John Baccala/Key photo Bishop Robert W. Finn congratulated couples celebrating 50th anniversaries and gave each a golden wedding

Walter, a parishioner at St. Charles Borromeo, lost her husband Rich to cancer two years ago, but still wanted to be part of this year's celebration.

"When the 50th (anniversary) notice came out, I teased the parish secretary," Walter said. "I went to her and said, 'Is it too late to sign up for the 50th anniversary with the bishop?' and I said, 'Oh, wait a minute, Rich isn't here, I guess he needs to be here, doesn't he?' So, I just handed her the poem that I had written the night before." Walter titled it, "In Absentia."

"50 years ago, we said the words, I do. I meant it with all my heart, did you? We have a date with the Bishop, you know. My wedding ring is all shined up, to show. But I guess we'll celebrate alone this May. Since you had a more important place to go. Happy 50th Anniversary Rich! May 12, 1956 - May 12, 2006"

"This is a man that wasn't afraid to die," Walter said. "He had lived a wonderful life.

"That's the first thing he told me, 'Peg, I'm not afraid to die,' and I said 'That is the greatest gift you could have given me.' So, I think that's pretty special."

Walter said writing poetry has helped her get through her loss. So has the Holy Spirit. "I believe the Holy Spirit leads us to where we're supposed to be," she said.

It was the Holy Spirit that led her and two others at St. Charles Borromeo to form a support group called WOW, Widows of Wisdom. The group has 102 members.

"It kind of keeps me going," she said.

So does the memory of the man she married. A man who had to quit school after sixth grade. A man who worked two jobs to support his wife, six children and his nephew.

And while Peg and Rich were not at the anniversary Mass in person, she said they were there in spirit. Thinking of her husband's "wonderful sense of humor," allowed her to laugh about a day she had so hoped they could share together.

"You know, my big joke was, I think Rich didn't want to be there because he would have had to put on a tie," she laughed.

"When Rich was buried, I said that's just his body being buried, not his spirit."

The power of the Holy Spirit was a key component of Bishop Robert W. Finn's homily to hundreds gathered inside the Cathedral. Sunday's 50th anniversary Mass coincided with Pentecost Sunday.

"Like Pentecost, which celebrates the manifestation of the life and love of God the Father and God the Son in the gift of the Holy Spirit, your anniversaries of marriage mark this day by means of a union of life and love which has powerful implications for the good of the world," Bishop Finn said.

Bishop Finn said the love between husband and wife is an essential part of God's plan for the world, calling it "a powerful and personal gift to you from God."

He noted the marriage jubilee also coincided with the 50th anniversary of the combined diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph and pointed to similarities between the two.

"The diocese, like a marriage and family, is a work of grace," Bishop Finn said. "We are born in great enthusiasm and love, with a strong sense of God having brought us together.

"I believe that the history of the local church is more about families and married couples, like yourself, whose participation in our parishes and schools is the ultimate foundation of the Church. The celebration of these 50 years is fittingly marked by this celebration of married love," he said.

Bishop Finn greeted every married couple and presented them with a gift, a golden wedding crucifix and the popular wedding passage from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians.

"Love is patient. Love is kind. It is not jealous. Love is never boastful or conceited. It is never rude or selfish. It does not take offense and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people's sins, but delights in the truth. It is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes. Love never fails."

Following the Mass, a reception was held inside Donnelly Hall. Hundreds of couples celebrating their 50th, like Norman and Louise Andrews of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in St. Joseph gathered inside. "It was just a wonderful day," Louise Andrews said.

Peg Walter couldn't agree more.

