Celebration of the Feast of Ss Joachim and Ann in the archdiocese

Married couples renew their commitment to each other.

Msgr Joseph blesses couples after the renewal of marital vows.

Sherma and Stephen Wong Kang cut the wedding cake.

Married Catholic couples renewed their vows July 26 at churches across the archdiocese to celebrate the feast of Ss Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

While it has been celebrated in some parishes over the years, the Archdiocesan Family Life Commission has been actively promoting the feast day in the past two years by organising central celebrations in each vicariate.

Vicar for Family Life, Fr Robert Llanos concelebrated the feast with Msgr Esau Joseph at Our Lady of Fatima church, Curepe.

Married couples – from one year to those spanning decades – attended, some celebrating the occasion with their children.

The liturgy included a time of reflection by the couples, on the times when they failed to love their spouse and children.

Fr Llanos led the renewal of vows; Msgr Joseph blessed couples with holy water after the renewal.

After the final blessing, Sherma and Stephen Wong Kang, who have been married 19 years, had the honour of representing all the couples present as they were chosen by a numbering system to cut the “wedding cake”.

The Married Couple – A Sign of God’s Love for His Church

By Louis Blake

They came in two by two, it was the one day of the year I was able to link a familiar face with that of another significant companion.  It was the one day of the year that the powerful witness of married couples was clearly visible at church.

It was a celebration of married life and renewal of marriage vows on the feast of the Patron Saints of Married Couples, Saints Joachim and Anne on the evening of July 26, at the Santa Rosa RC Church, Arima.

As married couples sat together in the church pews, I witnessed the various stages of what commitment to married life really meant.  There were the newly married young couples, the couple pregnant with their first child, the couples with babies and young children and older mature couples.

There were those present with their spouses disabled through illness, and those without their spouses but obviously committed to the sanctity of married life.

Yes, it was obvious, the image of married life painted by celebrant, Msgr Christian Pereira, was alive and visible in the church.

Msgr Pereira said the journeys around the world by Harold and Kwailan La Borde in their boats were similar to the journey of a married couple. He said as two people (the married couple) embark on their journey of life, they encounter rough waters, calm waters, many sunrises and sunsets.

They spend time in darkness and they spend time in the light. They do not behave as though the whole journey is one daylight experience or calm waters. No marriage this side of heaven, he said, is one continuous sunrise.

He said the perseverance, stamina, forgiveness and love that couples need to exercise in their marriage through the good times and bad is a witness to the glory of God.

Married people are to remain in God’s love and to help each other remain focussed in God’s love. They are then empowered to love each other as God loved us.

Msgr Pereira said when a married couple is committed to their vocation and open to God, they are able to create a home, a real cradle, a nurturing environment where children are given the examples to become great men and women in the future.

He urged couples to find in Saints Joachim and Anne the help to be faithful to each other so that their lives may be a blessing for their children and the community to which they belong.

The celebration at the Santa Rosa Church was for the parishes of the Eastern Vicariate. This was reflected by the attendance and the prayers of the faithful, which were led by couples from various parishes within the Vicariate.

Four couples were presented with certificates of appreciation for conducting a marriage preparation programme in the parish for the past two decades. They were Pre- Marriage Coordinators Tony and Jocelyn Chung, Charles and Annette Brown, Louis and Glenda Blake and Herman and Joelle Boodoo.

The Mass was followed by a reception in the Eastern Parish Hall. A young couple won the opportunity to stick the wedding cake prepared by members of the Arima Family Life Unit.

A toast was moved to honour married couples followed by cake sharing, light refreshment, socialising and music that encouraged some couples to take to the dance floor.

A treat for married couples of St Charles

By Vera Allen – FLU Facilitator, St Charles Parish

The parish of St Charles Boromeo was introduced to Family Life ministry a mere three months ago when six of its members attended the training on the formation of Family Life Units (FLU) in the parishes. Today that group has grown from six to sixteen, which includes five couples.

Preparation of the celebration   of the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne began at the start of the month of July. On the weekend of July 19, flyers were distributed that gave an overview of FLU and invited couples to register to renew their marriage vows.

Because we felt that if we celebrated on the actual feast day, July 26 - a Wednesday, we would not have the participation we craved, we approached our parish priest to celebrate on the morning of Sunday, July 23.

This was such a joyous occasion that everyone in our parish wanted to be involved.
When couples arrived that morning they were ushered to specially reserved seats by our Hospitality team. The Sunday morning choir excelled in their mediation song led by Fr Reggie – Wherever you Go.

Theresa Jospeh presents a gift to Bronson and Sylvia Merritt - the longest maried couple at the celebration

Fr Reggie, after explaining the significance of the feast and that St Joachim and St Anne, the parents of our Blessed Virgin Mother were chosen by the Church as patron saints for marriages), had 44 couples holding hands and looking into each others eyes, renewing their marriage vows and praying for graces required to create and maintain a great Catholic marriage.

At the gala breakfast that followed at the newly built parish centre, specially decorated for the occasion by a FLU team led by Theresa Joseph, FLU member Janice George came into her own as emcee as the 44 couples sat together to be treated to breakfast supplied by members of the FLU and various ministries of the parish, such as 55PLUS and St Vincent de Paul.

The real treat though was the entertainment provided by the 55PLUS Romantic choir, which took us back in time, and the jokes provided by stand up comedian (he stood up to give his jokes) FLU member Charles Andrews and none other than our beloved Fr Reggie himself.

After breakfast, a gift was presented to the longest married couple, Bronson and Sylvia Merritt who have been married for 45 years with congratulations being offered all round.

Then came the moment when everyone was feeling around the underside of their chairs, thinking that they were in for a prize. They were in for a surprise.

Under ten chairs were taped questions pertaining to marriage which the persons seated thereon were asked to answer. Questions ranged from “What is the secret ingredient of a good marriage?” to “What makes a man want to commit to marriage?”

By coincidence, one couple both got questions and their shared contributions proved to be very touching. The wife answered the question: “What qualities do you most admire in your spouse?” and the husband answered: “What changes has marriage wrought in your life?”

Patsy Jack gave each couple a laminated copy of a prayer for married couples which she had created especially for the occasion, Nicole Ashby Remy leader of the FLU extended greetings while Terrance Caesar invited all present to join the FLU.

Vera Allen encouraged everyone to become active in the parish and Barbara Wafe graciously closed off proceedings with a vote of thanks.