily. He said the sacramental marriage bond gives an insight into the possibility, reality, and goal of love and makes a couple a witness to those who are not married.
 
“We who are not married, and I think many who are, are grateful for the witness of those married couples who have faced all kinds of difficulties and have done so successfully,” he said.
 
 
Auxiliary Bishop Robert F. Christian incenses the rings of married couples during the Mass. Bishop Christian thanked the couples for “the witness of their love.” (Photo by Nicholas Wolfram Smith/Catholic San Francisco)
 
 
Sitting in the Patrons’ Hall at a reception afterward, Michael Stallman told Catholic San Francisco he and his wife Megan decided to come because “it’s a nice thing to solemnize and mark significant anniversaries. It’s not just a party or celebration, the sacraments have real power. I don’t think it’s possible to live marriage vows well without those graces.” Celebrating 10 years of marriage, the Stallmans said the “greatest blessing” of their marriage is their five children.
 
Clarence and Annie Bryant, parishioners at St. Emydius in San Francisco, are celebrating 65 years of marriage, and have known each other for 75 years. “We came because we wanted to celebrate the blessings of marriage,” Clarence Bryant said. “Going to church together had a very important part in our relationship. That kind of environment helped a lot through the tough times,” he said.
 
Annie Bryant said churches used to be open more, and she would stop to pray while running errands. “Those few minutes were very important,” she said.
 
After nearly a lifetime spent together, Clarence Bryant said he has learned that “each decade, each day of marriage is different, there is no best. Each day is an adjustment, just as it is in life, and our marriage is really a microcosm of life.”
 
Many of the couples spoke of the importance of loyalty and dedication in marriage. Nivardo Martinez, who will celebrate 25 years of marriage with his wife Socorro, said marriage is “a long way to go but you never know what you’re going to find. And it’s up and down. But you realize those problems aren’t going to separate you. You never think about divorce.”
 
The couple celebrating the most time together were Jesus and Carmen Garcia, who were married 72 years ago. The two raised 13 children to adulthood, and have 26 grandchildren and 47 great-grandchildren. Carmen Garcia said two important qualities in their long marriage were “respect and faith in God.” Their daughter, Juanita Gurtner, said her parents’ marriage had taught her “patience – patience with all those kids.”
 
Archdiocesan marriage and family life director Ed Hopfner, whose office sponsored the Mass, said it was “inspiring to see all these people. It’s an incredible witness to the beauty of marriage and fidelity - and how often do we recognize this in the church?”