In holy matrimony

UD doesn't just make families in a metaphorical sense through roommates, classmates and student clubs. It’s also made countless couples into families.

Frank Guerriero ’83 and Patricia “PJ” Johnson-Guerriero ’82 are just one — and their first meeting couldn’t have been written better if it were in a movie script.

Frank remembers attending class in the summer of 1981 and seeing a beautiful girl in the front row.

“She was sitting among the basketball players,” he said. “I thought it was kind of cool that she had that kind of courage because they were the stars on campus.”

That class? Christian Marriage with professor Father Norbert Burns, S.M. ’45, who, over the course of his career, taught the class to more than 27,000 Flyers.

“I think the thing I cherish most is my family ... That’s a result of being at UD.”

There is one lesson from Burns the couple still holds dear.

“He used the phrase ‘hold the bucket’ to mean when your wife tells you about a challenging situation she’s dealing with, your first reaction is to offer advice,” Frank said. “Instead, he taught us to ‘hold the bucket’ and listen intently without offering advice.”

The two solidified their union nearly two years later, marrying in May 1983 with Burns officiating.

“I think the thing I cherish most is my family,” PJ said. “That’s a result of being at UD.”

And after more than 40 years together, Frank has perfected “holding the bucket.”

“[I] give all the credit to Father Burns.” —BRYCE RUSSELL ’25

A version of this article appears in print in the Summer 2025 University of Dayton Magazine, Page 52. EXPLORE THE ISSUE — MORE ONLINE