Marriage: Something to celebrate

Bishop William F. Medley led 68 couples in an annual Marriage Celebration Mass at St. Stephen Cathedral on Sept. 20, 2026. During the liturgy, the Diocese of Owensboro recognized couples marking milestone anniversaries, including John and Patsy Clayton, who have been married for 69 years.

In his homily, Bishop Medley stated that the participating couples represented more than 3,000 cumulative years of marriage. He described marriage as being characterized by love and forgiveness, noting that couples build something extraordinary through ordinary moments of faithfulness.

The Diocese of Owensboro’s Office of Marriage and Family Life hosted the Mass. This office manages marriage preparation, counseling, family enrichment, and fertility awareness instruction for families in western Kentucky. It also recently launched a podcast and article series called Building a Family of Faith to help families strengthen their spiritual lives.