The Catholic Sun :: Phoenix Diocesan Newspaper

When they met on a blind date at a friend’s birthday party, Herbert and Gertrude Hinds had no idea what the future would hold. Now they’ve been married for 52 years.

“When we got married, we thought it would be for life, a lifetime commitment,” Herbert said.

The Hinds joined 128 couples Feb. 10 to celebrate the “God-given gift of marriage” at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral. The annual day of marriage enrichment takes place on the Saturday before Valentine’s Day.

Speakers throughout the day focused on self-sacrificing love and the inspiring examples of lifelong marriages.

“Married couples take up their cross each day in their marriage and home,” Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted said at a Mass for the married couples.

In his homily, he said sacrificial love is exclusively between a couple and their children.

“Sacrificial love overcomes loneliness. Sacrifice is a surrender that leads to a union in God,” the bishop said. “What you received as a gift, give as a gift.”

The bishop also called Sunday Mass “pivotal” for marriages.

After Mass, couples who have been married for 25, 40, 50 or more years received special recognition.

Fr. Andriy Chirovsky, an Eastern Catholic Church priest, and his wife Halyna told the story of their own dating, and talked about their marriage. Fr. Chirovsky said the world is in need of the witness of successful marriages.

Kelly and Ryan Zuk, who have been married for about a year and a half, learned from the experienced couples.

“A long-standing marriage is very inspiring,” Ryan said.

“You have to laugh at yourself to get through hard times,” Gertrude Hinds said. “Make the decision to love each other every day. Anything that goes wrong that day, that decision is still there.”

Mike Phelan, director of the Office of Marriage and Respect Life Issues, said couples in difficult marriages should know that help is available.

Parishes throughout the Valley, Catholic Charities and Retrouvaille all provide assistance, he said.

“Celebrate the God-given gift of marriage,” Phelan said.