Bishop OKs Blessings For Gay Couples
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

Posted: November 19, 2007 - 5:00 pm ET

(Toronto, Ontario) The Anglican bishop of Niagara, in southern Ontario, has given his approval to allowing clergy to bless same-sex couples who have had a civil marriage.

Gay marriage has been legal in Canada since 2005.

The Niagara diocese synod voted on the weekend to support blessing civilly-married gay couples, “where at least one party is baptized” but left the final approval up to Bishop Ralph Spence.

Of the 294 clergy and lay delegates, 239 voted yes, 53 said no and two abstained.

Spence refused to implement a similar vote three years ago.

In announcing his approval of the plan Spence said implementation details must still be worked out.  The bishop said that he has been in contact with Canadian Primate Archbishop Fred Hiltz and his successor, Bishop Michael Bird, who takes office on March 1.

He also said that he has notified Lambeth Palace, the official residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the worldwide leader of the Anglican communion.

"We are aware of the vote’s ramifications," said Spence.

The worldwide church has been at war with itself over the role of gays in the denomination since the election of Gene Robinson in 2003 to be Bishop of New Hampshire, the first openly gay man to be made a bishop in the Anglican faith.

The Niagara vote made it the fourth Canadian diocese to approve blessing same-sex relationships.

Last month the dioceses of Montreal and Ottawa also voted to approve the ceremonies. (story) The bishops in the two dioceses have not indicated if they will accept the votes.

In 2002 the diocese of New Westminster, in British Columbia, became the first to give the OK to same-sex blessings.

On the weekend South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu blasted conservatives within the Anglican church for being "obsessed" with homosexuality. (story)

"God must be weeping looking at some of the atrocities that we commit against one another," the Nobel laureate told the BBC.

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