US President signs Respect for Marriage Act
Former Bishop of Liverpool, Rt Revd Paul Bayes, welcomed the news that US President Joe Biden signed the Respect Marriage Act on Tuesday. The new law prohibits US states from denying the validity of out-of-state marriages based on gender, race, or ethnicity. It replaces the Defense of Marriage Act of 1996 which formally defined marriage between a man and a woman. During an elaborate signing ceremony on the White House grounds, President Biden said: “The road to this moment has been long, but those who believe in equality and justice have never given up.” In response on Twitter, Bishop Bayes said: “This is very good news and evidence that even in a deeply divided society, the rights of people around the world to love and marry each other are increasingly being honored and respected”.
Peruvian bishops: ‘Violence is not the answer’
Peru’s Roman Catholic bishops have said “violence is not the solution” to political uncertainty in the country as anti-government protests intensified this week, resulting in seven deaths, Vatican News reports. On Monday, supporters of former President Pedro Castillo blocked roads and stormed Arequipa’s international airport in protest of his ouster and arrest. His successor and former deputy, Dina Boluarte, proposed in response to advance the general elections by two years to April 2024. In a statement, the bishops appealed to the Peruvian National Police to “act within the framework of the law, safeguarding the integrity of the people”, and said that the country could not “afford the luxury of misgovernment”. The statement concludes: “Violence is not the solution to the crisis or to differences. No more violence, no more deaths. Peru must be our priority!”
Florida dismisses objections to second election
The Standing Committee of the Diocese of Florida has dismissed objections to the second election of the Rev. Charlie Holt as bishop of the diocese (News, November 25), after the first was overturned on procedural grounds (News, August 26 ). The objectors alleged that the diocese published a list of delegates present at the election that included the name of at least one cleric who had not registered and did not attend. Responding in a letter Tuesday, the committee writes that while the list contained “clerical errors,” these “had no impact on the independent auditors’ count of clergy present, nor on the integrity of the quorum or voting.” . Last week, Fr. Holt said he remained committed to the diocese, despite the “humiliation” of the second formal challenge to his election (News, December 9).
