VANCOUVER, British Columbia – The Aquarian Tabernacle Church is thrilled to announce that the Church is now officially recognized as a charitable institution in Canada.
The Canadian branch of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church (ATCC) was registered as a society in BC in 1994 and its mandate is to advance religion by teaching and celebrating the tenets, doctrines, and observances associated with Wicca. As practicing Wiccans, ATCC members view God as present in everything: as a single, supreme, infinite, and holy energy often referred to as “The All” or the “Great Mother.” Wiccans believe each person to be an aspect or expression of Deity, whole and holy, with strengths and weaknesses, triumphs and failures. They strive to see and appreciate the reflection of deity within each being.
Right Reverend Mary Malinski, the Archpriestess of ATCC, said “It took quite a bit of work by our congregational volunteers, who have worked diligently over several years to make this a reality. Although Wicca is recognized as a religion in other branches of government, we had to meet the rigorous qualifications of a religion according to charity law. To my knowledge, we are the first Wiccan church in Canada to receive charitable status. This opens doors for our members across Canada. I am extremely grateful to each of our current and past members who contributed to this endeavor.”
Right Reverend Mary Malinski (centre) is installed as Archpriestess of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church of Canada, accompanied by Aquarian Tabernacle Church International clergy: Right Reverend Dusty Dionne (left) and Right Reverend Aedis Laveau (right).
In many provinces, marriage and burial rights are tied to charitable status. “Being able to legally provide these services directly to our congregants will be a relief to many who have had to find workarounds to meeting their spiritual needs,” says Rt. Reverend Malinski. “We also look forward to being able to provide tax receipts to the many donors who support our ministry.”
“I am honored to be following in the footsteps of the founder of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church, Pete Pathfinder Davis, who helped pave the way for Wiccan rights in the United States by becoming a 501c3 charitable organization, advocating for the pentacle on veteran headstones, and educating people, both young and old, about the beliefs and values of Wicca.” Rt. Rev. Malinski continues, “I am also thankful to my predecessors in Canada, Rt. Reverend Michele Favarger and Rt. Reverend Erik Lindblad, for establishing ATCC and securing marriage rights in the province of British Columbia.”
ATCC is based on Vancouver Island and holds monthly Full Moon Rituals as hybrid events in-person and online, along with celebrating the Eight Sabbats in the Wheel of the Year. Upcoming special events this year are:
- Vancouver Island Pagan Pride Day in Duncan on August 10th
- Samhain Spellbound Masquerade Ritual & Dance in Campbell River on October 26th
- Turning the Wheel Retreat at Ocean Resort in Campbell River, December 27th to 29th
More information about classes and events is available at ATC Canada and on Facebook.
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Thor’s Oak Kindred joins Race Against Hate
For the fifth year, Thor’s Oak Kindred has a team walking in the Ricky Byrdsong Memorial Race Against Hate. We invite you to join us or donate to this worthy cause.
Thor’s Oak Kindred is a diverse organization dedicated to the practice of the Ásatrú religion in Chicago. We come together to honor the Norse gods and goddesses, the spirits of the land, and the departed people who inspire us. Since 2016, we have been building and nurturing a face-to-face community of practitioners in Chicago and the greater midwestern region for ritual celebration, group events, and mutual support.
Our members are kindred by choice and have chosen to embrace each other as a family. We are proud of our diversity, and we stand against all discrimination on the basis of race, sex, gender, orientation, identity, origin, ancestry, age, or ability.
With the poison of white nationalism spreading worldwide and using Ásatrú as a propaganda vehicle, it is no longer enough to issue declarations and denunciations. We must join with other people of positive intent, push back on resurgent hate, and promote productive change.
On June 16 in Evanston, the YWCA hosts the 25th annual event in memory of Ricky Byrdsong, the Northwestern basketball coach murdered by a white supremacist in 1999 while walking in his neighborhood with his young children. On the same day, the shooter wounded six Orthodox Jews. Over the subsequent weekend, he killed a Korean-American graduate student and wounded an African-American minister before taking his own life.
All proceeds are used to further the YWCA’s mission in the areas of racial justice and violence prevention. Their programs assist children in schools and youth organizations to challenge their own prejudices and foster healthy, violence-free relationships among their peers; support teenagers in examining their own relationships and practicing constructive ways to handle conflict and differences; and encourage adults to engage in constructive dialogue, interactive activities, and meaningful action as related to racial justice.
