HUNTLEY—“Our hearts are lifted up today,” said Bishop David Malloy in his opening remarks to more than 1,300 people at the diocese’s 30th annual Silver and Gold Mass, Aug. 20, at St. Mary Parish, here.
“There is a sense of joy, accomplishment, and God’s goodness as we celebrate the fidelity of the sacrament of marriage,” he said. “How good it is to have this Mass.”
Couples from the entire diocese arrived with their children and grandchildren to receive Bishop Malloy’s blessing and a personal congratulatory anniversary certificate.
The complement of the Diocesan Chorale, the Gargoyle Brass musicians, and the presence of the Knights of Columbus honor guard, made the Mass all the more symbolic.
As Bishop Malloy separately acknowledged each year from 25 to 70, couples stood to the applause of others.
Four couples were recognized for reaching the platinum anniversary of 70 years:
n Aloysius and Mary Dieterle of Sacred Heart Parish in Sterling;
n Dorothy and the late Harold Possley of St. Ambrose Parish in Erie;
n Joseph and Arlene Rea of St. Laurence Parish in Elgin; and
n Stefan and Elisabeth Szabo of St. Catherine of Siena Parish in West Dundee.
Gary and Pamela Bakkelund, parents of Father Jonathan Bakkelund, pastor of St. Peter Parish in Geneva, were among those who attended to celebrate their 50th anniversary.
“The Sacrament of Marriage is being abandoned today,” Bishop Malloy said.
“We need the witness and example of you and your marriage that it is possible with God’s help. People are reluctant and fearful of marriage but the best answer is you. God has given you the grace and walked with you every step of the way,” he continued.
“You did not enter marriage with rose-colored glasses,” added Bishop Malloy. “Marriage is a celebration and it is joy-filled, but at the altar you accepted the good and the bad, ‘in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer.’ ”
The church was filled to capacity with hundreds of couples celebrating significant anniversarys of their marriages.
The 315 couples at the Mass represented 15,473 years of marriage, Bishop Malloy said.
One of the couples was honored by the next generation.
The late Harold Possley and his wife Dorothy of Sacred Heart Parish in Sterling celebrated their 70th anniversary at their home on June 26, with close family, friends and a priest friend who came to bless their marriage. Then Harold, who had been failing, died July 21. Their son Tom Possley and his wife, Marie, attended the Silver and Gold Mass in their honor.
Bishop Malloy congratulated the couples and expressed appreciation to his brother priests and Knights of Columbus members, and to Jennifer Collins, director of the diocese Life and Family Evangelization Office in Rockford, for making the day a success.
Following Mass, a long receiving line formed so couples could be congratulated by Bishop Malloy.
Families also shared anniversary cake and refreshments amid festive gold and silver balloons to round out the day’s activities.
Algonquin
St. Margaret Mary: 60 — George and Jo Ann Lazansky;Jan and Anna Zajaczkowski; 55 — Michael and Mary Gleeson; 54 — Romeo and Purificacion Romasantal; 51 — Jerry and Carol Krajewski; 50 — Stephen and Mary Chesek; 25 — Andrzej and Elzbieta Klich; Jerry and Amy Ahler; Stephen Jones and Barbara Bielaga-Jones
Amboy
St. Patrick: 50 — Bill and Pat Burke
Aurora
Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary: 60 — Leon and Bernadine Zwierzycki
Holy Angels: 50 — Joseph and Dolores Berenyi; Stanley and Maria Kozar
