Gay marriages (From Malvern Gazette)

Gay marriages

11:30am Monday 18th February 2013 in Letters

I WRITE in response to last week’s bold and positive Comment article.

Whatever we may think of David Cameron’s political motives in supporting the vote for gay marriage, I believe it is a move in the right direction in building up our civil society.

This legislation, when enacted, will represent a significant and welcome change in the social policy of the Conservative Party since the days of Section 28.

I was sorry therefore to note the views expressed by Andrew Grant. It seems that education about gay people is needed even today.

My partner and I have been together for 39 years and we entered a civil partnership six years ago.

Ideally, I would have wished this to have been a ceremony within and blessed by the Church equal to that of a heterosexual marriage.

As Christians, we are actively involved in our respective churches.

Whenever we worship together, we are accepted as a couple.

I am Catholic and my partner is Anglican. We are loved and accepted by both of our congregations.

Regretfully, the hierarchies within our Churches remain homophobic.

I hope the passing of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill will without further delay enable those of us who wish, to enjoy the full benefits of either a civil or religious marriage.

But I fear that the churches, both Anglican and Catholic, have a long way to go before they give formal recognition to that.

But change must and will come.

NIGEL GROOM Malvern