MacPherson voted against same-sex unions.
September 1, 2003
LAFAYETTE — The Rt. Rev. D. Bruce MacPherson, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Louisiana, will pay a visit to Lafayette on Tuesday.
MacPherson is scheduled to speak with local Episcopalians at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Lafayette.
MacPherson is set to speak to area Episcopalians about the actions of the church’s national general convention, held in Minneapolis nearly a month ago. During the two-week long convention, the national church approved of V. Gene Robinson, an openly gay man, as the bishop of New Hampshire. MacPherson voted against the the confirmation of Robinson.
The national convention also approved of the blessing of same sex unions, but left the ultimate decision up to individual bishops to decide for their own dioceses.
MacPherson has already stated in a pastoral letter to members of the diocese that the blessing of same sex unions “has not been a practice in this diocese, and I cannot say clearly nor firmly enough, will not be.
“What has taken place is contrary to Scripture,” he said.
The meeting is intended for the Acadiana convocation of the diocese, which includes the Episcopal congregations from Lafayette, Crowley, Abbeville, Opelousas, Jennings and New Iberia.
Last week, MacPherson held similar meetings in Alexandria and Lake Charles and will hold two more meetings this week in Shreveport and Monroe.
MacPherson became the third bishop of the diocese in November 2002.
The Episcopal Diocese of Western Louisiana includes most of the state west of the Mississippi River.