Vicar-refused-baptise-lesbian-couple-Aimi-Victoria-Leggetts-son

A vicar who refused to name both members of a lesbian couple 'mother' when they baptise their son has launched a vile tirade of abuse against homosexuals.

Reverand George Gebauer described gay people as being 'unbalanced' and having 'a medical issue'.

His comments came after he told Aimi and Victoria Leggett that it would be 'illegal' for them both to appear as parents on one-year-old Alfie's baptism certificate.

Instead he suggested that one of them signs as the mother while the other member of the civil partnership should be the 'godmother'.

Mr Gebauer said: 'I feel sorry for gay and lesbian people. We know there is something not right within their make-up.

'They produce too much hormone - they're imbalanced. That's the way they are. It's a medical issue.'

Aimi, 25, and Victoria, 22, stormed out of the meeting at St Mary's Church in Warsash, Hampshire, after Reverend George Gebauer said the church baptism register only had one space for one mother and one father.

The church is where Aimi - Alfie's biological mother - was baptised and where her parents got married.

The couple, whose civil partnership was in October 2011, said they had organised the Church of England ceremony with Reverend Andy Norris.

 

But Mr Norris has recently left the parish, and retired clergy - including Mr Gebauer - are now officiating until a replacement can be found.

Reverend George Gebauer has described homosexuality as a 'medical issue' saying there was a hormone imbalance

Rev Gebauer said: 'We have bent over backwards to try and accommodate this family. We suggested time and again that the natural mum be registered as mum.

'They will not give way and that can’t happen.The church baptism register makes no provision for it. We can only make sure the child is theirs. For all we know it they may have pinched the child.

 

Civil partners Aimi and Victoria Leggett (pictured on their wedding day) stormed out of the church meeting

The couple wanted St Mary's Church to recognise them both as parents to one-year-old Alfie

'They said they wanted a private service, away from the congregation, and with no other babies. We agreed to that.

'The couple are not even from our parish, so we could have informed their local church and directed them there instead.

'But we kept quiet and agreed to welcome them in.
'However, when it came to the administrative side of things they insisted on both being listed as mum and refused to budge from their position.

'I told them I was unable to do this because the church baptism register only has space for one mother and one father. I believe it would be illegal for me to register them both as mother.

'They will find themselves in the same situation if they go to another vicar or church.

'This is nothing to do with their sexuality. At no point did they say they were a couple - it was just assumed.

'The soul of the little boy is more important than anything else.
'We did not even push them for the name of the father, we were happy to leave that space blank. We have found ourselves at a stalemate.'

He said: 'Surely baptising the child is more important than being registered. They only think of themselves it seems.'

Church: Rev Gebauer is among other clergy standing in for Rev Andy Norris, who has recently left his post as vicar at the Hampshire church

Aimi, from Gosport, said: 'There was no way one of us was going to be listed as the godparent. We are both Alfie’s mum.

'Rev Gebauer sat there and told us no child could have parents of the same sex, no child could have two mothers.

'He did all this for about ten or 15 minutes and was asking us why we want Alfie brought into the church.

Aimi added: 'I’m baptised Church of England, and Victoria is a Catholic. We want him to be brought up the same as we were.

'We were even saying to the Reverend, "Do you want Alfie to be ashamed of his family?"
'He's not gay, we are, what we do is up to us.'

The Archdeacon of the Meon, the Ven Gavin Collins, has since intervened and found an alternative vicar who will perform the ceremony at St Mary's Church on the planned day.

'We have addressed the legal issue. As I understand it, her partner Victoria has full legal co-parental responsibility for Alfie. We can therefore enter their details onto the baptism register as "mother" and "mother", as they would like.

'I’m pleased that this issue has been resolved, and we look forward to welcoming Aimi, Victoria, Alfie and their friends and family. I’m sure it will be a great occasion as we welcome him into the Christian family.'

'Impossible': Rev Gebauer said there was not the space in the Church of England register for two mothers

But Victoria admitted: 'It’s so hard not to be put off by our experience.
'You get told "yes" you can do it and then it all changes and they completely disregard it.'

Mr Gebauer, 87, said he did not refuse to baptise Alfie, and the couple’s sexuality was not an issue.

He said he was willing to carry out the baptism if Aimi and Victoria agree to record just one of them as mother.

The Ven Collins said all children are welcome to the church, and added: ‘We would be thrilled to carry out this baptism and the date is still in the church’s diary. We would also be delighted to record both of the parents as “mother” if that is accurate.
‘The baptism register is a legal document, so it is important we get it right.

‘George was, quite rightly, checking whether the non-biological mother had legally adopted the boy and so could correctly be called his mother.

‘It’s exactly the same when someone remarries. The new parent is a stepfather or stepmother unless they legally adopt their partner’s child from a previous marriage.
Aimi's mother, Donna Leggett, 44, today said: 'Somebody from the church phoned Aimi and Victoria today to say sorry and to say the baptism can go ahead with both named as mum.

'It's great news but it should never have got to this stage in the first place.'