It is normal (and I say wonderful) each week to have flowers donated to add to the beauty of our altar area, from at least one couple who is celebrating a wedding anniversary sometime around that weekend. Last weekend was NOT normal in that we had four couples celebrating anniversaries that were significant. Two were celebrating fifty years of marriage, one sixty, and another sixty-six years! While there are obviously many blessings associated with marriages that are so long-standing, these and other couples can tell you there are challenges as well, especially declining health in mind and/or body. Sometimes the decline is more pronounced in one than the other, sometimes both have some serious issues. One version of the Catholic wedding vows says, "I promise to be faithful to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you and honor you, all the days of my life." I will comment on the last part of those vows at another time. Right now, I want to address the promise to be faithful "in sickness and in health". What is the commitment to be "faithful" to one's spouse when the other is sick (or in declining health). More often than not, the healthy (or healthier) spouse does their best and in more than a few instances is heroic in taking care of their spouse on their own twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Over time, this can be overwhelming to the caregiver and start taking a toll on their mental and physical health. While seeking to care for the couple's spiritual needs, which I'm confident is a blessing for them (and for me), I sometimes urge the healthier spouse to look into getting some help for the sake of them, the caregiver as well as the one who is in a situation of sickness or decline. When one promises to be faithful to one's spouse in sickness or in health, in my opinion, that does NOT mean being the one (especially the sole person) who cares for them. I am so happy when I find out that a couple has agreed to have home health, or some kind of home care come in regularly to help. At times I have also been pleased (and even relieved) when a couple makes a difficult, but good decision to move into an assisted living place where one or both of them has help daily and someone (including a nurse) 24 hours a day whenever a need arises. Sometimes such a move is local and sometimes it takes a couple closer in proximity to a child or other family member.

I pray that all of you who are in such a situation now or will be in the future, will be open and will act sooner than later to get help for one or both of the spouses who have needs that are not realistic for them or their spouse to satisfy 24/7. If you are not sure where to start call one of our Helping Hands coordinators, Cathy Wedwick (501 915-8456) or Pat Widlowski (501 922-1395) and they will give you some helpful contacts to try.

Please know, as well, that I and this parish community want to support our couples AND single people in any way we can! You are brothers and sisters in the Lord and we want to help!