Couples celebrating 50 years of marriage:

Blessed Sacrament: Wayne and Alvina Poeppe
Christ the King: Frank and Barbara Benanti, Bernard and Rose Drummond, Robert and Patricia Johnson, Maurice and Beverly McCann, Patrick and Betsy Weinzirl
Church of the Annunciation: Ted and Suzy Amberg, Robert and Ruth Anderson, Robert and Phyllis Whipple
Church of the Good Shepard: Eugene and Dorothy Geniuk
Church of the Holy Martyrs: Viet Uy and Thi Rop Nguyen
Coronation of Our Lady: David and Barbara Cattle, Rick and Stella Huffman, Sam and Joan Lickteig, Allen and Shirley McDonnell, Bruce and Joan McLean, Albert and Rosemarie St. Germain
Holy Family: Ralph and Ann Carboneau, Donald and Lois Gonner, Bill and Eleanor Popa, Bob and Marianne Prucha
Holy Rosary: Louis and Nancy Lipari
Holy Rosary, Clinton: Leonard and Mary Boehler, Roland and Rosalie Cretel, James and Jane Stein
Holy Spirit: Jerry and Janet Turner
Holy Trinity, Weston: Francis and Polly Wallis
Immaculate Conception, Lexington: James and Dorothy Heimer, John and Betty Rotert, Bernard and Agnes Schreiner
Nativity of Mary: Keith and Patricia Clark, Donald and Aroys Jenkins, Paul and Lynne Sullivan, Lee and Martha Wilcox, Etimo and Alice Zapien
Our Lady of Good Counsel: Bill and Ginger Heft, Gene and Joanne Hosek
Our Lady of Guadalupe: Norman and Louise Andrews, George and Hazel Frankovich, Larry and Shirley Goodwin, Everett Dale and Mary Margaret King
Our Lady of Lourdes: George and Evelyn Crews, Arthur and Deloris Hopfinger, John and Cathy Thiel, John and Mary Ann Vandervyvere
Our Lady of Lourdes, Harrisonville: Jack and Patricia Atteberry, George and Mary Brady, Donald and Martha Frein
Our Lady of Perpetual Help: Jerry and Patricia Murphy, Marion and Barbara Rizzo
Our Lady of the Presentation: Harold and Lucille Braden, Bob and Helen Merrigan, Urban and LaVerne Reinkemeyer, William and Louise Stedem
Sacred Heart, Norborne: Smith and Judith Goetting
Sacred Heart, Warrensburg: Arthur and Sherlene Belanger, Willard and Mary Ann Tenholder
St. Andrew the Apostle: Louie and Yvonne Malaponte, James and Linda Thornton
St. Ann, Independence: Joseph and Glenda Baker, Stanley and Carol Papiernik, John and Anna Rodak, Harold and Calista Teevan
St. Ann, Plattsburg: Charles and JoAnn Downey
St. Anthony: George and Antoinette Mangiaracina
St. Bernadette: Lanny and Carol Bennefeld, Donald and Carol Clifton, Roy and Marilyn Erwin, Charles and Laura Fisher, Arthur and Genevieve Knaebel, Michael and Kathleen Mendenhall, Salvatore and Donna Shortino, Prichard and Ruth Von David, Charles and Ann Walters
St. Catherine: Gerri and Joan Stark, Joseph and Jeannette Bergeron, Clarence and Barbara Golubski
St. Charles Borromeo: Ralph and Betty Borgeson, Gabe and Cecilia Brull, Donald and Shirley Fisher, Louis and Marion Kern, Daniel and Kathleen Lappin, Richard and Rosemary Renken, James and Rita Smith, Jose and Marie Somoza, Phil and Anne Mae Thompson
St. Columba, Conception Junction: Ernest and Helen Mattson, Henry and Betty Mattson, Joe and Mariam Mattson
St. Columban, Chillicothe: Ted and Shirley Anderson, Richard and Carole Myers
St. Cyril, Sugar Creek: Earl and Martha Casey, Jerome and Katherine Novak, Don and Veronica Powell, John and Anna Yuhas
St. Elizabeth: Daniel and Alicia Brock, William and Dorothy McAuliffe, Francis and Jacqueline Medina, Clay and Anna Marie Morgan, Ross and Gloria Nigro, Walter and Ethel Powell
