Married couples throughout the Diocese of Trenton honored and celebrated the Sacrament of Marriage in their parish communities during National Marriage Week, Feb. 7 through Feb. 14 and on World Marriage Sunday, Feb. 9.
The ways that parishes recognized couples ranged from remembering them during the Prayers of the Faithful at Mass and providing them with opportunities to renew their marriage vows. St. Mary Parish, Middletown, is an example of one parish where the married couples renewed their vows.
Hosting social occasions was another way couples were honored in their parishes. Such was the case in St. Mary of the Lakes Parish, Medford, where couples and family members were invited to the parish’s Emmaus Center for refreshments that included a wedding cake.
World Marriage Day is an outgrowth of Worldwide Marriage Encounter, an apostolate aimed at helping couples make good marriages even better. World Marriage Day began in 1983 and is celebrated every second Sunday of February in dioceses across the country. In 1993, Pope John Paul II, imparted an Apostolic Blessing on World Marriage Day. Its purpose is to highlight the beauty of marriage and to honor husbands and wives for their faithfulness and sacrifices.
National Marriage Week USA, launched in 2010, seeks to mobilize individuals, organizations, and businesses in a common purpose to strengthen marriage in communities and influence the culture.
Married couples from St. Mary of the Lakes Parish, Medford, and their families enjoyed a World Marriage Day celebration that was complete with refreshments and a wedding cake. Photo from St. Mary of the Lakes Facebook page
Parishioners in the Church of St. Ann, Lawrenceville, receive a blessing on World Marriage Day. C. Baumann photo