# Our Marriage Prayer on Our 30th Wedding Anniversary
*2016-04-19*

> Bill Young reflects on his 30‑year marriage, shares a special prayer for his wife Pat, and honors St. Gianna Molla, a saint who gave her life for her unborn child.

## A Milestone and a Saint

Good morning. Today, April 19, marks my 30th wedding anniversary. It feels fitting to celebrate this day with a special prayer for my wife, Pat, and to remember that today is also the feast of St. Gianna Molla. Gianna was a young mother who, when faced with a life‑threatening tumor during pregnancy, chose to save her unborn child. The child was born healthy, but Gianna died in childbirth, offering her life for her baby. Her story reminds us that holiness often arises from difficult choices.

## The Marriage Prayer

I’d like to share the prayer I have offered to Pat over the years:

Lord, help us to remember when we first met and the strong love that grew between us. Grant us the grace to work that love into practical actions so that nothing can divide us. Give us words that are kind and loving, and hearts always ready to ask for forgiveness as well as to forgive. Dear Lord, we place our marriage into your hands. Amen.

## A Blessing for All Relationships

May this prayer inspire every marriage and relationship to seek God’s guidance, to nurture love through everyday deeds, and to remain open to forgiveness. Let the example of St. Gianna encourage us to embrace our own crosses with courage and trust in God’s providence.

*A marriage rooted in prayer and forgiveness can withstand any trial.*