Our Lady of Good Counsel: 60 — Henry F. and Sarah L. Wimmer; 50 — Roland and Phyllis Snyder
St. Peter: 25 — Peter and Tamela Ososky
St. Rita of Cascia: 65 — James J. and Joan J. Gaul; 60 — Robert J. and Marcia J. Novack; 56 — Rosalio and Reinalda Barriento Gonzalez; 50 — Juan and Lilia Simental; Joseph and Elmar Bongiorno; 25 — Enrique and Guille Cerda; Federico and Juanita Cerda
St. Therese of Jesus: 50 — Hector and Maria de los Angeles Romero;Guadalupe and Dora Bello; Jose G. and Laura S. Machuca; Jose and Maria C. Martinez
No parish listed: 55 — John and Georgiana Pasulka
Batavia
Holy Cross: 60 — Anton and Wilma Majcen; Jerome and Mary Ann O'Reilly; 55 — Ronald and Jilda Bala; 50 — Robert and Ruth Ellen Russell, Jr.; 25 — Jeff and Karen Croci; Mark and Christine Middendorf
Belvidere
St James: 55 — David and Louell Wales; 50 — Thomas and Kathryn Dalton; Walter and Cheryl Falardeau
Byron
St Mary: 65 — Marvin L. and Doris M. Gile; 50 — Jerry and Peggy Jackson; Deacon Tom and Joleen Petit
Carpentersville
St. Monica: 65 — Luciano de Jesús and Felipa Solares Lorenzana; 60 — Samuel and Eva Regalado Tovar Medina Pérez; 50 — Gilberto Noemi Lopez Colin; Jesus and Maria Herrera; Fabian and Valinskas Angela; 25 —Andre Edith Hernandez;
Cary
SS. Peter and Paul: 60 — Herbert and Claire Falk; Ralph and Dorothy A. Wenzel; 55 — Arthur and Angela Franz; James and Priscilla Graziano; Gary and Linda Zachman; 50 — Jerrold G. and Mary E. Adee; Michael and Mary Usher; 25 —Keith and Linda Eberlein; Paul and Elizabeth Galvin; William and Laura Getka; Robert and Susan Johnson; Curt and Judy Michols
Crystal Lake
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton: 60 — Richard S. and Louise M. Nowak; 55 — Louis and Kathleen Gaffney; William and Frances Hayes; 50 — Tom and Helga Mikolas; 25 — Eric and Deborah Japsen; Humberto and Carmen Lamoutte
St. Thomas the Apostle: 68 — Andrew and Dolores Sciortino; 65 — Milton and Joan Mickow; 60 — Bill and Leona Rinn; Robert and Janeth Thomas; 55 — Jerry and Gail Turczynski; Leo and Judy Wiedenfeld; 55 —Edward and Rosemary Zimmerman; 50 — Edward and Kathleen Anderlik; 30 — Wayne and Florence Whitman; 25 — Paul and Evelyn Wuerl; Richard and Lisa Korn; H.M. and Chrissy Hepperlen; Alfonso and Margarita Martinez; John and Debbie Mink; Bob and Kris Noonan; David and Laura Richie
DeKalb
Christ the Teacher: 60 — Chuck and Mary Esther Crumbacher; 25 — Marlon and Teresa Ricketts
St. Mary: 60 — Fidel and Carmen Garcia; 51 — Andres and Flora Gomez; 50 — Thomas J. and Mary E. Krupp; Corwin and Hwacha Thomas; John O. and Joyce E. Wright; 40 — James and Barbara Ball; 25 — Frank and Robin Hansen
Dixon
St. Anne: 50 — Joseph Angelo and Ruth Contreras
Durand
St Mary: 60 — Richard and Dorothy Ciecko; Donald and Barbara Ann Shippy; 59 — Anthony J. and Dorothy R. Jason; 58 — Gene and Bonnie Hnilicka; 50 — Lynn and Nancy Kalina; David and Mary Nosbisch
Elburn
St. Gall: 60 — James and Deloris O'Connell; 50 — Bill and Sandy White
Elgin
St. Joseph: 25 — Francisco and Rosa Figueroa; Alejandro and Martha Garcia; Pedro Gabriel and Eugenia Clementina Ayala Millan; Gilberto and Susana C. Garcia; Enrique and Margarita Mejia Vazquez; Brad and Sylvia Jones; Manuel and Esther Rosas Robledo
St. Laurence: 70 — Joseph and Arlene Rea; 50 — Robert P. and Carol A. Borofsky
St. Mary: 60 — Richard and Marilyn Stahr; 55 — Roger and Azucena Guy; 50 — Frank and Edith Deja; Ron and Donna Dutner; 25 — J. Guadalupe and Adriana De Robles Sanchez
