TORONTO — A Toronto Anglican parish has performed what may be the first public blessing of a same-sex union in Canada’s largest diocese, reports The Anglican Journal. Alison Kemper and Joyce Barnett, two Anglican deacons who have worked actively for the recognition of same–sex marriage, had their recent civil marriage formally blessed on Sept. 6 at Toronto’s Church of the Holy Trinity, a downtown parish with close ties to the city’s gay and lesbian community. The couple, who have two children and have been together for almost 20 years, were married in a civil ceremony at Toronto City Hall in June, just days after a ruling by the Ontario Court of Appeals allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry. They were among the eight same-sex couples who initiated the court challenge.
As the diocese of Toronto has not endorsed the blessing of same-sex relationships, the incumbent at Holy Trinity, Sara Boyles, asked Archbishop Terry Finlay for permission to perform the blessing. He declined. “Holy Trinity welcomes gays and lesbians and has been requesting permission for this for some time,” said the archbishop. “In terms of this particular situation, I’m not surprised, but I certainly did not give permission for this blessing to take place. Now that I know this has happened, I will be asking (Boyles) to have a conversation with me.” Finlay allowed that similar same-sex blessings may have happened in the past in the diocese without his knowledge.
(TAB)
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