After living together for seven years in a seemingly accepting community in New York City, Edward DeBonis and Vincent Maniscalco decide to get married. But unlike many other gay couples who formalize their relationship in a domestic union, Vincent and Edward, both devout Catholics, will settle for nothing short of the “Holy Sacrament of Marriage.”

The couple’s request to The New York Times to announce their wedding in the weekly “Styles” section throws the newspaper into disarray. Publishing the first Catholic gay wedding announcement presents the editors with numerous controversial questions: Is a gay priest a real priest? Can a gay union be called a wedding? Can a gay couple be considered Catholic? As America stands on the verge of legal acceptance of gay and lesbian unions, “Saints and Sinners” explores the social, political, and religious aspects of same-sex marriage and examines its effect on American society.