Via Stand Firm:
By Mary Frances Schjonberg, September 16, 2009
[Episcopal News Service] Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida Bishop Leo Frade will allow clergy in the Miami-based diocese to bless the unions of same-sex couples who have been legally married in states or countries.
Frade made the announcement during a recent clergy conference and his comments were posted September 16 on his blog here.
The bishop said he was allowing the blessings in light of Resolution C056, passed by the General Convention during its July 8-17 meeting in Anaheim, California. The convention allowed bishops to "provide generous pastoral support to meet the needs of members of this church." While the resolution said this permission especially applied to bishops in dioceses within civil jurisdictions where same-gender marriage, civil unions, or domestic partnerships are legal, Frade said clergy could only bless civil marriages of same-gender couples.
"This is no more nor less than we do for heterosexual couples who wish to have their unions blessed by the church -- they must be married," he said.
Frade said clergy cannot perform same-gender marriages because the convention had not authorized such marriages.
A committee of diocesan clergy, appointed by Frade and chaired by Dean Douglas McCaleb of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, will develop liturgical guidelines for proposed same-sex blessing services. Frade predicted that the guidelines would be ready in four to six weeks for clergy who request them. That move echoes C056's call for the Episcopal Church's Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music, in consultation with the House of Bishops, to collect and develop theological and liturgical resources, and report to the 77th meeting of General Convention in 2012.
-- The Rev. Mary Frances Schjonberg is national correspondent for the Episcopal News Service.
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