A group of witches is claiming religious discrimination after church leaders banned them from using its social club.
Sandra Davis – High Priestess at the Crystal Cauldron – had reserved Our Lady’s Social Club in Shaw Heath for her Pagan group’s Annual Witches’ Ball in October.
But when she rang to make payment arrangements she was told the event could not be held there and – despite already having printed tickets – another venue must be found.
At first the club insisted the cancellation was down to a double booking, but bosses at the Diocese of Shrewsbury have since confirmed witches are not ‘compatible with the Catholic ethos’.
Sandra, 61, said: "I’m appalled. My congregation is shocked that in this day and age there can be such religious discrimination. We’re normal people who follow an earth-based religion and want to enjoy ourselves. We thought we were bridging the gap with other religions but misconceptions still exist, like we sacrifice animals. Does the church check everyone’s beliefs before allowing them in the club? Now we need another venue for at least 100 people with a stage for entertainment. At this point that’s going to be very difficult."
Sandra, of Bridgehall, set up the Crystal Cauldron on Gorton Road, Reddish, as a pagan meeting place and hopes to turn it into a temple. Last year’s Witches’ Ball was held at the Moor Suite, in Heaton Moor, but somewhere with better access was needed.
This year’s event was planned for October and Sandra agreed to hire the social club for £175.
Reverend John Joyce, from the Diocese of Shrewsbury, said: "Parish centres under our auspices let their premises on the understanding users and their organisations are compatible with the ethos and teachings of the Catholic church. In this instance, we aren’t satisfied such requirements are met."
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Jim Baker (17/06/2009 at 12:07)
These people were planning a social event with music. What can there be to object to in that?
Discrimination against witches is a few steps away from persecution of witches, something the catholic church should remember with great guilt...
Donna Edwards (17/06/2009 at 12:17)
Cerridwen(Wigan), Wigan (17/06/2009 at 14:00)
Sandra's group is trying to bridge gaps, and dispell ignorance about the Craft, yet is being met with brick walls. We honour a Goddess as well as a God, and follow the cycle of the year, as it turns through the seasons. We celebrate these events, with ritual, music and dance. Please stop discrimination, if one church can you all can.
Amethyst Selmaselene (17/06/2009 at 16:52)
The Witch's Ball is a family event with dancing, games etc just like any other party. The difference being that some of us Walk the well worn path of The Old Ways, ordinary people, with ordinary lives.
It is such a shame that all religions cannot accept each others ways as we respect every other religion.
The man who had to also tell me that we couldnt have the room was very apologetic and said embarrased at having to tell me they wouldnt let us have the venue.
However, we have now got somewhere else larger and should have a really great time. I never imagined it would cause this much fuss.
Dennis the Menace, Hyde (18/06/2009 at 01:01)
David Higson (18/06/2009 at 08:19)
Witchcraft is, whether we like it or not, fundamentally opposed to Christian principles. "Do as ye will, so long as ye harm none," is diametrically opposed to the teachings of Jesus - Revelation 2:19-20 "'I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.
Most nature religions are heavy on fertility ritual, which involves some element of sexual immorality.
I imagine that the Catholic church, whilst trying to exorcise it's own very public demons of sexual immorality is having to take a stand somewhere.
Heather Hamilton (18/06/2009 at 19:10)
Amethyst Selmaselene (19/06/2009 at 12:33)
I have to tell you David that once again you have been misinformed about our rituals and the fact that we are an Earth & Fertility relgion.
Fertility is not just about sex, it is about the way the earth renews itself every season.
The Cauldron is reresentative of the Womb from where we all came.
The Athame and The Chalice , the male and female representations.
All our rituals are symbolic and under any circimstance whatsoever is there anything of a sexual nature involved in our workings.
Hovever the power of love is amazing.
You really are under a false impression of Traditional Witchcraft.
Perhaps you are confusing us with the Rituals of Gerald Gardeners Wiccan rituals which of course were written by him, we do not follow any of those rituals.
I hope that you and others can find more relevant information of The Craft I can only speak of coure for for we do here in our group.
Also I have never had any intention or mentioned that we would want to Sue for compensation in anyway. I lost nothing financially, just inconvenience and this was and should have remained just one of those 'funny' incidents instead of being taken out of context.
Perhaps if it is reported accurately then this would not have happened. The fact that the club also lied about being a double booking has not been mentioned.
We did not want to cause any problems for the man who runs the Social Club and I do hope we have not done so, he was very helpful and a nice man. This was not his decision.
Respectfully
Sandra Davies
Jim Baker (19/06/2009 at 16:25)
They would not have booked the venue if they knew the catholic church controlled it, so maybe a bit daft of them.
BUT, the social club appears to be run as a separate commercial concern to make money. As such, they are subject to the law, and the law now does not permit religious discrimination.
So this really is a mini-scandal, now taken up by the world press. Not good publicity for the catholics whose church struggles while the pagans prosper.
They only wanted to have a party!
Amethyst Selmaselene (20/06/2009 at 09:05)
Can I just say that this article has gone completely haywire.
Firstly I did not know that the Flint Street Social Club belonged to the Catholic Church until I telephoned them to see if I could hire the room.
When he answered the telephone he answered with 'Our Lady's' and that made me ask the question, I heard you call this Our Lady's does this mean that you are connected to the Catholic Church and he said we are connected but this is a totally independant business.
With this I explained who and what I was and why I wanted to book the room and that I didnt want to compromise him in any way.
My criteria for finding a room is:
1, It had ground floor access enabling people with dissabilites could attend
2. It had a stage for the |Entertainment and their equipment
3. It had a dance floor
4. It had a bar.
5. We could do our own catering
6. Would accomodate approx 150 people
He then said the room was available the date I required and that it did not matter what I used the room for once I had hired it. He gave me seven days to take down the £175.00 room charge.
When I tried to make a time and date to do this I couldnt get through during the day and so I telephoned him in the evening and this is when he told me we could not have the room. He was a very helpful nice person.
He said he was embarassed at having to tell me the decision and that he had tried to explain that I had been totally upfront with him but that the outcome was 'they don't want you here'.
At first I thought it was funny although inconvenient as I now had to find another room with the same criteria which was not easy.
When I thought about it a little it seemed to me that there was still an element of 'witch's are bad' attitude here.
I am so shocked and surprised that it has caused such a wide spread interest and all the attention, but it has.
If I had know it was run by a Catholic Church, I most certainly would not have attempted to book the room.
All I wanted was a nice room to have the 'Witch's Ball'. Which I have now achieved and booked.
But, enough is enough , this flippin story has got out of hand, and I have refused to discuss it anymore, with anyone, it was suposed to be just a funny little incident which has been taken out of context by the press (as usual) it was not intended to humiliate or disrespect any other relgious belief, and especially to affect Paganism in anyway, I work hard trying to get my local Council to recognise and accept us.
I think we should be ALL be left alone to follow which path we want without retribution or descrimination, especially from each other xx
That is all there is to this story, nothing sinister or underhand.
Hope this clears this up
Blessings
Sandra
Amethyst Selmaselene (20/06/2009 at 23:26)
This is of course untrue, most of it is symbolic or it means fertility of the earth, try and educate yourself about Traditional Witchcraft before you make such rash comments, this is exactly the kind of statement that comes from mis-information and incorect education.