[limpoporanique]

Jim McQuiggin wrote:
Father, please correct me if this is incorrect, as I recall from being told my Protestant ministers during my years as a Protestant: no clergyman is required to perform a marriage - he is not a government employee, but rather is allowed by the government to officiate at weddings on the state's behalf. I do know of Protestant ministers who have refused to marry couples for various reasons - age, family situation, questions about divorce/previous marriage, etc. All of this was at a time before homosexual marriages were even thought of, but wouldn't the principle be the same? Yes- I meant that in Canada at least, an accredited minister can perform weddings which are then considered legal marriages in the civil sphere. The couple shows up in the church at the time of the marriage with the marriage license form which has already been registered with the Dept of Vital Statistics. Immediately after the church wedding, the priest or officiant signs the marriage license form. The couple then takes this form to Vital Statistics and the marriage is considered a legal marriage.

Of course though nothing obligates the religious minister to perform this marriage- the couple must first conform to the required moral standards of the church where the marriage will take place. But my point was also that this legal allowance to the religious minister is different from that allowed to a justice of the peace (a marriage commissioner) who is legally obligated to perform a wedding to any couple, regardless of life style as long as they meet certain legal standards: http://vitalstats.gov.mb.ca/GettingMarried.html.

In Canada, registered clergy are protected by law when they enforce stricter standards than the civil law itself requires.

In Christ- Fr Raphael