Jim and Penny Sudbeck of Divine Mercy Parish in Burlington/West Burlington touch hands during a recommitment ceremony that was part of the 50th Anniversary Liturgy Oct. 19. In all, 36 couples married 50 years or more attended the Mass and reception at St. Patrick Parish in Iowa City.
By Dan Russo
The Catholic Messenger
IOWA CITY — Former high school sweethearts Greg and Mary Timlin brought up the gifts during the 50th Anniversary Liturgy Oct. 19 at St. Patrick Church in Iowa City.
The annual event celebrates couples who have been married 50 years or more. Thirty six couples from 20 different parishes around the Diocese of Davenport attended. The Timlins, members of St. Patrick’s, were among the longest married in the church that day. In 2025, they’re marking 60 years since tying the knot.
When asked at the reception after Mass what the secret to a lasting marriage is, Greg quickly joked, “Give in a lot.”
This prompted a gentle rebuke from his bride. When answering the same question, Mary pointed to their faith. “We go to church together every Sunday,” she said cheerfully.
Turning serious for a second, Greg gave thanks for the couple’s children and the opportunity to share a special moment with his wife as they handed the bread and wine to Bishop Dennis Walsh.
“It was an honor to do it,” said Greg. “It was meaningful.”
In the first reading for the liturgy, Jeremiah the prophet talked about a new covenant between God and his people “written on their hearts.” During his homily, Bishop Walsh compared the couples’ “golden jubilee” year of marriage to the sacred bond described in Scripture.
“A wedding day is when the law — the vows — is spoken and signed,” he said. “But 50 years later, you are living proof that the covenant has moved far beyond words. It is written on your heart. It means that after all this time, you don’t have to read a rule book to know how to love your spouse. You just know. You know when to bring that person a cup of coffee without being asked. You know when to be quiet and when to offer a hand. You know their deepest dreams and quietest fears. That covenant is internalized. It is a shared heart that beats in unison.”
After Mass, Joe and Rosemary Spillane of Divine Mercy Parish in Burlington/West Burlington chatted with Paul and Lin Beckman. The couples were married one week apart 50 years ago and have been friends throughout the decades. While acknowledging the challenges young couples face today, Rosemary Spillane had a simple message for newlyweds: “Pray and don’t give up.”
Paul Beckman, a member of St. Mary Parish in Dodgeville, met his wife Lin when they were in college. Although they came from different religious traditions — he is Catholic; she Protestant — their love and faith helped them through life’s ups and downs.
“I attend a non-denominational church,” said Lin. “He was strong with his faith and I was strong with mine. We go separately (to church) and go together sometimes. Our belief is in Jesus.”
The Beckmans were among the couples at the liturgy who acknowledged that conflicts and other problems are inevitable in marriage, but they have learned that it’s possible to overcome obstacles.
“Another element in a lasting marriage is the willingness to forgive,” said Lin. “It is very important.”
Bishop Walsh spoke about St. Paul’s assurance in his letter to the Philippians that those who follow Christ can find “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding,” even though life is hard.
“Fifty years of marriage is not 50 years of a honeymoon,” he said. “It’s 50 years of bills, worries, sickness, tough decisions, and sometimes, tough stuff with your kids,” said the bishop. “Where does the joy and peace come from, even when anxiety knocks at the door? The answer is in the reading: gentleness and prayer. When you look at couples who make it 50 years, you realize they mastered gentleness. They learned to fight the problem, not each other. They found a way to let their reasonableness be known to all.”
The bishop concelebrated Mass with Father Troy Richmond, pastor of St. Patrick Parish. Deacon Angel Hernandez assisted. Kay Temple served as master of ceremonies. Joe Mattingly and Sofia Livorsi played music and sang. About 170 guests attended the event, including friends and family of the jubilarians.
Before the liturgy concluded, Marianne Agnoli, marriage and family life coordinator for the Davenport Diocese, expressed her gratitude to everyone who made the event possible, especially the couples.
“Please know that all of you celebrating today really do serve as a beacon of hope to these young couples just embarking on the marriage journey, and to so many others in our church community and beyond,” she said.
Each couple received a prayer book when they met with the bishop after Mass. Volunteers served refreshments at a reception.
“It means a lot to see all the people having such a commitment to the sacrament,” Cheryl Schropp, event coordinator at St. Patrick’s, said.
