A priest in Switzerland has been forced to resign after he blessed a lesbian couple in a ceremony he said was similar to a wedding.
Fr Wendelin Bucheli blessed the couple in his parish church in Burglen in October last year.
Bishop Vitus Huonder of Chur diocese said the priest must now resign and return to his home diocese of Lausanne.
A statement from Chur diocese noted that Bishop Huonder and Bishop Charles Morerod of Lausanne had agreed that according to canon law it was possible to bless a homosexual couple, but “not possible to contract a homosexual partnership”.
The pro-reform Austrian Priests’ Initiative said Fr Bucheli’s dismissal was “most worrying and unacceptable”.
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