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Manchester Cross Street Chapel gains civil partnership licence

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Manchester Cross Street Chapel gains civil partnership licence

Cross Street Unitarian Chapel will allow gay couples to hold religious and civil ceremonies

Cross Street Unitarian Chapel has been awarded the licence which will allow same-sex couples to hold religious and civil ceremonies in the building.

Rev Jane Barraclough, minister of Cross Street Chapel, said offering the service fulfilled “a basic human right”.

A new law allowing civil partnership ceremonies to be conducted in places of worship came into effect in December.

Rev Barraclough said: “We note with sadness the history of homophobia in many faith traditions as well as the current hateful language from some faith leaders that has received so much coverage in the media.

“But this is a time of great celebration for us, not sadness.”

A Home Office spokesperson said it is the first time a council has contacted the General Register Office to say it has granted a civil partnership licence to a place of worship.

The Unitarian Church is not part of the Church of England and has a number of openly gay ministers.

In 1977, it was formally resolved that the Unitarian ministry be open to all, regardless of sex, race, colour or sexual orientation.

The Church of England has said it will not allow its churches to be used for civil partnership ceremonies unless the full general synod gives its consent.

 – BBC News 

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Portuguese Bishops Accept Civil Unions, Not Marriage

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The president of the Portuguese Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Jorge Ferreira da Costa Ortiga, said this week, “Civil unions can be legalized it that’s what is wanted, but they cannot be made equivalent to marriage. This problem must be dealt with more slowly and with the involvement of society,” he said.

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Lisbon, Portugal, Aug 27, 2009 / 09:51 pm (CNA).- The president of the Portuguese Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Jorge Ferreira da Costa Ortiga, said this week, “Civil unions can be legalized it that’s what is wanted, but they cannot be made equivalent to marriage.  This problem must be dealt with more slowly and with the involvement of society,” he said.

L’Osservatore Romano reported that the archbishop told Renascenca Radio about the opinion of the Portuguese bishops on a decree modifying the country’s law on civil unions, a decree that President Anibal Cavaco Silva has decided not to promulgate.

The archbishop said the new law on civil unions, which would include homosexual unions, is “inappropriate and hasty” and needs to be debated more widely by all citizens. “This rush is not the best path to take,” he said.  “I am totally in agreement with president about the fact that it should be taken up later and that the Portuguese society should be involved,” the archbishop said.

Several days ago the president said making marriage and civil unions equivalent “could turn into a limitation of citizens’ freedom of choice.”  He said there had not been enough debate on the measure, which could lead to “huge consequences for the lives of thousands of Portuguese citizens.”

Recently Portugal’s Supreme Court ruled against homosexual unions, reaffirming the constitutionality of marriage as a union between one and one woman.

via eChurch Blog.