their role in population control

.(one of,the themes.,of "Want-

guys married ing Seed," a novel by Anthony
each other?"^ the -waitress in Burgess). -
an elegant San Diego" restau- Historically, the priest
rant asked incredulously-of a pointed out, most religious au-
pair of dandisHly-clad young thority, Roman and Anglican,
Tucson men. has remained neutral on the
issue of marriage in which,
"Yes," they replied in uni-

Society
for whatever the reason, sex-
son, as they accepted the well- ual relations are absent.
wishing toasts of the rest of ?.'A reason a lot of rethinking
their ad-male wedding party. is going on," he said, "is that,
It included the minister who with the rise of moral approv-
-blessed:their union. al of some form of con-
traception — and ail churches,

Ready
' Stm unbelieving, the wait-
ress asked, "Well, which one including the Roman Catholic
of you is the wife and which which limits itself to the
the husband?" rhythm method, now say it's
all right to have sex to some
"We both are"," they said, •extent for enjoyment — ,the
again in unison. The humor minute they say that, you can

For
was vintage wry. • eliminate sex only for pro-
The questions the waitress creation as a requirement for
asked have been asked by oth- ' marriage.
ers since last July 28 when the ."If the trend of the next 20
two were "married" after years continues like that of
months of living, together. _ ^ the last 10 years, there is go-

Same-Sex
They are but two of an in- - • ing to have to be some recog-
creasing number of couples of nition of people living together
the same sex who, encouraged in more than a roommate
by gay liberation groups relationship."
throughout the country, are The priest doesn't know if it
seeking public recognition of will ever happen that a church

Marriage?
their connubial state and, in will sanction same-sex mar-
some cases, the advantages riages, noting that the pend-
available to couples but de- ulum seems to be swinging
nied to single persons. now from a wide liberal arc
For the Tucson couple who back to a more restrictive at-
had their union blessed, "pub- titude. He sees the tendency
lic recognition" would be a as-being brought about by a
misnomer: They do not flaunt return of a fundamentalist,
their homosexuality, but nei-
By, Dan Pavillard Pentecostal type of spirituality
ther do they hide it. Both nor- Ole! Staff Writer that is cutting across all de-
mal in appearance and action nominational lines.
— and professing Christians — "We seem to be going to-
they sought religious sanction ward assort of spirituality
for their relationship. Legal where'if-you are just close to
status was secondary to them. For states requiring mar- Jesus,: you'll be perfect right
The courts further -noted — and, to his secretary, now. There is a tot of en-
It is the first, known mar- riage licenses, there is no spe- that the purpose for marriage "Next!" thusiasm, as there is at the
riage of its type involving cific requirement for the type , was to establish the family start of any movement. You
members of the Tucson homo- of ceremony in which the mar- and the raising of children as "In recent years, with ad-
sexual community, but it is riage is solemnized, so long as the cornerstone of western vances in the social and be- get involved, you're very ex-
only the latest example of the civilization. They have felt the havioral sciences, we seem to cited about it, it's very emo-
.phenomenon nationally. The the service is performed by a purpose of marriage so rooted be getting away from a mere- tional — and sexuality doesn't
marriage occurred in one of judge or an ordained minister. in common understanding that ly legalistic approach to reli- seem to be important.
the several churches springing But most states do not define it need not be explicitly de? gion in general and sexuality "It's a very pure form of
up around .the country that what an ' 'ordained minister'' fined in marriage statutes. in particular," he said. "I
think there has been an in- love, so-called. People are
minister primarily to homo- is. ' . • ' • ••.•..' - . • • starved for any sort of spiritu-
sexuals. It was performed in a But these are changing , creasingly pastoral approach.
al love.
church building also used by a times. The Tucson men never 'How do you deal with them in
regular Methodist congrega- f entertained the thought that their situation?' has become "There is a hesitancy how
tion, - they were founding a family the question that needs an- even, to discuss the com-
by:seeking marriage. They swering." plexities of life. I think what
To sympathetic friends the wanted a contract that recog- we've done in the last 10 to, 20
couple proudly display their the priest said he is con-
nized their right to live to- fronted years is to say, 'Look, life is
"marriage ' license," which Common sense gether as first class citizens, couples, frequently
some
by young
heterosexual, more complicated than saying
reads:' without prejudice or dis- "Don't do these 10 things." '
This is to certify that seems to dictate crimination because of their others homosexual including
lesbians, who announce off- People find themselves in per-
'"';.:,. , and——— were that two per sons sexual orientation. handedly that they are living plexing situations and they
lawfully united in the Holy Some other couples have together. "What do you say to don't have anything to judge
Bonds of Matrimony on July of the same sex sought same-sex marriage in them?" he asked rhetorically. by."
28; 1972, according to the Rite order to claim the tax advant-
of the Universal Fellowship of cannot marry ages of joint returns, "My approach is to use the Unquestionably, the priest's
Metropolitan Community same principles for counseling liberal attitudes are not
special advantages of spouses shared by many — perhaps
Churches and in conformity in workmen's compensation homosexuals as hetero-
with the laws of the State of
Californa in the Church of 9 and Social Security laws, ben-
efits of community property
most — of his colleagues in
other denominations, but it is
Metropolitan Community, San and privileges such as: not equally unquestioned that his
Diego, the Rev. — offici- own church does not regard
having to testify in court his views as unacceptable or
ating in the presence of California statutes authorize against a spouse.
" a clergyman to marry "any un- him as a maverick.
nesses as recorded in the Mar- married persons who have They have not succeeded, I think church . Commented Father Hunter
riage Register of this Church. been living together as man and they may have been bark-
ing up the wrong tree..Instead sanction of Morris, executive officer of
And it is signed by the and wife." of directly challenging the val-
the Episcopal Diocese of Ari-
church pastor. .
•*y * . ' . - • ' - ' ' :
Because there is no express idity of such benefits being re- same-sex zona:.,
• But there are some prob- requirement in the marriage stricted to the traditional fam- marriages is "I would say that his (the
lems with the document, ac- laws of either California or ily unit, homosexuals have priest's) comments are cer-
cording to alogljtjiegal expert.
The waitress ;^'Pthe ^wedding
Arizona, these two: Tucson tried to qualify for them by
men could have applied to the arguing that they, too, have a
far-fetched tainly not out of bounds in
terms of general stands the
party restaurant .zeroed in on clerk of Superior Court for a .-.right to be married. (They Episcopal Church has taken
the most important one — sex- license to marry. Others have have tried this approach prob- nationally and in Arizona.
ual difference — however un- tried it elsewhere, arguing ably reab'zing their chances of "He seems to be more in
• wittingly'; that the 14th 'Amendment to effecting changes in legisla- touch with the situation than
the Constitution requires tion to benefit themselves the majority of people and has
All states recognize mar- states to license same-sex would be slim). sexuals," he said. "I try to
riage as.a personal relation- marriages and that to deny discourage promiscuity, a given more thought to it. He is
ship between two consenting them is arbitrary dis- But marriage is more than a frequent problem for homo- abreast of developments.
parties who are living to- crimination. None has suc- union,contract.
legal It is a spiritual
a religious rite.
sexuals but no more so now "He does stand,- outside the
gether as husband^ and wife. ceeded. than with heterosexuals, and church as some folks (some
And most require a license to encourage them to exercise members of Episcopal congre-
and a marriage ceremony. Common sense seems to dic- has A local Episcopalian priest some real love for each other.
counseled the :couple and a gations) view it, but he is not
tate that two persons of the few other same-sex marriage "I think church sanction of outside the church as any offi-
There are states that permit same sex cannot marry. The partners, same-sex marriages is far-fet- cial church body views it."
common law marriages — as well as unwed
courts, in two recent cases, heterosexual couples. ched," he said. "But there is
marriages recognized by the have used Webster's dictiona- Could an Episcopal priest
state after a couple has been always a possibility." He
ry and Black's law dictionary He says the day is gone noted that some behavioral perform such a marriage?
living together as husband and to define marriage as being when a pastor can read them scientists have even suggested
wife — but California and Ari- "A priest of the church
united to a person of the oppo- the canon law that says that the day may come when
zona are not two of them. site sex. "Don't do that sort of thing" homosexuals are hampered for Continued MI page 4

