Massachusetts Episcopalians want gay weddings

Massachusetts Episcopalians want gay weddings

BOSTON — Massachusetts Episcopalians voted Oct. 28 to seek authorization from the national Episcopal Church to use the church’s official marriage rites in same-sex “marriage” ceremonies.

The 324–43 vote came as more than 500 delegates considered a series of proposals related to same-sex “marriage” at their annual convention, held at Trinity Church in Boston.

Massachusetts Episcopalians have wrestled with same-sex “marriage” since May 2004, when the Bay State became the first in the nation to make the practice legal. The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts is on record supporting same-sex “marriage,” but priests can’t perform same-sex weddings unless the national church changes rules for the use of rites in the Book of Common Prayer. Those rites are currently limited to heterosexual couples.

(TAB)