Civil Unions
The Sacrament of Marriage
and
The Evangelical Catholic Church
Recently, the State of Illinois has joined a
number of other States which has enacted Civil Union legislation for any
couple regardless of gender composition. For gender common couples, this
legislation offers them the right to legalize their relationships and to
articulate legal rights never before available for them.
The Evangelical Catholic Church believes
that this civil legislation is consistent with the spirituality espoused in
the teaching of the Theology of Social Justice and Peace.
We also hope and pray for the day in which
our nation provides all gender common couples Marriage Equality and the
right to enter into fullness of marriage.
At the time of its consecration, the
Evangelical Catholic Church, based upon the Theology of Social Justice and
Peace, committed itself to the unconditional inclusification of our catholic
sacramental and spiritual life. Thus since 1977, our Catholic community has
welcomed gender common couples to enter into the sacrament of marriage.
An important matter for understanding is
that the sacramental ecclesiology of the Evangelical Catholic Church does
not consider Civil Unions as fulfilling the sacramental nature and form of
marriage.
Thus our catholic community shall continue
to welcome gender common couples to embrace their vocation to the Sacrament
of Marriage.
Until the time comes in which our nation
provides marriage equality for all, the Evangelical Catholic Church shall
recognize and accept valid Civil Union licenses as equal to that of a valid
Marriage License
Permit me at this time to provide an
overview of our Church’s sacramental policy regarding gender common
marriages:
1.
At least
one of the couple candidates for the sacrament of Marriage must be of the
Catholic faith.
2.
Both
candidates for the sacrament of Marriage must be canonically free to enter
into the sacrament of Marriage without impediment.
3.
Couple
must complete an approved program of sacramental preparation.
To lean more about the Sacrament of
Marriage, please click on Sacrament of Marriage.
Please join me in praying for the day in
which Marriage Equality becomes a reality.
I remain,
Respectfully Yours in
Christ,
James Alan Wilkowski
Presiding Bishop for the Evangelical Catholic Church
June 16, 2011
◊
William R. Morton
Director of
Communications
billmorton@evangelicalcatholicchurch.org
“A Welcoming Community
of Faith Rooted in the Catholic Tradition”