October 16, 2017

Local couples renew their vows during special Mass at St. Michael’s Cathedral

REGIONAL
Story and photos by Carolee McGrath

 

SPRINGFIELD – In the presence of the parish community of St. Michael’s Cathedral, and surrounded by family and friends, couples renewed their marriage vows at a 4 p.m. Mass, Sunday Oct. 15.

Springfield Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski celebrated the special anniversary Mass for couples, blessing their marriages and families, and thanking them for their witness.

“We can rejoice with you today because in your faith in God, in your love for one another, you have come to witness to the power of God through your commitment to one another that started 60 or 50 or 25 years ago. That commitment did not end with words spoken at the altar. That commitment has been lived every day in your love for each other,” Bishop Rozanski said in his homily.

Close to 30 couples held hands reciting to each other, “Once more I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the rest of the days of my life.”

Marriage is one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, which teaches that Jesus pours out his grace through the sacraments.

“Each of you know your share of joys, triumphs, heartaches and sorrows and yet through the years whatever you have faced, you have faced together. Yours is a powerful witness to our world – a witness that is truly needed,” Bishop Rozanski continued.

Deacon Joseph Kielbasa and his wife, Nancy, agreed that understanding that marriage is a sacrament, with Christ in the middle, helped their marriage flourish for 40 years.

“It is very important to keep God in your life. We pray together often. We try to go to Mass together when possible. We talk about God with our kids and grandkids,” said Deacon Kielbasa, who is assigned to St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in West Springfield.

“I’m blessed to have this lovely lady in my life. It was love at first site. It’s hard to imagine it’s been 40 years,” he added.

His bride said she felt the same. The couple married in 1977 and raised two boys and have three grandchildren.

“I couldn’t do anything without God in my life. We have beautiful children. I married a wonderful person of faith,” said Nancy Kielbasa.

“We have perseverance and you have to laugh at yourselves. You can’t sweat the small stuff. It took us a while to learn that,” she added.

John and Barbara Donovan (pictured at left), who raised five children, recently celebrated their 60^th wedding anniversary. When asked how they have stayed married for 60 years, Barbara said, “You just go along. Just be happy.”

John Donovan had advice for young husbands, jokingly giving them this line to repeat over and over again: “Yes, I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.’”

He also said there is no great secret to a happy marriage.

“Take the good with the bad, persevere, stay close and go to church every Sunday,” he said.

A video version of this story will be featured on an upcoming edition of the Springfield Diocese’s weekly newsmagazine “Real to Reel,” which airs Saturday evenings at 7 on WWLP-22NEWS.