Gay couples wanting to take advantage of new legislation allowing civil unions will not be able to have a church ceremony in a NZ Catholic church. Catholics have banned the controversial ceremonies from their churches, but with the Civil Union Act due to come into effect on April 26, the Anglican, Presbyterian and Methodist Churches have not yet settled on their policies. Catholic priests will not be permitted to conduct civil unions for either heterosexual or homosexual couples. Catholic Communications director Lyndsay Freer says the status of marriage is "diminished by making any other kind of relationship its equivalent". The Church does not not see the purpose of civil unions for heterosexual couples, she says.
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Tuesday, 25th January 2005 - 12:00pm