Paul Huff and Tom Wojtowick, longtime members of St. Leo Church in Lewistown, Montana, were banned from receiving Communion or participating in the church choir when news of their 2013 marriage ceremony became known. Rev. Samuel Spiering made the decision soon after he became pastor at St. Leo’s. Bishop William Warfel and other officials from the diocese of Great Falls-Billings had a meeting with the couple in which they outlined terms for reinstating their access to Communion and parish life. The conditions included signing a statement confirming that the Catholic church’s understanding of marriage is between a man and a woman and an agreement that they would divorce.

Huff (73) and Wojtowick (66) refused, citing the need to formalize their relationship of over 30 years to protect their finances and hospital visitation rights. Wojtowick told KULR-TV, “We didn’t think anything would happen, church is one thing, civil society is another.”

Bishop Warfel said in an interview with the Billings Gazette that the two men are “good people” but when the marriage became public knowledge, the diocese had to respond. The bishop met with 300 parishioners who came out in support of the couple, and the Great Falls Tribune reported that 40 church members may have stopped attending Mass at St. Leo’s over the conflict.