Witchcraft claim at Catholic boys’ school

Press, 28 December 1989, Page 2

Witchcraft claim at Catholic boys’ school

PA Auckland A row has erupted in Auckland’s Catholic community over a course next week at Hato Petera College, which opponents say will involve black magic and devil worship. The six-day course, entitled “Creation Spirituality,” will start on Tuesday at the Northcote Catholic Maori boys’ boarding school.

It will be addressed by a controversial Californian priest, Father Matthew i Fox, and a Buddhist scholar, Ms Joanna Macy. A pamphlet being circulated in Auckland calls Father Fox “The Great Light-Bearer, the Starhawk Master of Creative Witchcraft Spirituality.” The pamphlet said people attending “Creation Spirituality” would hear Ms Macy speaking in the voice of her “angel reptile,” telling how “it is not true that eating or touching the fruit of witchcraft will cause death.”

Those attending would also be encouraged to “rid yourself of the childish idea of a creator god.”

Instead they would “find out all about the bisexual birthing Godde we worship." The 140 guests expected to attend include priests and nuns. A Hato Petera College boarding master, Brother Stephen, said the school had received several threatening calls from Auckland Catholics about the course.

Brother Stephen denied that witchcraft would be included in the course and thought the pamphlet being circulated was a prank. If witchcraft were included, however, he did not know whether the course would be cancelled. “It’s not a big deal.” Creation Spirituality was about looking at God through dance and movement.