National Marriage Week (February 7-14) and World Marriage Day (Sunday, Feb. 8) gave the Church the opportunity to invite couples, families, and communities across the country to reflect on the sacredness and beauty of marriage as a sacrament instituted by Jesus Christ. This special Week was first introduced in 2010 by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) as part of an international campaign to strengthen marriages, promote a “culture of life and love,” support the family as the “domestic church,” and make an impact on modern society.
This year’s celebration focused on the theme: “Man and Woman He Created Them: Together with Purpose,” and also marked the 10th Anniversary of Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis’s Apostolic Exhortation on The Joy of Love. Parishes were encouraged to host events that celebrated the beauty of marriage and family life with all its joys and sorrows.
In the Diocese of San Bernardino, many parishes held special blessings of married couples during their Masses, and Sacred Heart in Jurupa Valley held a Holy Hour for marriages on February 12th. Our Lady of Guadalupe in San Bernardino had a Mass and a vow renewal ceremony presided by Father Javier Varela, Father José Reyes, and Father Miguel Urrea, with 141 couples attending. Afterwards they continued the celebration with dinner and dancing. San Salvador parish in Colton was another parish that celebrated a Mass and vow renewal ceremony, with 27 couples renewing their commitment to one another; a special event that Father Moises Henriquez hopes to celebrate every February. These vow renewal ceremonies serve as a powerful reminder to the couples and all those present of the sacredness of the sacrament and how God’s grace has sustained them throughout their married life.
This annual observance of National Marriage Week and World Marriage Sunday serve as an excellent time for us to reflect on the gift marriage is to our Church and our country, as well as an opportunity for couples to pause, reflect, and nurture their own marriages. May the Lord continue to pour out His Holy Spirit over all marriages and families in the Diocese of San Bernardino.
For more information on National Marriage Week please visit https://www.sbmarriageinitiative.org/home or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Paola Martinez is the Director of the Office of Marriage and Family Life Ministries in the Diocese of San Bernardino. Mario Martinez is the Director of Parish Life at The Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Redlands.