God's call to marriage during the pandemic

Courtesy photo

+ Enlarge

Kelly and Anthony Mazur

PARK CITY — Some of their family and friends thought Kelly and Anthony Mazur were crazy when they became engaged and then got married last summer while the world was still in the throes of a pandemic.

“A lot of people didn’t understand,” said Anthony, 23. “‘Why would you do this when you could just postpone it?’ they said, but we’re theology majors and we really like to think about and pray about our vocation and trust in God. We knew that this was our calling to get married. We knew it was what God wanted us to do.”

The two met in the University of Dallas’ theology program. After dating for a year, they got engaged, then married in July 2021 at Mater Dei Catholic Church in Dallas.

Tying the knot during a pandemic had its challenges, said Kelly, 22, but not nearly as many as some might expect. While the Mazurs initially thought the pandemic would be over long before the wedding, new variants meant the effects of the virus became prolonged. Still, they were lucky in the timing of their wedding, which took place in a lull between surges of the pandemic in Texas.

“It was perfect timing,” Anthony said.

The couple had been prepared to deal with the possibility that many of their family and friends might not come to the wedding because of concerns about Covid, Kelly said. As it turned out, only a few family members didn’t make it. After the wedding they had a reception with about 100 people, then took their honeymoon at Zion’s National Park and Lake Powell.

The couple relocated to Utah last year. Anthony now serves as the assistant to the director of communications at St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Park City. He began that job in June, leaving Kelly in Dallas to finish up last-minute preparations for the wedding. He flew back for the nuptials, and then the two moved to Utah.

So far, they are loving it here. The couple particularly loves the snow, which is plentiful in Park City.

“We’ve never really seen snow, being from Texas,” Anthony said.

Their faith is important to both of them as they build a new family unit. They pray daily, attend Mass weekly together and participate in Church activities.

“We definitely try to keep God first as a priority and try to love each other through God,” Kelly said. “We try to keep our faith at the forefront of our marriage.”

Looking back on the turbulence during the past two years, the Mazurs are reassured that God is looking out for them.

“I like that it happened,” Anthony said of all that took place while Covid-19 raged. “I think it really helped us in putting God first. There were a lot of uncertainties: could we have a wedding during this pandemic? I needed to find a job before Kelly graduated; it was going to be difficult. So, who would have thought we would have met, got engaged, decided we’re going to get married and everything went smoothly? Then I get this job just in time. I think it increased our prayer life; it increased our faith and trust in God.”

Despite all the changes in their lives, the couple is enjoying their first year of marriage, which nevertheless has been eye-opening, Kelly said.

“Getting married is a big change, and it requires a lot of self-sacrifice,” she said. “Before, I thought I was a selfless person, but getting married I realize I’m holding on to a lot of things and I need to be more selfless to give more to my husband, to give more to God.”

As they look to the future, the Mazurs are confident.

“From now on, I really don’t think we’re going to have a lot of problems,” Anthony said. “Whenever we do get scared about the future we just know, remembering that time we got engaged and we got married, the Lord provides. I think this was a good experience, and we hope it’s a lesson to everyone, just to be inspired by it. Love and God will help us get through anything.”