Bishop of Shrewsbury: Time to propose Christian marriage anew

Image Diocese of Shrewsbury

The Bishop of Shrewsbury has invited the Catholics of his diocese to confidently propose the Christian vision of marriage to people as a proposal ever new.

In the first annual diocesan Mass in celebration of marriage since the lockdown of 2020, the Rt Rev Mark Davies noted that recent statistics indicated it was not an exaggeration to suggest traditional marriage was now in "cataclysmic decline" and at risk of effectively disappearing as an institution from the social landscape of the country. He warned the congregation in St Columba's Church, Chester, that the consequences of the collapse of marriage in the UK "are only beginning to be worked out, not least for the well-being of children".

In his homily, Bishop Davies reminded couples gathered with their families to celebrate landmark wedding anniversaries that the promises they made to each other represented the embarkation on a vocation "lived from the beginning and written into the very nature of man and woman, a vocation raised by Christ to be a sacrament of salvation and held holy by the Church for 2,000 years".

"The promises you made were not merely recognised by British society as the most vital of its institutions and the greatest of social goods, this was a commitment in which society uniquely promised to support you in numerous ways," said the Bishop, adding, however, that such commitments had in recent years become more and more "exceptional".

The witness of every Christian marriage, Bishop Davies explained, was a declaration of Christian faith in marriage as a "Divine calling, lived out in human relationships which bear the disorder and frailties of sin, yet with the promise of unfailing grace and the hope of salvation".

It is by living the Christian vocation to marriage, the Bishop said, that lay Catholics can continue to reveal the truth of such a divine calling in all its beauty, and thereby invite new generations to follow them in holiness and happiness and the creation of stable and loving homes for children.

Bishop Davies said: "It is hard to imagine in little more than half a century the promises you made, the vocation you embraced would become more and more exceptional. So exceptional in these early years of this 21st Century that most recent statistics show a 61 per cent decrease of marriages in our land; the lowest number of couples entering marriage for almost two centuries; and the first time in our history that more children are born outside of marriage than in a married home. The headlines do not seem to exaggerate when they speak not merely of a cataclysmic decline but of marriage disappearing in Britain. The social consequences of such a loss are only beginning to be worked out, not least for the well-being of children."

The Bishop said: "At a moment in our history when marriage is increasingly being lost sight of, the witness you have given simply by living the promises of marriage through every trial and difficulty is no small thing and today shines out more and more brightly. The Christian vocation of marriage stands out as an invitation to new generations to believe and set out along the same path; to have the courage to make the same awesome promises; to build a stable and loving home for their children by their very faithfulness; and with the same prayer that the Lord may protect their unity of heart and bring them to old age together."

The Mass was attended by Lloyd and Sheila Hayes of Romiley, Cheshire, who this year celebrate 70 years of marriage, having wed aged 20 and 18 respectively and going on have eight children, 23 grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. Five other couples were celebrating 60 years of marriage, 10 were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversaries, four their 40th, three their 30th and three their 25th.

In his opening remarks, Bishop Davies observed that together the couples attending the Mass have amassed "1,275 years of marriage faithfully lived," which he described as an "incalculable good".

The homily of Bishop Davies follows below in full.

Homily at Mass for the annual Diocesan Celebration of Marriage, St Columba's Church, Chester, October 14 2023

For many of you who married 70, 60, 50, 40 even 25 years ago, marriage might have seemed the most natural step in the world for a young couple setting out in life and ready to begin a family. It is true no couple could sincerely pronounce the promises of marriage - "For better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part" - without a sense of awe. Yet, on your wedding day you knew that you were embarking on a vocation lived from the beginning and written into the very nature of man and woman. A vocation raised by Christ to be a sacrament of salvation and held holy by the Church for 2,000 years. The promises you made were not merely recognised by British society as the most vital of its institutions and the greatest of social goods, this was a commitment in which society uniquely promised to support you in numerous ways.

In the light of the Scriptures, you stood in long continuity with the story of love and faithfulness which the Book of Tobit recorded more than 22 centuries ago. The prayer of Tobias and Sarah was echoed on your wedding day as you prayed for the protection of your singleness of heart and asked the Lord to "bring us (you) to old age together" (Tobit 8: 8). In celebrating your wedding, you could recognise yourselves in the marriage at Cana in Galilee which Saint John records at the beginning of his Gospel. It was at a wedding that Jesus chose to give the first of the signs of His Divine mission "manifesting his glory" (Jn. 2: 11). A sign given for a newly married couple in all their need. In this Christian vocation, you knew like that young couple long before that you could turn to the same Saviour every day of your married lives, heeding the words of His Mother: "Do whatever he tells you" (Jn. 2: 5).

It is hard to imagine in little more than half a century the promises you made, the vocation you embraced would become more and more exceptional. So exceptional in these early years of this 21st Century that most recent statistics show a 61% decrease of marriages in our land; the lowest number of couples entering marriage for almost two centuries; and the first time in our history that more children are born outside of marriage than in a married home. The headlines do not seem to exaggerate when they speak not merely of a cataclysmic decline but of marriage disappearing in Britain. The social consequences of such a loss are only beginning to be worked out, not least for the well-being of children.

As Christians, we are not merely being called to lament such a loss but to allow the Christian vision of marriage to be seen anew as a radical call to holiness really the same thing as happiness. To propose marriage as it came from the hand of our Creator as the faithful, lasting union of man and woman open to the gift and responsibility of children (Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 1603). To declare our faith in marriage as a Divine calling, lived out in human relationships which bear the disorder and frailties of sin, yet with the promise of unfailing grace and the hope of salvation.

At a moment in our history when marriage is increasingly being lost sight of, the witness you have given simply by living the promises of marriage through every trial and difficulty is no small thing and today shines out more and more brightly. The Christian vocation of marriage stands out as an invitation to new generations to believe and set out along the same path; to have the courage to make the same awesome promises; to build a stable and loving home for their children by their very faithfulness; and with the same prayer that the Lord may protect their unity of heart and bring them to old age together (Cf. Tobit 8:8). To this with Tobias and Sarah we can surely say "Amen, amen."

LINK

The Marriage Foundation: www.marriagefoundation.org.uk