The 53rd Annual Diocesan Wedding Anniversary Mass is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 20, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Wichita. Bishop Carl A. Kemme will be the main celebrant at the event, which will commence at 3:30 p.m., followed by a reception in Good Shepherd Hall.

Couples celebrating anniversaries ending in 0 or 5, as well as those marking 50 or more years of marriage, are encouraged to register for the Mass. Registration can be completed online at Tinyurl.com/53weddanni or by calling 316-685-5240.

This annual event provides married couples an opportunity to demonstrate the enduring beauty of marriage to their families, friends, and the wider community. Earlier this year, Pope Francis underscored the importance of safeguarding marriages and families through the witness of “a possible and forever love,” particularly when many young people struggle to believe in lasting love.

Pope Francis emphasized that children need assurance from their parents that they were created out of love and that they too can experience love as their parents did. "Children need to receive from their parents the certainty that God created them out of love and that one day they too will be able to love and feel loved as their parents did," he said.

The pope noted that this seed of love planted by parents would eventually flourish in their children's hearts.

Married couples attending the anniversary celebration bear testimony to Jesus' presence in their marriages and families. The grace provided by Jesus offers them strength to remain united. Pope Francis described this as Christ’s presence among them and God’s fidelity to their union: “It is He who gives them the strength to grow together every day and to remain united.”

Pope Francis also stressed supporting newly married couples, urging believers to “take care of them,” especially those younger couples needing examples of faith and love.

In alignment with this exhortation, the Office of Marriage and Family Life is focusing on accompanying young married couples through initiatives like Marriage On Tap (MOT) and other efforts. Engaged couples and those married for less than three years are encouraged to attend the next MOT event on Monday, Oct. 28, at Chicken N Pickle in Wichita. Registration for this event is available at Tinyurl.com/MOToct28.

The pope further highlighted a connection between strong marriages, healthy families, and healthy priests—an insight closely aligned with diocesan Curia’s strategic anchors: "everything is relational," "Catholic education at the service of family," and "healthy priests."