S AT U R D AY , FEBRUARY 17, 1973 TU C SO N D AILY CITIZEN PAG E 3


Marriage
Continued from page 3
wears two hats when he Is
solemnizing a marriage," said
Father Morris, "One is as an
.officer of the state and, there-
fore, if such a marriage is ille-
gal he cannot perform it when
he wears that hat When he is
solemnizing a marriage in his
priestly role, however, he is
representing the congregation
to which the couple belong and
this congregation can say this
is a valid relationship and
should be consummated.
In the "absence of any stat-
ute specifically prohibiting
such a/marriage, what should
the priest do if he is asked to
perform such a marriage?
Father Morris: "He has to
; make:his own decision -in that
time'and that place. If he did
perform such a marriage he
would not be censured by
church authorities."
But the courts do not honor
the Tucson men's contract,
and no traditional church may
ever formally sanction their
union.
Still, they draw comfort
from the certificate they hold,
their Holy Rite of Matrimony,
and, sitting at their-dining,
table they re-mad passages
from the ceremony, the Kite of ;
Sacred Union, that has mean— -'service of worship," the docu-
wg-tor them, if not for court or ment reads in part, "in which
church.
offered and a blessing is giv-
en.
"(Celebrants rise and face
each other for the exchange of
- "This is in fact the celebra- ' vows, holding both hands.)
tion of a very sacred rite. It is
The union rites pur hope, our prayer that "MINISTER In the pres-
ence of God and this company
. . —and -—; -who
are closely stand before us firm and se- of your friends, I ask you,
patterned after cure in their knowledge that , is it your wish
they are God's children seek- from this day forward to
traditional ing to merge into oneness as share your life in all its impor-
they strive each for the other
marriage •and to give only love, under- tant aspects with .?. '
standing, peace and fulfill-
services "Will you fervently endea-
ment, that the days of .each vor to understand h-, sustain
9 may be more blessed, more h- needs, care for h-, com-
beautiful, more serene." fort h--, cherish and love h-,
sharing all'these things with
The union rites are closely h-,
patterned after traditional and to the best,of your ability
with God's great help?"
"This service of union is a marriage services, with
.places left blank for gender And the traditional answers
changes in the minister's in- •are used, spoken by both par-
vows are exchanged, prayers structions: ties: "I will."

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P AG E 4 TUCSO N D AILY CITIZEN SATU R D AY, FEBRUARY 17, 1973