With everyone complaining about the pope visit I do not see it as a bad thing. This Witch actually likes this pope. Our people have always been brought down to be hated for who we are between Christians. Yet catholics have taken many of our pagan rituals into their practice just under a single god.
When you break bread with Jesus and drink wine you are actually doing a ritual of harvest that we as pagans do. Instead of honoring it as Jesus we used to bless each brother and sister as may you never go hungry for bread and a drink of wine was may you never go thirsty. It was part of community to watch for each other.
A lot of people do not realize what Pagan ideas went into Christianity as it spread. For me the story of the Goddess Brigit is also a common link because when it came to Ireland Brigit was a powerful Goddess symbol that could not be defeated. Christianity brought Brigit within the idea as a midwife within the stories. She is part of what Catholics celebrate as Saint Brigit. She still holds a deep part of me as well as a Spirituality of idealism.
In Ireland there is a group of Nuns who keep the flame of Brigit going. It shows how respect can be reached between two people. While we celebrate our ideas differently of who we are. I believe between pagans, Witches, and Druids we could find understanding in our Spirituality to celebrate life itself between this Pope and a fellow Witch.
While we will never have the apology we should have from the many Witch burning that went on through out time in the name of many Gods we can still have peace and unity among our Spirituality. The reason why I love being a pagan is I do not have to convert anyone I live my idea life knowing that if I do better for the next generation I leave something behind.
While my God Pan that I honor and live by the teaching of the All wisdom is viewed by many Christians to be the devil just because of the satyr form that he is drawn as I do not hold it against them. Just as I do not hold against all Christians for the bad of a few. We can find peace to bridge the world and if one day the Pope did decide to come meet this Witch in the Colorado Springs you will find yourself welcome to understand how to Celebrate the life of faith.
We can respect each other stories and each others understanding of life even if we see different from the Gods we view up above. As humanity we are still brother and sister. Pope or just another who is willing to learn the understanding that we do not need to kill each other just to have views we love. Respect of life and respect of the Spirituality is our faith within the connection of life. While I do not agree the Bible is God word there are some stories that I respect from the Bible.
All of our stories have the good and bad within them that is the problem when we cherrypick to try to explain everything. What I do respect is the true teachings of Jesus Christ. The Philosophy between what Jesus was saying as love thy brother and sister holds true to our Pagan hearts as well. I would have loved to actually walked with Christ and understood more of who he was.
That is why when it comes to all the people who the stories are about there is something within them that we can find a common bond. For me I believe in the joy of fairies. These beings can be seen as playful creatures, but their uniqueness and Spirit teach me so much yet it is the symbolism of the stories and lore.
Deep down in my heart I know with this Pope if he wanted to set down with a Pagan we would find a common bond of peace. With this Pope there might be a chance to see more peace come about and good. So if the Pope is ever in the Colorado Springs. If you would like to meet a true Pagan and see we can celebrate the life of our faiths together I invite you to come and be welcome at the table of peace and unity.