St. Francis Xavier: William and Dorothy Newman
St. Francis Xavier, St. Joseph: Edward and Jean Curry, Richard and Mary Ann Flugard, Charles and JoAnn Malita, Douglas and Marjorie Minnis, James and Judith Treiber
St. Gabriel: Frank and Millie Armato, John and Carrie Genova, Richard and Nadine Jackson, Marion and Marie Lombardo, Rudy and Rosetta Pernice, Frank and Deloris Serrone, Albert and Vivian Verdusco, Joe and Mary Weigel
St. George, Odessa: Robert and Mary Donovan, Forrest and Mary Jeffery
St. Gregory Barbarigo, Maryville: F.B. and Fran Houghton, Melvin and Jackie Hubbell, Alvin and Mary Luke, John and Janice O'Riley, Paul and Susie Schieber, Phil and Eileen Tobin
St. James, St. Joseph: John and Shirley Cox, James and Francis Doolan, Dan and Irene Ramirez
St. James, Liberty: Danny and Virginia Kerns, Angelo and Marge Motta, Walter and Joan Runde, Dorman and Francis Walthall
St. John Francis Regis: Bob and Jean Rose
St. John LaLande: Richard and Barbara Loock, John and Wanda Olsen, Gregory and Wilma Spartz, Jim and Ruth VanLoo
St. Joseph the Worker: Richard and Nancy Gibson, Richard and Rosemary Martin
St. Joseph, Parnell: Robert and Joanne Schmitz, Tom and Mary Steinhauser
St. Jude, Oak Grove: Leonard and Edith Jacques St. Louis: James and Ruby Antwine, Fred and Rebecca Harvey
St. Margaret: John and MaryAnn Moran
St. Mark: Frank and Nancy Andrasik, John and Terrie Bossert, Jack and Virginia Burger, Carl and Vita Canaleo, Bill and Dorothy McDonald, Richard and Marilyn Moore, Larry and Dolores Pearce, Kenneth and Helen Schowengerd, Howard and Edie Sladek, James and Joan Smith
St. Mary, Carrollton: Ines and JoAnn Olvera, Charles and Mary All Miller, Raymond and Ann Sweeney
St. Mary, Higginsville: John and Helen Beck
St. Mary, Independence: Robert and Linda McDermott, Emil and Mary Yancik St. Mary, St. Joseph: Jack and Kate Brockett, Jim and Marnie Weidmaier
St. Matthew the Apostle: Robert and Mary Hiller, Donald and Elizabeth Smith, Robert and Bonita Wilson
St. Munchin, Cameron: John and Helen Farnan, Philip and Janet Ronczkowski
St. Patrick, Butler: Harold and Mildred Boehler
St. Patrick, Holden: Robert and Helen Cobb
St. Patrick: Joseph and Phyliss Christifano, Thomas and Darlene Farnan, Verness and Marilyn Llerz, Art and Millie Pudenz
St. Peter, Stanberry: Richard and Louise Cummins St. Robert Bellarmine: Dan and Pat Haskell
St. Rose of Lima: Frank and Kay Terhune
St. Sabina: Jerry and Coleen Dorrel, Bob and Darlene Henderson, Rudy and Mary Schmidt
St. Therese Little Flower: Jake and Sophia Jo Davis, Art and Betty Winter
St. Therese: Hubert and Jane Dreiling, Frank and Jean Leikam, Charles and Joyce Newcome, Anthony and Katherine Palmisano, Richard and Mary White
St. Thomas More: Walter and Mary Theresa Accurso, Charles and Suzanne Adams, Joseph and Beverly Amor, Joseph and Francis Brocato, Joseph and Beverly Culver, Denny and Mary Sue Donnelly, Larry and Patricia Fitzgerald, James and Patricia Flaherty, Thomas and Patricia Lillis, Anthony and Theresa Manzella, Frank and LaDonne Mullen, Mike and Mary Ann Mulligan, John and Mary Margaret Murry, Ralph and Ellen Poster, Lawrence and Antoinette Powers, Robert and Anita Seibolt
Visitation: Marion and Joan Follina Brancato, William and Ruth Ann Hodes, James and Sandra McLarney, Dick and Beattie Muraski, Robert and Mary Jo O'Byrne, Carl and Josephine Privitera.

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