St.  Edward’s Council 6546 in Richmond, Va., sponsored a Wedding Vow Renewal Liturgy to highlight the sacredness of marriage and earn the International Family Activity Award of the Knights of Columbus.

2006 International Family Activity Award

View Larger Image

With far too many marriages ending in divorce, the Knights of Columbus in Richmond, Va., sought to reverse that trend. St. Edward’s Council 6546 sponsored a Wedding Vow Renewal Mass to promote the permanence and sacredness of marriage.

Twenty council members and their wives – with a combined total of 897 years of marriage – renewed their wedding vows in a public ceremony and received a blessing from the pastor of St. Edward the Confessor Church, Father Donald Lemay. More than 150 relatives and friends from several states attended the Mass.

After the ceremony, a catered luncheon was held in the parish hall, with dancing to a live band. Each of the 20 couples renewing vows received a Covenant Renewal certificate from the council’s grand knight.

For its dedicated efforts in promoting and supporting the church’s teaching on the sacrament of marriage, St. Edward’s Council 6546 was awarded the Knights of Columbus International Family Activity Award at the 124th annual Supreme Council meeting in Orlando, Fla. Aug. 2, 2006. Grand Knight and Mrs. Alexander Anonick accepted the award, along with Virginia State Deputy and Mrs. Cy Alba and Past State Deputy and Mrs. Michael Lazzuri.