St. Thomas More: 67 — John F. and Virginia L. Sloan; 58 — Charles and Joan Felski; 50 — Arthur and Patricia Guzzetta; Thomas and Evelyn Thompson; Paul W. and Kathleen A. Becker; Stephen and Donna Branz; John S. and Peggie S. Caughlin; Edgar and Patricia Tomlinson; Joseph and Maria Zarcone; Licerio and Rosenellie Lagasca; 25 — Michael Kathleen Geppert
Erie
St Ambrose: 70 — Harold and Dorothy Possley
Freeport
St. Thomas Aquinas: 60 — Richard J. and Janis V. Woods; 50 — Steve and Linda Thayer
Galena
St. Mary: 55 — Richard and Betty Coven; 50 — Neil and Bernadette Spurr
St. Michael: 65 — John H. and Betty J. Riley
Geneva
St. Peter: 60 — Albert and Lorraine Ochsner; 55 — Raymond and Loretta Zielinski; 50 — Clarence and Barbara Herman; Emil and Christine Trch; Liomar and Emelita Mendoza; 25 — Todd and Lisa Karas
Genoa
St. Catherine of Genoa: 50 — John and Joann Faulhaber
Gilberts
St. Mary: 60 — Robert and Frances Stuehler; 25 — Lawrence and Donna Lawson
Harvard
St. Joseph: 25 — Matthew and Dorice Antczak
Huntley
St. Mary: 69 —Lucian A. and Christine T. Masur; 67 — James J. and Jeanette J. Czelatdko; Nicholas and Nancy Serrani; 66 — Vincent and Jane Costa, Sr.; Gerald and Diana Mellenthin; John and Phyllis Neven; 65 — Joseph and Stella Svoboda; Frank C. and Joanne Eberwein; Bernard F. and Julianna M. Kloep; Frank and Vivian Lakowski; Peter and Eleanore Leuzzi; 60 — Carter and Joan Berg; Robert and Olivia Capparelli; Fred and Kathy Diehl; Robert and Carol DiFiore; Maurice and Maureen Garcelon; Charles and Diane Knudtson; William E. and Marilyn M. Palzkill; John and Barbara Tokarz; Richard and Elizabeth Vaughn; Robert and Elaine Wenc; Ronald and Rita Wiedenfeld; 58 — Stephen John and Barbara Ann Dolewski; 57 — Frank and Margaret Tonkovich; 56 — Martin and Julia Carlino; 55 — Alva and Joyce Allenl William and Johna Brandl Robert L. and Anne H. Broderick; Alvin and Marsha Damasky; James and Joan Doheny; Donald and Judith Engeriser; Ray and Maureen Garcelon; Thomas and Jane Gelinas; Jim and Colleen Hennessy; Willis and Dianne Hoff; Thomas and Joyce Iverson; Bernie and Barbara Laufenberg; Anthony J. and Janet D. Loforte; Michael and Dorothea Luciano; David and Joyce Parney; Richard and Donna Porto; John and Patricia Temmer; Vic and Kathy Zirkel; Victor and Barbara Jason; 53 — Ralph and Patricia Goraj; 51 — Lewis and Dolores Theodore; 50 — Richard and Carol Abbinante; Michael and Maria Berthold; Richard and Margaret Bosold; Thomas and Patricia Brankin; Dominic and Margaret Caminiti; John and Linda Conforti; Ronald and Karen Diehl; Robert and Karen Gienko; Kenneth and Doria Konkey; Gerald and Patricia Lukas; Vincent and Judith Lynn; Robert and Victoria Mandarino; John M. and Jane F. Martinez; Joe and Peg McEnery; Michael L. and Darlene McGuigan; Edward Jr. and Joyce Nowakowski; Laurence and Judith Ossler; Anthony and Pamela Paladino; Jerome and Janie Pietrzak; Eugene and Geraldine Ryan; Raymond and Alberta Seiler; John and Nancy Thompson; Richard and Margaret Mary Turasky; William and Nancy Vaught; Kenneth J and Julia J Warner; Roger and Jane White; Frank and Caterina Saverino; James and Carol Boncler; Jose and Doris Aussin; Kraig and Sharon Klopfenstein; 25 — Roland and Mary Catherine Verzosa-Adams Adams; Thomas and Betty Flynn; Brian and Christina Kielbasa; Paul and Lainie Mercurio; Roger and Jennifer Miller; Raymond and Kathy Mueller; Edwin and Mildred Ruiz; Randall and Mary Tartol; Gerardo and Gloria Biard-Vasquez Vasquez; Greg and Tanya Windbiel; Michael and Shirley Allen
Johnsburg
St. John the Baptist: 50 — Ronald and Christine Marulewski, Sr.
