Protesters Hold 'Pray-In' Over MontCo Same-Sex Marriage Licenses

Written by Patch Community Editor Nicole Foulke

The conservative group Pro-Life Coalition of Pennsylvania held a ‘pray-in’ at the office of the Montgomery County Register of Wills in Norristown at noon on Friday to protest Register D. Bruce Hanes’srecent decision to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

The pray-in, during which about 10 coalition members and their supporters held signs and prayed Christian-themed prayers, was observed primarily by the Register of Wills employees and members of the media.

Pat Stanton, who came from Jenkintown to support the Coalition today, stood next to a sign reading “marriage: one man one woman” and himself held a sign reading “children need a mom + dad.”

Stanton spoke about loving those “on the other side.”  But, he said, “we want them to come to the truth that god is truth.”

According to Coalition member Victoria Naoe, who participated in the pray-in, a same-sex union “goes against nature and it goes against god.”

In making his decision to extend marriage licenses to same-sex couples, Register D. Bruce Hanes consulted with Register of Wills solicitor Michael Clarke and Montgomery County Solicitor Raymond McGarry before he announced on July 23 that he was prepared to issue the licenses.

According to Hanes, the impetus was when a same-sex couple approached his office and inquired about a marriage license.  It is a civil rights issue, said Hanes.  “I’m going to do it from here on until somebody tells me to stop,” he said.

Hanes said that he has not heard from Governor Tom Corbett, and District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman will not be involved in the issue that the Coalition has against him.  The response to his decision, he said, has been “overwhelmingly positive.”

According to Naoe, the Coalition is actively seeking the help of local and state politicians to have Hanes impeached.  Naoe said that after the pray-in the Coalition went to the Office of the District Attorney to see District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman, but were unable to speak to Ferman or the other attorneys.  They have contacted Corbett and have not heard back yet as of this afternoon.

As of the end of day today, the Register of Wills had issued a total 26 marriage licenses to same-sex couples since the office began to issue the same-sex licenses.  There were 10 issued today.    

Engaged Lower Merion couple Charles Burrus and Sander Schlichter came to obtain their marriage license soon after the Coalition departed from the office.  Schlichter, a medical doctor, and Burrus, an artist and former nurse, have been together over 13 years.   

According to Schlichter, his employer gave them all of the benefits that they needed “but now we have this piece of paper and they can’t take that away from us,” he said.