The Orlando Sentinel reports that Bishop Greg Brewer of the Diocese of Central Florida will meet Thursday evening (May 7) with Rich and Eric McCaffrey, the gay couple whose son Jack’s baptism was scheduled and then postponed because of congregation members’ objections:
Brewer said there is some disagreement between [cathedral Dean Anthony] Clark and the two men as to whether the date of the baptism, April 19, was firm or tentative.
The bishop said he doesn’t oppose the baptism of the child of gay parents, but before that takes place he needs to know if the McCaffreys are committed to raising the child as a Christian.
In the bishop’s words, “Whether they are active in the church and Christians in the community is far more important than whether they are gay or straight.”
Rich McCaffrey published the following statement on Facebook earlier today:
Hi Everyone,
I have intentionally held on commenting online out of respect for our meeting with Bishop Brewer tomorrow. However, I want to offer a few points of clarification to the OS article published this evening.
– Jack’s baptism date of April 19 was not tentative – this is first I have heard there may be “disagreement” about this. It was agreed to and reiterated in the baptism prep class we attended (held shortly before that date). Others attended that same class who were being baptized Easter weekend.
– Our intention was / is to baptize our son and raise him in the Christian faith as we were.
Thank you all for your continued support,
Rich
Posted by Cara Ellen Modisett
Photo above: Cathedral Church of St. Luke in Orlando