Help make a real difference in the real world. Please register today and join us on the walk. If you don’t live in the area, you can donate any amount small or large. Sign up to join our walking team or donate by clicking here.
Crossings of the Veil
The Wild Hunt was saddened to hear that priest and spiritual mentor to many Pagans, Dagonet “Dag” Dewr, known secularly as Duke Anthony Egbert, crossed the Veil on May 20, 2024, in Louisville, KY.
Dag was a co-founder of the Pagan Pride Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering Pagan identity through education, activism, charity, and community, Duke served as both Membership Coordinator and Executive Director. He was a significant presence in the Pagan community especially in Indiana and Texas. Dag contributed to men’s emotional development as a 29-time event staffer and an elder in the ManKind Project.
Dag’s love for music inspired him to spend twenty-six years reviewing albums for The Daily Vault, the longest-running independent music review site online. From 2001 to 2006, he showcased his editorial talent at newWitch magazine. He authored Sacred Paths for Modern Men in 2007. We will miss his puns, bad jokes, and dry humor.
Dag leaves behind his immediate and chosen family, including his beloved fiancée Carla.
A message from the family via Facebook reads
Thank you for the outpouring of kindness you’ve given in the last six years, especially in Duke’s final days. We read your comments at his bedside and your community will never be forgotten. Please continue to keep Duke, Carla, and all of us in your thoughts in the coming days.
A GoFundMe has been opened to offer financial support for Carla during this time.
Hail the Traveler!
What is remembered, Lives!
Announcements
Circle Sanctuary’s Pagan Spirit Gathering (PSG) is one of America’s oldest and largest Nature Spirituality festivals. Since 1980, PSG has been bringing together Pagans of many paths and places to create community, celebrate the summer solstice, and commune with nature in a sacred environment.
The 2024 Pagan Spirit Gathering will be held June 16th to 23rd in southern Missouri, USA. This year’s gathering includes a variety of rituals, workshops, concerts, and merchanting along with an assortment of other activities.
Our Pagan Leadership Institute will include workshops by Pagans from diverse traditions. In addition, High Priestess Rev. Selena Fox will be presenting a 4-part program, Wheel of the Year Intensive: Creating & Leading Group Rituals. It will cover creating and leading group sabbat rites and celebrations.
Pagan musicians will be sharing their music through concerts during the week and a combined main-stage group jam called Bardapalooz on Saturday night. Register by June 8th at circlesanctuary.org.
Again, registration is now open for the 2024 Pagan Spirit Gathering, but it will close on June 8, 2024!
The Delmarva Pagan Pride Festival will be offered June 30th, 2024 rain or shine at the Dover, DE outdoor Legislative Mall. This incredible day of classes, music, ritual, and shopping is offered to the community at no cost but we do encourage bringing a canned good donation for the local food bank which can be dropped off at the information desk. Please see our Facebook page for guest announcements and schedule releases. All are welcome, hope to see you there!
The sixth annual Mystic South Conference will take place July 26-28, 2024! Mystic South is filled with workshops, educational abstract presentations, rituals, community building, and much more. With the backdrop of the grand city of Atlanta, be a part of our celebration of the diversity of the peoples and religious practices, both past and present, that make up the Southern US region.
The conference also announced that their tickets are on sale. Get your tickets now and, get some for your friends, your neighbors, or just some random person you met on the street!
Do you have news to share with our community?
Announcements? Elevations? Events?
Let us know at pcn@wildhunt.org.
Tarot of the Week by Star Bustamonte
Deck: Murder of Crows, artwork by Corrado Roi, Text by Charles Harrington, published by Lo Scarabeo.
Card: Six (6) of Swords
The week ahead has the potential to offer opportunities for transition; passage from the familiar and known into unchartered waters of the unknown. While there are no guarantees of what the future might hold, embracing change and the chance to let go of the past and start anew could be viewed as a gift.
In contrast, resistance to change or even a refusal to acknowledge a shift that either is happening or needs to happen will not prevent it. Ignoring imminent change is more likely to make the situation more difficult and prolonged, as well as offering fewer choices in how adjustments are implemented.
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