Strengthening and Celebrating Marriage Across the Diocese of Toledo
For married couples, October offered an opportunity to step away from daily routines and grow together in prayer. For others, it brought a celebration of decades of married life. Two events in the Diocese of Toledo highlighted the gift of marriage and the commitment couples continue to nurture throughout their lives.
On October 17, 34 couples gathered at St. John XXIII Parish in Perrysburg for “God Chose You for Me,” a one-day marriage enrichment retreat hosted by Worldwide Marriage Encounter.
With the theme “Couples Who Pray Together, Stay Together,” the retreat invited husbands and wives to reflect on God’s call to unity and strengthen their spiritual commitment. Through prayer, reflection and meaningful conversation, couples explored ways to help their love blossom and mature. They also had the opportunity to create a personal prayer for their marriage, bringing the day’s reflections into words they could carry home and pray together.
The retreat offered time to focus on one another and on the grace of the Sacrament of Marriage—a foundation for growing together amid the responsibilities of family, work and daily life.
That enduring commitment was celebrated on October 25 at the annual diocesan Mass on Anniversaries of Marriage at Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral in Toledo.
Couples marking 25, 40, 50, 60 and more than 60 years of marriage joined Bishop Daniel E. Tho
mas for Holy Mass, which included the Order of Blessing Married Couples. The gathering brought together husbands and wives whose years of faithfulness offered a visible witness to lasting married love.
Registered couples received commemorative certificates and were invited to a reception following Mass, providing an opportunity to continue the celebration with others marking these milestones.
Together, the retreat and anniversary Mass reflected two closely connected parts of married life: making time to strengthen a relationship and giving thanks for the years shared. Both honored the daily commitment of husbands and wives who continue to answer God’s call to love one another.
See photos from the Marriage Retreat here.
See photos from the Mass on Anniversaries of Marriages here.
Posted October 26, 2026 at 12:28 pm