Lee
St. James: 25 — Brian and Melissa Muetze
Lena
St. Joseph: 50 — Charles and Nancy Deininger
Loves Park
St. Bridget: 65 — Earl and Jeanette Van Den Broeke; 60 — LaVerne and Valerie Beaulieu; 50 — Gary and Pamela Bakkelund
McHenry
Church of Holy Apostles: 65 — David and Leona Steffenhagen; 60 — Lawrence R. and Jacqueline M. Fichter; William M. and Jean M. Gaffney 55 — Ronald E. and Judith B. Franks; Ronald and Joan Whiteside; 50 — Robert W. and Vivian M. Heinrich;
St. Mary: 25 — Nicholas and Kim Sieverin
Mount Carroll
SS. John and Catherine: 60 — William and Jeanine Hawk
North Aurora
Blessed Sacrament: 60 — Vincent T. and Catherine J. McCann; 50 — Thomas M. and Regina Byrne; James and Barbara Cavanaugh
Polo
St. Mary: 60 — Richard and Rita Jacks
Richmond
St. Joseph: 55 —Donald L. and Marilyn E. May
Rochelle
St. Patrick: 65 — Arnold and Eileen Boudreau; 25 — Ydelfonso and Marisela Garcia
Rock Falls
St. Andrew: 25 — Robert and Debra Weir
Rockford
Holy Family: 60 — Eugene and Mara Pocs; Matt and Marianne Summers; 55 — Frank and Mary Ann Eder; Carl and Donna Gasiorowski; John and Fran Morrissey; 50 — Paul Michael and Barbara Jean Arduino; Richard and Diane Kryzanski; Spencer G. and Josephine Minor; Dennis H. and Marguerite J. Smith; Michael and Kathleen Strand; 25 — Trevor and Dianna Cruden
St. Anthony of Padua: 50 — William and Joanne Wargo; Tony and Tecla Devivo
St. Bernadette: 60 — Richard and Donna McNally; 50 — John Dee Schissel; 40 — Raymond and Dorothea Barger
St. Edward: 50 — David and Emma DeBlauw
St. James: 65 — Gilbert and Elizabeth Spahn
St. Patrick: 35 — Benito and Yolanda Ramirez Maldonado; 25 — Jose and Refugio Josefina Nuñez
St. Rita: 60 — Hollis and Mary Bosley; 50 — David and Gloria Jahn; Thomas R. and Mary Ann Nimmo; Frank and Flo Belt; 25 — Peter Mary Beke
No parish listed: 25 — Ronald and Linda Lewandowski
Sandwich
St. Paul the Apostle: 50 — Deane and Patricia Goldstein
Somonauk
St. John the Baptist: 65 — Ronald and Jo Ann Adrian; Donald and Jean Wegener
South Beloit
St. Peter: 50 —Larry and Sandy Basel; 25 — Duane and Heidi Hackbarth
Spring Grove
St. Peter: 55 — Larry and Carol Janousek; George and Georgene Keim; 50 — Stanley and Elaine Brandstetter; Gary and Bonnie Miller; 25 — Stanley A. and Patricia M. Locknar
St Charles
St. John Neumann: 60 — Edwin and MaryAnn Brummel; Jerry and Christine DuVall
St. Patrick: 66 — Charles and Regina Yeksigian; 65 — Patrick and Mary Clancy; 55 — Wayne and Judith Van Acker; 50 — Philip and Elaine Eder; Rudolf and Margaret Gaugel
Sterling
Sacred Heart: 70 — Aloysius and Mary Dieterle
St. Mary: 67 — Robert and Dorothy Cheshier; 60 — Curt and Julia Repass
No parish listed: 60 — James W. and Marie Ann Foley
Stockton
Holy Cross: 60 — Phillip and Lila Rosenbach
Sugar Grove
St. Katharine Drexel: 55 — Leonard and Sharon Abell; Richard and Joanne O'Connor; 50 — Carl and Nancy Jo Koch
Sycamore
St. Mary: 60 — Henry and Betty Altepeter; 50 — Richard and Anastasia Stipher; 25 — Jeff and Teresa Jacobson; Benjamin and Lori Swedberg
Warren
St. Ann: 50 — Gerald and Mardell Homb; Shelly and Pat Sabinson
West Dundee
St. Catherine of Siena: 70 — Stefan and Elisabeth Szabo; 65 — Joseph and Inga Borowski; 60 — Louis Anthony and Bambina Rose Santangelo; 55 — James and Carol Curry; 50 — Stephen and Maryann Nowak; 25 — Thomas F. and Anita M. Cienniwa
Wonder Lake
Christ the King: 60 — Ronald and Trudie Gohl; Jakob and Rosina Katzenberger
Woodstock
Resurrection: 60 — Merle and Constance Freund; 25 — Anthony and Kelli Allen; James J. and Barbara A. Eckel
St. Mary: 60 — David and Dorothy Stack; 55 — Arthur and Helen Kohley; 50 — Sean P. and Diane P. O'Donnell; 35 — Ignacio and Beatriz Flores
No town or parish listed: 50 — Mike and Alice Norwood