God’s mercy, grace, and abundant love filled Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston, as married couples, deacons, priests, widows, widowers, and lay faithful gathered to celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony at the 24th annual diocesan Marriage Celebration Day.
“There is a beauty about the mystery of two becoming one. Marriage starts with an irrevocable consent whereby the man and the woman freely give themselves to each other and accept each other,” Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner said during his homily.
He stressed that God’s vision and purpose for marriage is being attacked.
“Marriage today is under assault in our world, and we know that. The assault began when divorce was made easier,” he explained. “The assault continues with the movement to redefine marriage as a union between two adults of the same gender, fostering the loss of appreciation for the complimentary of what is done between the man and the woman, and their unique contribution not only to one another but to their children.”
He emphasized that there is hope for the revival and return of God’s design for marriage.
“Married couples centered in Christ will show our world today a nobility and wonderfulness about marriage that will win the day. This is the vision. It will not disappoint,” he encouraged.
One such couple reinforcing God’s vision is this year’s honorary senior couple, Ray and Joyce Stocker of East Grand Forks. They have been married 70 years and are active members of Sacred Heart Parish. They received Bishop’s Medals during the Mass.
“Ray and Joyce, as the Bishop of the Diocese of Crookston, I am pleased to bestow upon you today the Bishop’s Medal of the Diocese of Crookston. I do so with the warm recommendation of your pastor, Msgr. Michael Foltz, and I sincerely thank you for your faith-filled and loving service to the church. Your seven-decade union is a living witness to the virtues of faith, hope, and love,” Bishop Hoeppner said.
He emphasized the couple’s devotion to Christ while raising their family in the Catholic faith, praising God in good times, and turning to him in times of distress. Bishop Hoeppner also highlighted the Stockers’ fervent dedication to Sacred Heart Parish, and their extensive, charitable involvement in the East Grand Forks community.
“A lifelong partnership, in sickness, and in health … who dares make such a bold promise in our world today? Who takes such a risk? Yet God calls man and woman together, and God makes the two one in a beautiful mystery. But it really starts long before the wedding day. It starts with faith. It takes faith in one another and faith in God,” Bishop Hoeppner said.
Putting the Catholic faith first has also been a central focus in the lives of the honorary newlywed couple. Michael and Madison (Fugleseth) Tate credit their solid Catholic upbringings for their faith-focused courtship and marriage.
“Michael and I were both raised in strong, Catholic faith-filled families. We attended Mass weekly, went to all the youth rallies, and also attended many Christian music concerts,” Madison said.
They first met at Camp Corbett, during an event for altar servers. Madison almost did not attend.
“I did not want to go to the camp, but my cousin made me go, and I’m so glad she did,” she said.
Michael attended the camp with his brother and Madison’s cousin introduced the future newlyweds. Both agree that, had it not been for their Catholic faith, they never would have met at Camp Corbett that day. They dated for six years, but Michael said he knew early on that he wanted Madison to be his wife.
“I had known for a few years that I was going to marry her,” Michael said, “I will never forget putting her wedding band on her finger.”
Madison stressed that Michael has always been her rock in good times, and in bad. The two were joined together in Holy Matrimony on September 21, at St. Joseph, Fertile.
“Michael is always the first one to remind me of my faith during difficult times. He is always reminding me to trust that God is working in my life and guiding my life down the right paths even if those paths are bumpy,” she said.
She cherishes the way Michael exemplified God’s grace when her grandfather passed away unexpectedly in May 2018.
“Michael would sit with me as I read through my daily devotional in the weeks following my grandpa’s passing and helped me through the grieving process,” she said.
Bishop Hoeppner offered a special blessing to the honored newlywed couple.
He also blessed the widows and widowers present and prayed that the faithful departed are now in eternal peace with the Lord, and that those left behind will be joyfully reunited once again with their spouse in heaven.
The bishop praised all married couples present at the Mass, saying, “Thank you, married couples. God gave us a powerful spirit of love and self-control. Bear your hardships of marriage with the strength that comes from God. He loves us, He joins us.”
At Marriage Celebration Day, Bishop Hoeppner’s message was clear. Everyone can appreciate what God designed marriage to provide: faith, hope, love and the ability to pursue God and grow in His grace together as man and wife.
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