Pagan Chaplain in CA Court for Religious Freedom Case
Friday December 14, 2007
Back in 2003, Wiccan priest Patrick McCollum filed a lawsuit on behalf of Pagan inmates in California prisons. The suit challenges California's policy that allows for only five state-recognized religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant Christian, Judaism, Muslim and Native American. Basically, if you're an inmate in California who practices something other than those five religions, you're pretty much poo-outta-luck if you want services, pastoral counseling, or anything else.
The Lady Liberty League's 2003 report states: Patrick has challenged this policy stating that it is a violation of the United States Constitution for any government agency to discriminate in employment on the basis of religion, and that it is a violation of the separation of church and state for the state of California to favor or sponsor any religion over another. This case is the result of the state of California's refusal to accept applications for employment from Wiccans, for open and publicly advertised clergy positions.
McCollum, who is a high priest of Our Lady of the Wells, is appearing in the 9th District Court in San Francisco today, to see if the court will allow the case to proceed. If McCollumn is successful in the long run, then California would no longer be able to give certain religions preference over others within the prison system. Not only that, it would allow Pagan clergy to be hired in a prison ministry capacity.
The Lady Liberty League's 2003 report states: Patrick has challenged this policy stating that it is a violation of the United States Constitution for any government agency to discriminate in employment on the basis of religion, and that it is a violation of the separation of church and state for the state of California to favor or sponsor any religion over another. This case is the result of the state of California's refusal to accept applications for employment from Wiccans, for open and publicly advertised clergy positions.
McCollum, who is a high priest of Our Lady of the Wells, is appearing in the 9th District Court in San Francisco today, to see if the court will allow the case to proceed. If McCollumn is successful in the long run, then California would no longer be able to give certain religions preference over others within the prison system. Not only that, it would allow Pagan clergy to be hired in a prison ministry capacity.
I’m glad Patrick is the priest representing Wiccan interests in this court case. California should never have enacted such a law. Patrick has many years of professional chaplaincy experience, professional demeanor, and is generally a good person to carry this torch. Best of luck in his case. — Michael
I can’t help but think this sort of religious discrimination was ushered in by the so-called “faith-based initiative” enacted by our current President. Apparently the heads behind this travesty are unaware of several legal precedents which state that what they did is *illegal*. Or, more likely, they know and just don’t care.