High profile academic and colleague
The Bishop of Massachusetts, in the United States, the Rt Revd Tom Shaw, officiated at the marriage of two lesbian Episcopalian clerics in St Paul’s Cathedral, Boston, on New Year’s Day, today’s Church Times pass4sure 000-598reports.
A statement issued by the Episcopal Divinity School (EDS)in Cambridge, Mass., on Sunday said that the marriage of the Very Revd Katherine Ragsdale, who is its dean and president, and Canon Mally Lloyd, was “historic”. It took place before almost 400 people.
Bishop Shaw was quoted as saying: “God always rejoices when two people who love each other pass4sure FCBA make a lifelong commitment in marriage to go deeper into the heart of God through each other. It’s a profound pleasure for me to celebrate with God and my friends the marriage of Katherine and Mally.”
Dean Ragsdale, who has not been married before, said: “When I grew up, I never believed I would be able to have someone special in my life, and now to have almost 400 people show up to support us at our marriage ceremony is wonderful.”
Canon Lloyd, who is 57, has three grown-up children by a previous marriage. She and Dean Ragsdale “each have a spiritual life that the other understands”, she said.
In November 2009, Bishop Shaw announced that he would allow clergy in the diocese of Massachusetts to “solemnise all marriages”, the EDS statement said. Same-sex marriage was legalised in Massachusetts in 2004.