To celebrate more than seventy years of marriage is a rare and remarkable blessing. Such longevity in married life speaks not only of commitment, but of a deep and enduring love sustained through the joys and challenges of life. For Harry and Beryl Carvalho, their family say the secret has always been simple: faith, prayer, and keeping God at the heart of everything they do.
For many years Harry and Beryl were devoted parishioners of St Joachim’s, where they formed strong friendships within the parish community. Now living in Bexhill with their youngest daughter Lauren, they are members of the parish of St Mary Magdalene. Wanting to celebrate their milestone among friends, they recently returned to St Joachim’s for a small service of thanksgiving and blessing led by Deacon Eugene Adams, followed by a tea party organised by parishioners.
Their daughter reflects that the foundation of their long marriage has been “their strong faith and commitment to prayer and to each other.” She adds that “love, kindness, forgiveness and keeping God at the heart of everything they do has been the bedrock of their lives.”
Their family has grown over the decades to include four children, nine grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren—a joyful testament to their love and their unwavering belief in God.
In recognition of their remarkable anniversary, Harry and Beryl also received a Papal blessing and a congratulatory letter from the King, marking a milestone achieved by very few couples.
They have often attended the diocesan Marriage Anniversaries Mass and, as their daughter proudly notes, they have consistently been the longest-married couple present.
Harry and Beryl were married on 5 February 1951 at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Agra, India, when Beryl was 18 and Harry 24. They moved to the UK in 1954 and settled in Hertfordshire. After retiring in 1987 they spent around twenty years living in Australia before returning to England in 2008 to be near family in Sussex.
Their lives remain a beautiful witness to the grace of the Sacrament of Marriage—a vocation sustained over a lifetime by faith, forgiveness and love.
Congratulations to Harry and Beryl on this wonderful milestone. Please keep them, and all married couples, in your prayers.