SOUTH AFRICAN BISHOP DESMOND TUTU ON SSM: From the Calgary Sun

Former South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu spoke of equality for gays and lesbians yesterday, but stopped short of endorsing same-sex marriage. At an honourary degree ceremony held in one of Vancouver's oldest churches, the Nobel laureate told the crowd that God draws in all races and groups, including "gay, lesbian, so-called straight."

Asked outside the church on his position on same-sex marriage, Tutu, an Anglican, said he "would prefer we didn't call it marriage.

"It just causes a lot of hassles. If you say you are blessing a union, I would prefer that. You just raise unnecessary hassles."

The issue is a particularly sensitive in the Vancouver area, where the local Anglican diocese has been at the heart of an international religious debate over same-sex blessings.

Michael Ingham, the bishop of New Westminster, accepted a diocese vote in 2002 to allow its churches to bless same-sex unions.

The issue has divided the diocese, prompting some conservative parishes to ask for a bishop other than Ingham to oversee their congregations.

Four top Anglican leaders from Africa and Asia have lent their support to the conservatives.

Outside the church, Ingham said Tutu is "very familiar with the situation here and he has expressed his support to me on a number of occasions."

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