COLORADO SPRINGS. Milton and Lucille Franklin met on a blind date almost 74 years ago in Louisiana. Lucille was 19 and Milton was 22 and in the Air Force when they married on August 16, 1952, at St. Peter Claver Catholic Church in New Orleans. 

On Dec. 12, 2025, the Franklins were honored by the Colorado Marriage Encounter Community as the state’s Longest Married Couple for 2025.
Tom and Molly Johnson, Colorado leaders of Marriage Encounter, presented the Franklins with a certificate of recognition and flowers at Holy Apostles’ Mary’s House.

During this Jubilee Year of Hope, the Church calls for all of us to be “tangible signs of hope for those of our brothers and sisters who experience hardships of any kind” (Spes Non Confundit, 10). Finding reasons for hope and sharing that hope with others is part of our vocation as Christians. Perhaps one of the greatest areas where the hope of Jesus Christ is needed here in the United States is mental health.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and this year’s mental health awareness theme is “From Awareness to Action.” Many Catholic dioceses across the United States are taking action to support the mental health of their parishioners.

COLORADO SPRINGS. April 20-26 is National Infertility Awareness Week. Couples carrying the cross of infertility are in our families, among our friends, and in our pews. They need to know that they have many gifts to bring to our parish, that their marriages are life-giving in many beautiful ways, and that God has not abandoned them — and neither have we. For more resources and support, visit www.diocs.org/Offices/The-Office-of-Marriage-and-Family-Life/Marriage-and-Family-Healing or email cos.infertility@gmail.com.

COLORADO SPRINGS. The Diocese of Colorado Springs and Divine Mercy University are collaborating on a research project to explore how spiritual practices support each spouse’s well-being. Married couples who are attending a parish in the diocese are asked to visit https://divinemercyuw.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ekqUmZ3mtAJGvrM to complete the survey. For more information, contact Deacon Mike McGrady at mmcgrady@diocs.org or 719-866-6293. 

COLORADO SPRINGS. The Confraternity of Christian Mothers will hold two Lenten retreats for women. The first retreat will take place at Holy Trinity Parish on March 15 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Father David Boroff will celebrate Mass at 10 a.m., followed by brunch and a talk at the Hope House. Participants are asked to bring a brunch item to share. The second retreat will take place on April 10 at Corpus Christi Parish from 5:30-9 p.m. The evening begins with Mass at 5:30 p.m., followed by a talk by Father Martin Latiff of Miles Christi. No meal will be served. All women are invited and children are welcome at both retreats. For more information, contact Barbara Jones at baj@corsacraefamiliae.org. 

COLORADO SPRINGS. Bill and Ruth Carew of St. Mary’s Cathedral were named the Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WWME) Longest Married Couple in Colorado and were honored after the cathedral’s 4 p.m. Mass on Jan. 25. Tom and Molly Johnson, co-leaders of WWME in Colorado, presented a certificate and flowers to the couple. 

Colorado Catholics have a moral obligation to support Amendment 80. While some well-intentioned partnering organizations are opposing Amendment 80 because of a misunderstanding in the proposed Amendment’s language, the Amendment clearly states the following: “parents have the right to direct the education of their children” and “children have the right to equal opportunity to access quality education” and “each K-12 student has the right to school choice” (defined as “neighborhood, charter, private, and home schools, open enrollment options, and future innovations in education”). The language intentionally uses the word “and” to imply that all of these rights and education options are equal and are not intended to contradict another.

The Diocesan Wedding Anniversary Mass will be held July 14, 2:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Cathedral. Bishop James Golka will celebrate Mass. Couples who are celebrating their first or other milestone anniversary — any anniversary ending in “5” or “0” — are invited to attend. A reception will follow. Those who plan to attend are asked to contact their parish office to provide their name, number of people attending and how many years they are celebrating, or visit www.diocs.org/Diocesan-Wedding-Anniversary-Mass.

The Diocesan Wedding Anniversary Mass will be held July 14, 2:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Cathedral. Bishop James Golka will celebrate Mass. Couples who are celebrating their first or other milestone anniversary — any anniversary ending in “5” or “0” — are invited to attend. A reception will follow. Those who plan to attend are asked to contact their parish office to provide their name, number of people attending and how many years they are celebrating, or visit www.diocs.org/Diocesan-Wedding-Anniversary-Mass.