Church backs out of baptism for child adopted by gay parents

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The Episcopal Church in Florida received backlash from the church congregation.

The Episcopal Church in Florida has allegedly backed out of a baptism three days before it was due to happen, because of conflict arising among church members over the sexual orientation of the child's parents.

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Highlights

By Atarah Haely (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
5/8/2015 (8 years ago)

Published in Marriage & Family

Keywords: Baptism, Issue, Backed Out, Episcopal Church, Gay Dads, Spiritual Growth, Disappointment, Facebook

MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - One of the adoptive fathers of the child expressed their disappointment through a post on Facebook, claiming that they just wanted their son to grow up with "spiritual foundation."

Although the initial agreement already sparked an amount of controversy, the Episcopal Church is known to be friendly with gays and lesbians in general.

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"Baptism - the rite of Christian initiation - is a significant moment. Being a gay couple, we knew we wanted to be part of a community that would be open to and respectful of our family," wrote Rich McCaffrey, one of the fathers, on Facebook last Sunday.

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He said that both he and Eric, his partner, felt that the Episcopal Cathedral Church of St. Luke in Orlando best fit to the church upbringing they had when they were growing up.

After talking to the church dean, Anthony Clark, they came up with an agreement for having the baptism on April 19 at 6pm, as it was suggested, describing the church attendees in that time slot as more open-minded.

"We invited friends and family, both local and from out of town, and we looked forward to celebrating with Jack on what was to be an important day," McCaffrey wrote to their dismay after receiving a call that the church for the time being cannot facilitate their son's baptism due to internal conflict.

"Jack's baptism turned out to be the very opposite of what it should have been. It became about Jack having two dads, rather than a community opening its arms to a joyful little soul, one of God's children," the post continued.

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