BOCA RATON | Good times and bad, rich and poor, sickness and health. True love endures through it all.
Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito reflected on lasting love at the second of two diocesan wedding anniversary celebrations Feb. 15, 2025, at St. Jude Church in Boca Raton. Couples marking significant milestones in their married lives were invited to renew their commitment during Mass with the bishop and Carmelite Father John Horan, pastor of St. Jude, along with Msgr. Tom Skindeleski, Carmelite Father Christopher Iannizzotto, parochial vicar, and Father Brian King, episcopal secretary.
At the start of the liturgy, Bishop Barbarito said it was wonderful to be back at one of his favorite parishes for one of his favorite events. Of the 75 couples who registered with the diocese for the Mass, representing 20 parishes, five were marking 25 years of marriage, four at 40 years, 12 at 50 years, 13 with 51 to 59 years, eight at 60 years and 20 celebrating 61 or more. They totaled 3,861 years together.
The couple with the longest marriage at the Mass, Thomas and Anita Liguori of St. Vincent Ferrer in Delray Beach, are set to mark their 74th anniversary Oct. 28, 2025. Prior to the liturgy, they told the Florida Catholic that they have tried to model mutual love and respect to teach their four children and eight grandchildren.
“We’ve mainly tried to be a living example,” Thomas said. “We’ve tried to be the best couple we could be and hope that our kids would try to emulate that. And I think they have. We’re really happy with the way our kids turned out.”
Married in 1951 at St. Barbara Church in Brooklyn, New York, and now part-time residents of Florida with a home in Wappingers Falls, New York, they lamented the high percentage of married couples who don’t stay together.
“No. 1, I think a lot of people — too many people — don’t really honor their commitments. To me, a deal is a deal is a deal. That’s it,” he said. “I think what they fail to see is that nothing is going to be smooth forever. Occasionally you have a little problem. Just remember the person that you married. Remember how they are on their good days and how much you love them on their good days. They don’t do that. They’re upset. The first real spat they have they get a divorce.” Thomas credits the skills they learned in Marriage Encounter, which they were involved in up north.
In his homily, which mirrored his Feb. 7 column in the Florida Catholic e-edition, Bishop Barbarito said how the nature of love is most fully revealed in God.
“God, who not only created us out of love but keeps us in existence out of love, who did not turn against us when we turned against him, who forgives us over and over and over again, who shows us his face, who shows us his compassion, who listens to us in prayer and speaks to us in prayer,” he said. “That type of love, reflecting the love of God, is so evident in each and every one of you. The true love of marriage is what keeps families together and helps families to grow.”
During the renewal of vows, the husbands and wives together prayed, “Blessed are you, Lord, for in the good and the bad times of our lives you have stood lovingly by our side. Help us, we pray, to remain faithful in our love for one another, so that we may be true witnesses to the covenant you have made with humankind.” Bishop Barbarito prayed for God to continue to shower them with his blessings all the days of their lives.
Bill and Delores Woolley of St. Joan of Arc in Boca Raton, marking 67 years in 2025, attribute their enduring relationship to their partnership, which has seen them through many health challenges. “We love each other. I was Bill’s first girlfriend. We have good family values. We love the Lord. We’re faithful that way,” Delores said.
Chris and Jannett Mariani, also of St. Joan of Arc, talked about the blessings they have received during 69 years of marriage, especially during the 28 years they ran a small seasonal supermarket in New Jersey. “He ran the back of the store, I ran the front of the store, and that’s how we did that,” Jannett said. “We managed. I went to work and got to the store at quarter to 4 in the morning, and I stayed till early evening. He came at 11 (a.m.) and stayed till 1 (a.m.).” It was a lot of work, Chris said, but it worked out.
Relative newlyweds Eric and Donna Gustafson of St. Mark in Boynton Beach, marking 60 years in 2025, spoke of the concepts that have served them well. “Patience and compromise,” Donna said. “He has very good listening skills. And none of the 50-50. Marriage is 100-100 because you’re only putting in 50 percent if it’s 50-50. We tell our children and grandchildren that.”
At the end of the Mass, Father Horan thanked Bishop Barbarito and the diocesan Office of Marriage and Family Life, which is funded annually by the Diocesan Services Appeal, for organizing the wedding anniversary Masses.
Father Horan added that, when the bishop came to St. Jude recently to confirm 83 teens, he spoke about a survey that asked young people what they want to be when they grow up. The survey found that young people these days don’t want to be doctors, professional athletes or astronauts. They want to be famous.
“As I processed into the church today and as I sat watching all of you, especially as the bishop spoke, I think probably the best answer to that is we all want to be loved, don’t we? We all want to be loved,” he said. “And how beautiful it is to have found that love in each other. And as the bishop said, that love that you’ve shared, you have brought beautiful families into the world, and your love has overflowed.”
To learn more about marriage and family life in the Diocese of Palm Beach, visit www.diocesepb.org/ministriesoffices/ministries/marriage-family-life-faith-formation-youth-ministry/ or call 561-775-9539. To see upcoming Catholic events of all kinds, go to www.diocesepb.org/news/.
