Church of Universal Eclectic Wicca

CUEW's Official stance on the Papal Apology

Whereas We, the practioners of Universal Eclectic Wicca, do not recognise the Papal authority in matters of our history as Modern Wiccans or "NeoPagans"

And as we, the practioners of Universal Eclectic Wicca are not the direct spiritual descendants of those religions attacked by the Catholic Church....

And as we, as American Witches, were not directly affected by the actions of the Catholic Church, as the "Witch burnings" in the colonies that would become the United states were, in fact, committed by Protestants....

And as we have heard signifigant testimony to lead us to believe that some of the sentiment expressed regarding the Catholic Church's involvement in the "Burning times" was, in fact, the result of the actions of Protestants, primarily Lutherans, and has been unfairly leveled upon the Catholic Church, who is accused of the entire crime against humanity when, in fact, they were signifigantly less to blame than said Protestants....

And as we do not believe that the "Witches" hunted down in The Burning Times were, in fact, practioners of the Religion of Modern Wicca, sometimes but not always called "Witchcraft"...

And as we have not seen signifigant proof of the numbers expressed in Oberon Zell's letter regarding the Burning Times....

Be it hereby resolved that CUEW will have no part in the letter requesting an apology from the Pope.

CUEW affiliates may, of course, attach their names to said letter to their hearts' content but we do not support or endorse it, in any way shape or form.

We express once again our outrage at what has been done in the name of Christ to peace loving people, both in the past and in the present, and we would prefer to see his holiness' energies focused NOT on the sins of Catholics (and other Christians) in the past, but instead in altering the treatment that Catholics currently give members of other faiths.

We call not for an apology for the past, but for action: An end to missions in non-Christian countries, an end to education and health care provided in exchange for conversion instead of without care for the faith of those being helped, as we do.

We call, instead of words, for genuine change. Until the Catholic church has proven itself capable of acting upon its need to change, we doubt its ability to uphold any such apology, even if it was warranted or desired.

Passed by 2/3 majority vote of AUEWC. Ratified January 3rd, 2000

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