MCC Condemns Vatican's New Anti-Gay Campaign
Ufm...@aol.com
For Immediate Release: July 30, 2003
Activist Rev. Troy Perry Responds to Vatican's
Condemnation of Gay Marriage; Launches Five-Step
Plan To Advance Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage in U.S.
Perry is first U.S. gay activist to legally marry in Canada
West Hollywood -- The head of the world's largest Christian denomination with
a primary affirming ministry to gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender
persons has reaffirmed the church's commitment to the legalization of same-sex
marriage in the U.S.
The statement by Rev. Troy D. Perry, longtime human rights activist and head
of the predominantly gay Metropolitan Community Churches, comes in response to
a new Vatican campaign to stop the move toward legal recognition of same-sex
marriages.
The Vatican statement, set for public release on Thursday of this week, calls
on bishops, priests, and Roman Catholic politicians to work against legal
equality for gays and lesbians under civil marriages laws.
The instructions are in a document prepared by the Roman Catholic Church's
guardian of orthodoxy, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, titled,
Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between
Homosexual Persons. The new document says Catholic Church opposition to
same-sex marriage is not open to negotiation.
"The Christian Scriptures teach that God is love. All love, including
same-sex love, reflects God's heart and should be honored and celebrated," Perry,
Founder and Moderator of Metropolitan Community Churches, said. "It's time for
governments to extend legal marriage equality to all citizens."
Metropolitan Community Churches perform more than 6000 same-sex weddings
annually and has a long commitment to marriage equality. In 1970, Perry filed the
first-ever lawsuit against he State of California demanding legal recognition
of gay marriages. "We lost that battle," Perry said, "but we launched a
33-year debate over equality for all people."
Rev. Perry and his partner of 18 years, Phillip Ray De Blieck, were legally
married under Canadian law in Ontario on July 16, 2003. One of Perry's
churches, Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto, filed the lawsuit that led to
legalization of gay marriages in Canada this year.
Perry is now calling for U.S. gay and lesbian couples to go to Canada and be
legally married.
In responding to the Vatican's new anti-gay campaign, Perry this week
proposed a five-point plan to win same-sex marriage recognition in the U.S.
First, there will be a continuation of the MCC-sponsored demonstrations on
Valentine's Day of 2003 that led thousands of same-sex couples to apply for
marriage licenses at courthouses and marriage bureaus across the U.S. and Canada.
Perry has designated Friday, Feb. 13, 2004, as a day of action. On this day
Perry will lead U.S. couples to courthouses and marriage bureaus to apply for
marriage licenses again.
"It is important that we find strength in numbers," Rev. Perry said. "As a
sign of solidarity, we must come together and show the whole country we are
serious about our love for each other and our relationships."
MCC plans to expand this year's Valentine's Day marriage observances into a
full weekend of activities. In addition to the courthouse and media actions
scheduled for Friday, February 13, MCC will also work with DontAmend.com, the
Freedom to Marry Coalition, Marriage Equality and other groups to sponsor
thousands of Valentine's Parties on Saturday evening, February 14, 2003, to celebrate
same-sex commitments and to premiere a new video on ways local couples can
become involved in changing their state marriage laws.
Second, Perry is encouraging all American same-sex couples to go to Canada
and be married. He said this was not for political reasons, but rather a much
more obvious reason.
"Go to Canada and marry because you love each other," Perry said. "Not for
politics, not for lawsuits, but because you deeply care for your partner and
want to honor that commitment through marriage. First and foremost, this is about
love."
MCC has set up a registry at its website, www.MCCchurch.org, so that same-sex
couples who have married in Canada may register their marriages. A list will
be compiled and shared with other GLBT civil rights groups. Perry said this is
important so that when the day comes to take legal action, they will be
prepared and have the evidence to prove how many people are affected by these laws.
Third, Perry plans to work with other GLBT activist groups to work on a state
level to introduce bills in the state legislatures that would recognize
same-sex marriage and to build public support for those bills.
Fourth, MCC will partner with a coalition of human rights groups such as
Freedom To Marry Coalition, Lambda Legal, DontAmend.com and others to establish
coordinated legal, media, and public strategies.
The fifth step will be a court challenge. "At the right time, and with the
consensus of other GLBT groups, we will move the fight for equality on a legal
level," Perry said.
Founded in 1968, Metropolitan Community Churches is a Christian denomination
with 46,000 members in 300 churches in 22 countries. Additional information on
MCC can be found at <A HREF="www.MCCchurch.org">www.MCCchurch.org</A>.
- END -
Press Coverage Of Rev. Perry's Canadian Wedding Can Be Found At:
'Thank God for Canada': Newlywed gay activist
Rev. Troy Perry travelled from L.A. to marry long-time partner
<A HREF="http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1058351588053">
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1058351588053</A>
MCC Head Weds
Urges Americans To Marry In Canada To Force Change At Home
<A HREF="http://www.365gay.com/NewsContent/071603PerryWeds.htm">http://www.365gay.com/NewsContent/071603PerryWeds.htm</A>
For Additional Information, Contact:
Roman Cardenas, Associate Director of Communications
Metropolitan Community Churches
8704 Santa Monica Boulevard, 2nd Floor
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Tel. 310-360-8640, Ext. 228
Cell 310-625-4138
E-Mail: in...@MCCchurch.org
--
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