On October 14, 1995, Kevin E. Crispin & AJ Alfieri celebrated the Blessing of their Holy Union at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. The planning included an hour long session with The Right Reverend Richard L. Shimpfky, Bishop of the Diocese of El Camino Real, and was officiated by the Dean of the Cathedral, The Very Reverend Philip A. Getchell, DD.
It was not a Legal Wedding, but it was official recognition by the church of the sanctity of the relationship that we share. For those of you with a catholic background, the service was a Mass with Eucharist. (Including some smells & bells.) For those of you wanting details or an example of an alternative wedding/commitment text presented in a traditional catholic service, you can view a copy of our wedding ceremony in: HTML, PDF, and editable Word RTF and Word Doc formats.
We were overjoyed at the attendance of 200 supportive friends and members of the parish of Trinity Cathedral (where we attend.)
Because we place a high value on community involvement and responsibility, attendees were encouraged to send donations to the Billy DeFrank Lesbian & Gay Community Center and ARIS (Aids Resources, Information, and Services of Santa Clara County) in lieu of more traditional wedding gifts. People have surprised us with their generosity.
We encourage the rest of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (Queer) Community to remember the struggle that we all share in making steps towards our liberation. We encourage you to support the organizations in your own communities with both your time and your treasure so that they can continue to make a difference and so you may also feel the satisfaction in having made a difference.
Peace, AJ & Kevin