Alumni and couples with connections to St. John’s University gathered at St. Thomas More Church on the Queens campus for the annual Blessing of the Couples Mass and reception on February 7.
The event allowed couples to renew their wedding vows and receive a blessing for their unions. The Mass was celebrated by Rev. Aidan R. Rooney, C.M., Executive Vice President for Mission. The homily was delivered by Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P., President of St. John’s University.
Fr. Shanley emphasized the importance of daily acts of mercy rooted in the university’s Vincentian heritage, saying, “The fundamental way in which we bring God’s light, Christ’s light, into the world is through our acts of mercy. You don’t have to say anything,” Fr. Shanley emphasized. “You just have to do it.”
He also spoke about marriage as a mutual commitment: “Marriage is a form of laying down your life for your spouse,” he said, comparing it to the self-giving love of Jesus. “What has kept you together is God’s love and light.”
The event brought together multiple generations who shared stories about how their experiences at St. John’s shaped their relationships and lives.
Tara (’07M.P.S.) and Frank Kavanagh (’07J.D.) recalled meeting outside campus while both were students attending evening classes at St. John’s University—Tara in graduate studies and Frank in law school—and later commuting together to class, which helped them build their relationship.
Kathy (’74ED) and Thomas Williams (’75J.D.) met on campus in 1973 while watching a baseball game in the Student Union through a mutual friend and have continued returning to this annual event as a way to maintain their connection with each other and with St. John’s.
Some attendees did not meet at St. John’s but still felt that celebrating their marriage at the church was meaningful due to personal or family ties to the university.
Lisa Habas (’99SJC), whose grandparents attended St. John’s and whose daughter is currently enrolled, said she wanted her husband Brian to experience what makes the university significant for her family: “I had some of the best times of my life here. I made lifelong friends here,” she explained. “My daughter is here now, and my grandparents renewed their wedding vows in this Church. I want my husband to share in that feeling, especially since our daughter is here now.”
Louis Heredia (’15TCB) attended with his wife Denise and their infant son Jesse, reflecting on how St. John’s has become special for their family after first participating in the ceremony when newly married: “We came to the Blessing of the Couples when we were first married. Now we’re here with the little one, who just turned one. St. John’s has become a special place for both of us. We thought it made sense to share that experience with our son.”
St. John’s University operates as a Catholic institution affiliated with the Vincentian Community and offers more than 100 undergraduate programs across six schools and colleges on campuses located in Queens and Manhattan, as well as international sites in Rome, Paris, and Limerick [source]. The university supports multicultural initiatives through various centers and institutes [source].
