The Jubilee of Anniversaries, an event within the 2025 Jubilee Year honoring couples with notable wedding anniversaries, was commemorated Saturday with a vigil Mass celebrated by Bishop Earl Fernandes at Columbus St. Joseph Cathedral. Two couples who have now been married more than 70 years are John and Mary Moodie of Marion St. Mary Church and Emery and Sylvia Lombardi of Columbus St. Andrew Church.
The Moodies first met at a drive-in where John spent time on the weekends and Mary worked as a carhop, delivering food to customers in their cars. Mary’s manager introduced them to each other and they dated for 11 months before discussing their future together.
When Mary asked if they should break up or get married, John responded by telling her to wait two weeks while he arranged for a wedding date. Father Robert Noon, who passed away in 2020, married the couple in the rectory at St. Mary because Mary wasn’t yet a Catholic. She began the process of coming into the Church shortly after their wedding.
Asked which qualities her husband possesses that have made him a good spouse, Mary noted John’s ability to provide for his family, his sense of humor and especially his patience both in marriage and parenthood.
“Our firstborn had cholic,” Mary, 90, said of their first of five children. “Even though John had worked during the day, he would walk the floor at night with the baby to stop his crying.”
Mary also cited examples of John’s dedication to her, such as when she was healing from injuries.
“Whenever I was in the hospital or nursing home for rehab, John would visit every day,” she said. “He would stay until our daughter or one of our sons would come to visit. He would then go home for about an hour to take care of things at home (and) to get a bite for lunch (and) would then come back and stay until visiting hours were over.”
Similarly, John, 94, spoke of his gratitude for Mary’s commitment to him.
“She has always been there for me whenever I needed her,” he said, going on to explain how Mary cared for their children and home in addition to helping run John’s family moving business by working as its secretary-treasurer.
The Moodies’ children were all involved in the family’s business that John took over after his father’s retirement. They would help book moving jobs and the boys would work to load and unload trucks. The business closed in 2002 when John retired.
In spite of the stress and busyness the Moodies experienced in owning a business and raising many children, Mary said she would reassure young couples in that phase of life “as long as you love one another, everything will work out. … When things are hectic or not working out, always pray to God for guidance. Also, thank God for the many blessings bestowed on you.”
John stressed the importance of forgiveness, saying, “Be tolerant and patient with each other.”
The couple is currently enjoying the fruits of their 70-year marriage, now with eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren, soon to be four. John remains active at their parish by participating in the St. Mary choir.
Both the Moodies and Lombardis have made the faith central in their marriages.
“(My parents) continue to go to Mass together,” Mary Hatem, one of Emery and Sylvia Lombardi’s six children, said. “(They) honor Catholic teachings and doctrine which they also imparted to their children.”
Regarding religion in a marriage, Sylvia said that sharing the same faith with one’s spouse is more important than anything else, noting that “it will help you with life’s challenges.”
Emery agreed, saying that it was their faith that equipped them to raise a family, which consisted of six children and now 10 grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.
An emphasis on the importance of family has also been primary for the Lombardis, who have ancestral roots in Italy.
“My parents’ commitment and dedication to each other help embody the strong sense of family that their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren continue to have,” Hatem said. “We are a large Italian family and have always prioritized ‘family’ and making it the center of everything.”
Sylvia and Emery Lombardi met at Columbus St. John the Baptist Church in the 1950s. Family photo
Emery and Sylvia, who met in the 1950s at Columbus St. John the Baptist Church’s festival when Sylvia was selling raffle tickets, were active in their parish community well into old age. Sylvia volunteered for numerous positions at St. Andrew, especially within the Bereavement Committee. Until recently, Emery remained an avid golfer while belonging to the American Italian Golf Association.
“(You) keep moving forward,” Sylvia said. “Good and bad things will always happen … but … the bad won’t last forever.”
Hatem has seen her parents’ devotion to one another stand out particularly as they encounter the struggles of aging.
“My parents are well into their 90s and their dedication to one another is still strong,” she said of Sylvia and Emery, who are 94 and 99, respectively. “This helps them navigate the obstacles that come with age.”
Additionally, Hatem praised her parents for the way they take care of one another. “My mom always makes sure that my dad eats well and my dad is always present and helpful,” she said. “They obviously love and care for each other.”
Asked what advice she would pass on to younger couples, Sylvia said, “I would say pick your battles. Not everything is a battle.” She also expressed how impactful it was when Emery brought home unexpected gifts for her. “There have been lots of expensive gifts along the way, (but the) unexpected gifts were always fun.”
Both the Lombardis and the Moodies live mostly independently, attending Mass at their respective parishes.