UK: London vicar ‘fully expects’ to be punished for marrying same-sex partner
A London vicar who married his same-sex partner last week says he “fully expects” action to be taken against him for doing so.
The House of Bishops banned gay clergy from marrying earlier this year, and hospital chaplain Jeremy Pemberton – who married his same-sex partner in April – has had his Permission to Officiate revoked by the Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham.
Father Foreshaw-Cain, who put up “Keep calm and support equal marriage” signs in two of his churches in January, told London24 today: “It’s very sad what they’ve done to Jeremy. It leaves me waiting to see what action my own bishop will take.
“My situation is a little different – I’m a freehold incumbent which in theory makes it harder for me to be removed from my post.
“But given what has come out of the House of Bishops condemning same-sex marriage, my bishop will have to take some sort of action – and I fully expect him to.
“I just don’t know what that will be. What else can I do but wait and see?
“In the end I just hope he sees my marriage as we do – as an act of love and as a promise in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer.
“Stephen’s made an honest man out of me, and I’ve made an honest man out of him – the church should be celebrating marriages like these.”
Earlier today the Church denied it is keeping a secret blacklist of clergy in same-sex marriages in order to deny them further posts.
