LAKE CHARLES – Lucy and Calvin Foreman, parishioners of St. Raphael Catholic Church in Iowa who celebrate their 70th anniversary of Christian marriage this year, were among 35 couples honored by Bishop Glen John Provost during the annual marriage jubilee Mass in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Sunday, Sunday, June 11. The Foreman's were married on December 21, 1947 at St. Raphael Church.
Two couples were honored for 65 years of marriage - Ramona and Chilton Harless, of St. Margaret of Scotland Catholic Church, married November 23, 1962, at St. Margaret and Shirley and Ray Lavergne, parishioners of Our Lady of LaSalette Catholic Church in Sulphur, married June 14, 1952 in Fallon, Nevada, at St. Patrick Catholic Church..
Diamond anniversary couples – 60 years of marriage - included Barbara and Sam Ange, Sr., Marjorie and Ricardo Baca, Gail and Charles Mackey, Liz and John Marcon, Edith and Leonard Payne, Janet and Joseph Stoma, and Rose and Amilcar Torres.
Four couples were honored for 55 years of Christian married life - Verline and Darrell Duplechain, Patricia and Paul Fontenot, Mary and Earl Lemell, and Betty and George Rachal.
The annual event is sponsored by the Office of Family Life. Bishop Provost presented each couple with a special certificate honoring their long-time Christian commitment.
In his Trinity Sunday homily, Bishop Provost noted that, “The Catholic Church is perhaps one of the only institutions left in our society today that defends the beauty of married life. As Jesus tells us in the Gospel, it all begins with Adam and Eve. They are the summit of His Creation. They are made in His image.”
Using the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Bishop continued. ““The vocation to marriage is written in the very nature of man and woman as they came from the hand of the Creator. God who created man out of love also calls him to love—the fundamental and innate vocation of every human being. For man is created in the image and likeness of God who is himself love’
“We speak of the couple both complimenting one another and completing one another,” the Bishop said, “This is especially true of Christian marriage. The Catholic Church teaches us that the union between husband and wife is like the union between Christ and His Church. God wills the Church into being for a purpose. Simply there is no Church without Christ, and God uses this mystical union between His Son and His Bride, the Church, to bring His salvation into the world. Christian married couples share in this work.
“Thank all of you who have so beautifully lived your marriage in fidelity and perseverance,” he concluded. “May God continue to allow you, like a fine work of art, to reflect something of His beauty, truth and love to the world.”
Golden Anniversary couples were Theresa and Sam Daigle, Jr., Jackie and Jerry Duhon, Karen and Michael Fills, Carol and Eddie Fontenot, Carolyn and Steven Fontenot, Susan and Ralph Foreman, Elsie and Roy Frank, Jane and Alvin Fruge’, Geraldine and Fredman Hardy, Linda and Russell Leonard, Sr., Theresa and Richard Michels, Thail and Herbert Pete, Mandy and Jack Robichaux, Joetta and Gene Vizena, and Nancy and Gayle Zembower.
Silver anniversary couples were Marla and Michael Baldwin, Beth and Warren Buller, Jennifer and David Bushnell, Tara and Carlos Metoyer, Liwliwa and Rodolfo Ramos, and Stefanie and Gerad Viator
Bishop Provost’s homily can be read and downloaded by clicking here.
