By Michael Gresham
The Texas Catholic
When computer issues at work forced Mariana Foster to contact the IT department at Texas A&M University-Commerce, she was not expecting the fix to be the beginning of a new chapter in her life. Calling IT for help, she struck up a conversation with Justin Foster, the tech-savvy voice on the other end. What started as small talk to fill an awkward silence quickly turned into a shared discovery—they were both Catholic.
“It was around Palm Sunday, and we just started talking about our faith and our plans for Holy Week,” Foster, who works as an office manager at Texas A&M University-Commerce TRIO program, which offers outreach and training opportunities to students, recalled.
Countless conversations later, she and her now-husband were among the more than 100 couples married in the last year who gathered at the National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe Nov. 16 for the celebration of the annual Diocese of Dallas Newlywed Mass by Bishop Edward J. Burns.
“This was such a beautiful experience,” Foster said. “It just moved us. It was a reminder of the joy and beauty that brought us together in the first place.”
The couple was married April 27 at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church in Allen. Foster praised the diocese for hosting the annual Mass for newlyweds, calling it an opportunity to celebrate faith and the sacrament of marriage.
“Those first few months of marriage can be challenging,” Foster said, “but being here, surrounded by other couples and hearing a message of God’s love, reminded us to bring God back into the center of our marriage. God brought us together, and we need to hold onto that.”
Profound witness
In his homily, Bishop Burns encouraged couples to make Christ the center of their marriage, reminding them that God’s love strengthens and sustains their union.
“The Holy Spirit is a source of strength for you and your marriage,” Bishop Burns said, reminding couples, “We need to see each and every one of you live in the faithful sacrament of marriage. We want to see strong families in our world.”
Bishop Burns also reflected upon his time as a young priest in Pennsylvania. He recounted ministering to a dying man whose wife had stood by him through 50 years of marriage. Her unwavering devotion moved him profoundly.
“She looked at me and said, ‘We’ve had good times, and we’ve had bad times, but through it all, our love has endured,’” Bishop Burns recounted. “That moment was a profound witness to the sacrament of marriage, and it is that enduring, sacrificial love that I pray for all of you.”
The Newlywed Mass is an initiative started by Bishop Burns early in his tenure in Dallas, complimenting the celebration of the diocese’s Golden Anniversary Mass.
“Long-lasting marriages remain an inspiration, but it is equally important to celebrate those just beginning their journey,” Bishop Burns said. “Newlyweds need the support of the Church to build strong, faith-filled foundations for their future.”
At the end of the Mass, Bishop Burns offered a special blessing for the couples. The newlywed couples then attended a reception, where they enjoyed fellowship, a ministries fair, and a celebration of the joy of their shared vocation of marriage.
Vladimir Zapata said the Mass and reception offered an opportunity for newlywed couples to celebrate their marriages with each other as well as with others.
“This was just such a good way to remind us of the commitments we made to each other here in the Church,” said Zapata, who attended the Mass with his wife, Christina. “We get caught up in our lives — at work, in school, and all the things that take over our busy lives. The Newlywed Mass reminds us that no matter how busy we get that we made a promise in front of God.”
Cutline for featured image: Courtney and Larry Hughes, parishioners of Holy Cross Catholic Church, look at the certificate they received for attending the Newlywed Mass on Nov. 16 at the National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
