ONE of the main groups in the Church of Ireland’s debate about whether it should accept clergy in same-sex partnerships has received thousand of pounds of public funds. Documents released to the News Letter under the Freedom of Information Act show that money went from the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) and Belfast City Council to the lobby group Changing Attitude Ireland. [Continue Reading]
Belfast News Letter: Orange anger at Church gay row
May 2, 2009
A PLAN to “celebrate diversity” at a high-profile Church of Ireland service has been scrapped after the Loyal Orders withdrew over the involvement of a pro-gay lobby group. The symbolic service, held during the Church’s annual General Synod in Armagh, to be attended by the Roman Catholic Cardinal, Sean Brady, would have been the spiritual focal point of what is effectively the denomination’s parliament. [Continue Reading]
Belfast News Letter: Clergy at Gay Pride to protest and take part
August 5, 2008
NORMALLY the only clergy attending the annual Gay Pride march in Belfast are those present to demonstrate. But on Saturday, Protestant clergy were both protestors and participants. For while Church of Ireland ministers joined a Unitarian clergyman in the Belfast Pride march as supporters of the gay festival, Free Presbyterians and other religious opponents of the city centre event protested on the pavements. [Continue Reading]
