Reverend Joanna Rush Wilpan

Burlington, MA Lesbian & Gay Wedding Officiant

Interfaith Minister for LGBT Weddings in Boston, Cape Cod, Cape Ann, Lenox - Massachusetts

   

 

Joanna Believes in Gay Marriage as a Civil Right

I believe in gay marriage as a civil right and I have other more personal reasons for my commitment to co-creating a perfect wedding ceremony for each couple.

 

My best friend, John, a gay rights activist from the time of his youth at Stonewall, never imagined marriage would be in his future. He never had a desire to marry either until he met Craig, the love of his life. Craig wanted the whole thing – house, kids, dogs, happily ever after.

 

While he resisted at first, John began to open up to the idea that what they had was a loving marriage in every way but in the eyes of the law. They taught me what marriage was about during the time that they both were dealing heroically with the ravages of AIDS. They gave the words “for better or worse” new meaning. Craig died first, in John’s arms. John died two years later surrounded by loved ones.

 

So, in honor of and inspired by my friends, it’s my privilege to facilitate the ceremony that celebrates each courageous couple who takes this step to meet the challenges and accept the rewards of a loving marriage.

 

 

Interfaith LGBT Wedding Ceremonies & Rites of Passage     

Reverend Joanna Rush Wilpan is an Interfaith Minister, graduated from and ordained by One Spirit Interfaith Seminary and licensed as a wedding Officiant by the state of New York. She also performs Funerals, Baby Blessings, Commitment Ceremonies, Renewals of Vows, Public Prayer, Spiritual Counseling for people of all faiths, cultures, ethnicities, sexual preference in the New York Metropolitan area as well as Boston, Massachusetts and environs.

 

 

Joanna's Ability to Listen & Emphasize Comes from Her Experience in Theatre, Film & Television

Joanna comes to the Ministry with a background in Theatre, Film and TV as an actor and writer. This experience serves very well when creating a personalized service - from the actor's ability to listen and empathize, to respect for the elegance and power of the words spoken from the heart. As part of her ministry, she performs her solo play "Asking For It" for audiences from college to Off-Broadway.

 

 

Reverend Joanna's Spiritual Background & Life Experiences

Joanna was raised Catholic, married in the Church, divorced and happily re-married to a Jewish man. When she was no longer welcomed in the Catholic church, she explored everything from Atheism to Zen and continues on her spiritual path with ongoing study of world religions, death and dying, spiritual counseling, prayer, ritual, ethics and more at One Spirit Interfaith Seminary. As an ordained Interfaith Minister, she has an understanding and appreciation for all spiritual practices, paths and beliefs.

 

She and her husband lived across the street from the World Trade Center. On 9/11 as the towers were collapsing and they were stumbling around in the darkness, people outside were screaming and running toward the Hudson River and the cry out of Joanna's mouth was "Where are you, God??" 

 

After some angry time, wondering how this could be done in the name of God, she heard about One Spirit Interfaith Seminary and somewhere on their website it was mentioned that with all the killing in the name of religion, finding the common truths underlying the world's religions was one step toward world peace. Now she is finding the answer to the question "Where are you, God?" in the coming together of two people in a loving, committed relationship, in bringing two families together to form a new one; when a baby is born; at a funeral, in the discovery of a life well lived. 

 

Her first marriage, a traditional Catholic ceremony joining the families of two cultures, Irish and Italian, lasted for seven years but the family goes on. After all they have an Irish/Italian son.

  

The painful divorce and loss of being able to practice her birth religion sent her on a spiritual path that has given her peace in her life, a wonderful husband, 2 great Episcopalian kids and beautiful, little "open to anything" grandsons.

 

She has a special place in her heart for divorced Catholics.  

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