BishopAccountability.org
	San Francisco Mensa Intelligencer – Witch Vs. Church By Joey Piscitelli The AlterNet August 27 2010 http://blogs.alternet.org/witchjoey/2010/08/26/san-francisco-mensa-intelligencer-witch-vs-church/ The current news that is exploding around the globe concerning the sex abuse crisis in the Catholic Church is staggering. The top two hierarchy figures representing the Catholic Church are now being held accountable for their implications in the cover-ups and mishandling of child sex abuse scandals. The Pope, formerly Cardinal Ratzinger, and Cardinal Levada of San Fancisco, are now being busted for their own misdeeds. But many people are unaware what occurred in the San Francisco Bay Area a few years ago, before Cardinal Levada left the Bay Area to become the highest ranking US figure to have ever been placed in the Vatican. Cardinal Levada, formerly the Bishop of San Francisco, was promoted in 2005 to be the “Prefect for the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith”, the office historically known in the past as the office of the General Inquisitor. The Inquisition was responsible for the torture, rape, and burning of countless innocent women and children, accused of being “Witches”. The office now officially handles clergy abuse claims. California lawmakers passed a law in 2003, opening a one year window for victims of child sex abuse who had never sued the Church before, to file a civil action for damage. I was one of those victims of clergy abuse that filed a lawsuit case in Contra Costa County in July of 2003. But I am also a Witch, a Mensan, and a clergy abuse victims advocate for SNAP- The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. I fall into a very narrow category. If we consider ratios, approximately one out of every 6000 people in the USA is a Mensa member. Approximately one out of every 1200 people in the USA is a practicing Witch. Approximately one out of 304 million people in the USA (at present) is a Mensan Witch who won a court case against the church for abuse. I do not know how many Mensans are practicing Witches, but I would imagine the percentage is very low. Very rarely does a lawsuit against the Catholic Church for Clergy child abuse ever proceed to a jury trial, nearly all of the cases are either dismissed because of the statute of limitations, or settled out of court. However, my case was the only clergy abuse case in CC County to have ever gone to a jury trial. I won the case in July 2006, it was appealed several times, and I won all the appeals. The case officially ended in 2009, after the church conceded in writing. Shortly after I filed the case in 2003, I held numerous protests at churches in the San Francisco Bay Area to oust accused pedophiles from ministry. I met with Cardinal Levada, and fought with him face to face in his office, church, chancery, diocese headquarters, and sidewalks. Church lawyers who took depositions before my trial discovered that I was a Pagan, and a Witch, who was “into Magick and Witchcraft”. I imagine this was a thorn in Levadas side. The irony of a Witch vs. the Office of the General Inquisitor for the Church surely must have been frowned on by the hierarchy, and was unprecedented in the Clergy abuse cases. The Diocese of San Francisco, under Cardinal Levada, kept the priest who molested me in ministry, at St. Peter and Pauls church and grammar school, with apparent access to children, clear up to the day of my court jury verdict against the guilty priest. Despite my numerous protests and local media press, before and during the litigation and trial, Cardinal Levada must have been sure of victory. As a Witch I believe in Karma, and as a survivor I believe in justice. As a Mensan I believe in logic, and logic dictated to me that in my case the truth would come to the forefront in the trial, and the jury would conclude that the Witch would prevail over the Inquisitor. I do not believe in Satan, or hell, and I do not know any modern Witches who do. I believe in universal energy, the interconnection of all living things, and the sacredness of Mother Earth. I also believe in the practice of Pagan Magick, which is defined as “The art of causing change to occur with will”. I also believe the practice of Magick enabled this Mensan Witch to pursue justice, and enable Karma to take its course. I am the only Witch in USA history, (and perhaps the world) who has ever beaten the church in a jury trial for abuse, and I believe this was my destiny. I will continue to fight for victims of child abuse by clergy, and I will continue to be the thorn in the Inquisitors side.
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