Home
World
Canada
- BC
- Calgary
- Edmonton
- Saskatchewan
- Manitoba
- Thunder Bay
- Sudbury
- Windsor
- Toronto
- Ottawa
- Montreal
- NB
- PEI
- NS
- NL
- North
Politics
Health
Arts & Entertainment
- Music
- Film
- Television
- Books
- Media
- Art & Design
- Theatre
Technology & Science
Money
Consumer Life
Diversions
Weather
Your Voice

Montreal Anglicans dismayed by same-sex blessing vote

Last Updated: Monday, June 25, 2007 | 1:00 PM ET

CBC News

Some Montreal Anglicans say they're disappointed with a decision by their church leaders not to bless same-sex marriages.

Over the weekend, bishops with the Anglican Church of Canada voted 21-19 against a motion which would have allowed individual dioceses to choose whether to perform blessings of same-sex unions.

The motion had been approved by delegates who said blessing the unions does not violate the church's core doctrine.

Montreal Bishop Barry Clark, who attended the general synod and voted in favour of the motion, said its defeat will be a bitter pill for his congregation.

"I'm disappointed. I will work to continue to promote what I can," he told CBC News on Sunday.

Saint George's Anglican Church member Patricia Bryan said she supports the blessing even though she personally opposes same-sex marriage.

"I think they should give a blessing because these people are human beings, like anybody else. And I believe that they deserve the same treatment even though I am not in favour of the marriage," she said. "I think a blessing's the least we can do."

But for some members of Montreal's gay community, the bishops' decision makes sense.

"I don't believe they should bless the wedding if they aren't ready to do the wedding," Michel Vaillancourt said. "Why would they bless something they don't believe in?"

Same-sex marriage has been legal across Canada since July 20, 2005, under the Civil Marriage Act.

Corrections and Clarifications

Michel Vaillancourt is not a member of the Anglican Church, as reported originally. June 27, 2007|11:30 a.m. ET

This story is now closed to commenting.

Internal Links

Anglicans vote No on blessing same-sex unions

Montreal Headlines

Search for 2 Laval men centres on Viau bridge: The search for a missing pair of Laval friends who vanished last week after a night on the town has moved to a busy bridge that links the suburban city to Montreal.
Deadline looms in Quebec breast cancer lawsuit: The deadline for breast cancer patients who want to take part in a $5.4-million class action lawsuit against a dozen Quebec hospitals is fast approaching.
Montreal inventor unveils 3-D baggage scanner: A Montreal inventor has developed a three-dimensional baggage scanner that he says can make air travel safer and more convenient for passengers.
Cargo ship freed in St. Lawrence River: The cargo ship Algoma Discovery, which was stranded on the St. Lawrence River near Quebec City, is freed by high tide.
Borough keeps tabs on Montreal landlord: A Montreal landlord is once again under the watchful eye of the Montreal borough of Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce after tenants in another one of his apartment buildings are complaining about poor living conditions.

Canada Headlines

Health costs push Alberta budget deficit to $4.75B: Alberta's Progressive Conservative government is projecting a record $4.75-billion budget deficit and planning cuts in many departments while increasing health-care spending.
Trenton colonel's charges spur cold case review: The 2001 slaying of a Nova Scotia woman at CFB Trenton in eastern Ontario is among the cases being re-examined after murder charges were laid against Col. Russell Williams.
Neighbours stunned by arrest of Col. Williams: Ottawa resident Michael Gennis was stunned when he found out his new neighbour, Col. Russell Williams, had been charged with killing two women in eastern Ontario.
Olympic spirit will launch B.C. reforms: throne speech: The B.C. government says it will use the province's post-Olympics momentum to drive changes that include offering tax breaks to families with children, reforming education and lobbying Ottawa to amend "Byzantine bureaucratic practices."
Vancouver tap water vies with Olympic sponsor: Vancouver has started a campaign to encourage Olympic tourists to drink the region's tap water instead of buying bottled water, creating a potential conflict with one of the Games' biggest sponsors.

Top CBCNews.ca Headlines

Headlines

Trenton colonel's charges spur cold case review: The 2001 slaying of a Nova Scotia woman at CFB Trenton in eastern Ontario is among the cases being re-examined after murder charges were laid against Col. Russell Williams.
Health costs push Alberta budget deficit to $4.75B: Alberta's Progressive Conservative government is projecting a record $4.75-billion budget deficit and planning cuts in many departments while increasing health-care spending.
Ottawa to appeal injection site ruling: The federal government is asking the Supreme Court of Canada for leave to appeal a lower court ruling that sanctioned Vancouver's supervised drug injection site.
Haitian man pulled from rubble: A 28-year-old man has been pulled from rubble in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, claiming to have been trapped there since the massive earthquake on Jan. 12.
Tories need plan for isotope shortage: Ignatieff: Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff accused the Conservative government of having no plan of action to deal with a medical isotope shortage expected to worsen later this month.