Press Release
Office of Communications
The
Evangelical Catholic Diocese of Northwest
Post
Office Box 178388 Chicago Illinois 60617
(T)
773-721-5383 (F) 773-721-2581
diocesenw@evangelicalcatholicchurch.org
For
Immediate Release – June 17, 2011
◊
Diocesan
Policy Statement on Civil Unions
The following is the official Policy
Statement of the Evangelical Catholic Diocese of the Northwest on
the matter of Civil Unions:
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”