About 500 couples across The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington attended the “Annual Wedding Anniversary Mass to Celebrate the Vocation of Marriage” at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Feb. 10.
Washington Auxiliary Bishop Evelio Menjivar celebrated the Mass, and in his homily, he highlighted how the joy of a marriage “is also the joy of the Church.”
“Today, we do not celebrate these wedding anniversaries because your married life has been perfect. Perhaps there is no perfect couple. We celebrate your faithfulness, your fidelity, your determination, and your courage to start every day anew in the name of the Lord Jesus,” Bishop Menjivar said.
The sacrament of marriage, the bishop said, is more than a ritual or social gathering.
“The sacrament of holy matrimony is a gift given by God for the sanctification and salvation” of the couple, Bishop Menjivar said.
The commitment to one another in marriage reflects God’s commitment to the Church, he said.
“This vocation is rooted in the same grace of Baptism that establishes the monumental covenant of every person with Christ and with the Church,” Bishop Menjivar said.
He continued to draw parallels between the bond of marriage and God's fidelity to His followers.
“How comforting, my brothers and sisters, it is to know that God always remains faithful to his promise to be a loving God and a merciful father for His people. In your home, your spouses are also a reflection of God’s love and faithfulness to their children (and) to others,” Bishop Menjivar said, adding that brings to mind Jesus’s promise before His ascension into heaven, that He would be with us always. “God’s faithfulness lasts forever.”
A new couple’s perspective
Many contemporary love stories begin with downloading a dating app. This was the case for Daniel Brown, 29, and Marie Brown, 26, who, after some swiping, found out they were matches. Life has since moved quickly for the Browns, who were married on Nov. 4, 2023.
Daniel Brown, an attorney, and Marie Brown, a nurse at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, were married at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Somers, New York. They are currently parishoners at Epiphany Catholic Church in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C.
Many couples who meet online often wonder if they would have met otherwise; the Browns found they had mutual friends who were trying to set them up. The issue at the time was that Daniel Brown was still living in California. The pair are grateful for the opportunity to meet independently and have endorsements from their friends.
“He had such a glowing recommendation from our mutual friend that it made things a lot easier to get to know one another and for us to meet in another environment where we are surrounded by friends. God really blessed us by allowing us to get to know each other in so many different environments so early on,” Marie Brown said.
Marie Brown said it quickly became apparent that they had a future beyond a few dates.
“I was a very cautious person, (and) very much guarded my heart. And then, I think, within our first date, it was very clear that we were on the same page, that we were very intentional about dating and our goals toward marriage. Within the first two weeks of dating one another, it was like, okay, (we’re) very confident that God is guiding us toward one another,” Marie said.
The two dated less than a year, became engaged, and then were married a year later. Less than a year into their marriage, they shared the experience so far.
“Every day has been a new blessing, even when there’s disagreements, or there’s trouble, or there’s challenges in life…it’s always a huge comfort to know that you have your best friend to go through it with and to pray through it with,” Daniel Brown said. “To just grow deeper in love with God and one another.”
Marie Brown said being married is still very “surreal,” as they use the recent titles of wife and husband.
“It’s very humbling. We often share how we prayed so much for one another, and then to be living out in this blessing is so incredible. I don’t think it’s something I will get used to. Or would want to get used to,” Marie Brown said.
Some of their friends were surprised by their swift transition from courtship to engagement to marriage.
“For them, it’s like, ‘Wow, you guys are moving so fast. How do you do this?’ And we just try to nudge them towards, ‘Well, we really trust in God, and we trust in one another,’” Daniel Brown said. “It makes it easier to go all in with one another when you go all in with God first.”
Marie Brown shared how they impart their wisdom with friends who are still navigating dating, as she is one of the first to be married in her friend group.
“I think to them it is still very shocking just because we’re all in different stages of life. But it is really wonderful, I think, especially with the dating phase, just because they were able to see the fruits of our relationship, what point we were able to get to,” Marie Brown said. “It’s very wonderful that we were able to help friends whenever they are going through the dating process of what to look for and what to be aware of.”
Catholicism and community play major roles in their relationship. Daniel Brown, who was raised Protestant, converted to Catholicism after meeting Marie Brown.
“She helped spark my interest, which was already underlying in the Catholic faith. Marie has been a Catholic her whole life, but she very kindly went to the RCIA sessions with me,” Daniel said.
RCIA, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, is a process to prepare those entering the Church to receive their sacraments, including Baptism, Communion and Confirmation. Marie Brown found the experience of attending RCIA to be rewarding, not only because she was able to learn more about her faith.
“I’ve always had such a strong love for God, but I think I struggled with finding community in the Church. When I moved here, I didn’t really start going to church because we moved to D.C. during COVID, so a lot of it was through Zoom. When I met Daniel and we were talking about how it was important for us to foster our faith together, I feel like the Holy Spirit really came to Daniel,” Marie Brown said.
Marriage is not the latest milestone for the Browns, who shared that they are expecting their first child in August.
“God is the center of our relationship, and he’s blessed us both with a wonderful sense of humor, so we fully trust in him. God has blessed us with a lot of laughter at our journey, how quickly life has happened, but also, if there are any trials that come, it’s just nice to laugh together, and at the joy of things,” Marie Brown said.
A veteran couple’s tips for a happy marriage
Eddie and Doris Sullivan, who have been married 72 years, are one of the longest Catholic married couple in the Archdiocese of Washington as of 2024. They are parishioners at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Washington, D.C.
The Sullivans have won multiple awards for community service and held leadership roles in the Catholic Youth Organization. Eddie Sullivan coached and assisted young people in obtaining scholarships and jobs, provided transportation for the sick to vote, cut lawns for free, and sponsored college funds for community service. Doris Sullivan served as the president of the Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Youth Organization for more than 20 years and served as a coach for the girls’ basketball team.
With more than seven decades of experience, Eddie and Doris Sullivan, along with the assistance of their daughter Gail Gilchrist, imparted their wisdom and advice on marriage with the Catholic Standard:
- Agree to listen to each other and continue to consider the point your mate is trying to make and not just how things are said or what’s being said.
- Try not to argue.
- Be loving, communicate with a good attitude, listen to learn, learn to listen.
- Never go to bed angry. Don’t hold grudges.
- Forgive each other, your children, your family, and yourself.
- Support each other’s endeavors.
- A family that prays together, stays together. Pray for and with your spouse. Teach your children to pray and pray with your children. Attend church together.
- Have family meals on holidays, birthdays and as often as you can. Celebrate life and family!
- It is important for spouses to declare to each other your love often and to your children.
- When people discourage you, keep going. Continue with your marriage agenda and family plans.
- Listen to your children, make the best decisions possible with the information you have.
- Live as an example for your children and give advice to your children as needed. Support your children’s endeavors.
- Teach your children the Ten Commandments and to obey them.
“When they married people told them their marriage wouldn’t make it. But they continued in the faith and the love and will of God!” – List and note written by Gail Gilchrist, daughter, under the direction of Eddie and Doris Sullivan.
