SAME SEX MARRIAGE - BETTER JUST CALLED CIVIL MARRIAGE?

SAME SEX MARRIAGE - BETTER JUST CALLED CIVIL MARRIAGE?

As a priest and bishop who has been performing gay and lesbian blessings for 30 years I am delighted that the British Government has legalised "same sex marriage" and that today - March 29th 2014 - many gay and lesbian couples across England and Wales have been married in the eyes of the law.

It is a huge step forward for everybody who believes in fully equality for all citizens before the law.

I congratulate David Cameron, Nick and their Tory and Liberal Democrat parties for having the courage to put their money where their mouths are. Interestingly David Cameron said: "I rejoice in same sex marriage not in spite of being a Tory but because I am a Tory".

ME CELEBRATING A LESBIAN BLESSING YEARS AGO

The main objections to civil marriage for same sex people come from the Christian Churches.

Although the head of the Anglican Church - Archbishop Justin Welby was very honourable in defeat and said that now that the state had decided the matter the church would respect the state's decision.

Not the same reaction however from the Roman Catholic Bishops of England and Wales. They continue to rant and rave against the development. It is amazing how people in glass houses are still capable of throwing stones. The RC Church has no moral credibility left to moralise on anything - with their paedophilia history, the cover up of the abuse, homosexuality and corruption at the Vatican and around the RC world and their mafia Vatican Bank. Have they not got the message yet that when it comes to moral pronouncements they are all emperors with no clothes? 

On top of that most UK priests are now secretly and actively gay and many of us if challenged could name some actively gay English gay bishops!

The UK in introducing CIVIL MARRIAGE for gay and lesbian couples are not interfering with the "right" of the Churches to be hypocritical and homophobic. The Church of England is not licensed to conduct gay marriages that are civilly binding. And all other churches, including the RC one can opt out of conducting them. So nobody is attempting to interfere with their flat earth religious or sacramental freedoms.

A purely religious marriage has no standing in civil law. And a purely civil marriage does not claim to have any standing in church or canon law. Civil marriage and religious marriages are two completely different things. 

The Anglicans do not believe that marriage is one of the sacraments instituted by Christ. They have only 2 sacraments - Baptism and the Eucharist. Most Protestant churches think the same.

The Roman Catholic Church has 7 sacraments - Baptism, Confirmation, Reconciliation, Eucharist, Holy Orders, Healing (The Last Rites) and Marriage.

No one is going to force the RC Church to offer the Sacrament of Marriage to same sex couples. 

As a liberal and "free" Catholic I do believe that the committed love of two men or two women is a "sign" of Christ's love for his People- and I firmly believe that two same sex people can therefore truly celebrate the Sacrament of Marriage. For 30 years I have offered this sacrament to same sex couple and will continue to offer it.    Just as I have refused to discriminate against women and have offered the priesthood to WOMEN:

FRANCIS MEIGH WHO I ORDAINED IN 1998

The RC Church is stuck in a time warp of sexism, homophobia, patriarchy, corruption and the abuse of power and money. 

Thank God modern nations like the UK are no longer the slaves of the insane theocrats.

+Pat Buckley

29.3.2014.