Marriage apostolate serves couples before, after ‘I do’
In 2012, Arlene Milon met with her parish priest, then-Father Jay Donahue, to brainstorm ideas to revitalize the marriages of their parish, St. Mary of the Assumption in the Pittsburgh suburb of Glenshaw. After brainstorming some ideas, they decided to host a date night that included a Mass in which the couples would be invited to renew their vows.
“We thought it was a great idea, and something never done before in our parish,” Milon said.
Fifty-six couples turned out for the Mass, which was followed by a reception at a local winery. Couples were encouraged to bring their wedding photos and to share stories of how they first met. Father Donahue listened to the stories beforehand and worked many into his homily. As part of the Mass, couples went up to the sanctuary, held hands and renewed their vows.
“It was a ton of fun, and the positive feedback we received was tremendous,” Milon said. “It was a beautiful thing to see so many couples look into each other’s eyes and renew their marriage vows.”
The feedback prompted Father Donahue and Milon to found the Renew the “I Do” Foundation, of which Milon serves as executive director, as a way to “cheer on” marriage. Additional date nights took place, first with St. Mary parishioners and soon after with parishioners from all over the Pittsburgh area.
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