What is the Catholic Churches official position on Wicca and other paganistic religions?

Answer 1

+ Freedom of Religion +

The Catholic Church supports the freedom of religion of all human beings. In the Vatican II document, Declaration on Religious Freedom, Dignitatis Humanae (Human Dignity), the Church states:

The human person has a right to religious freedom. This freedom means that all men are to be immune from coercion on the part of individuals or of social groups and of any human power, in such wise that no one is to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his own beliefs, whether privately or publicly, whether alone or in association with others, within due limits.

+ Non-Christian Religions +

The Catholic Church teaches about non-Christian religions:

All nations form but one community. This is so because all stem from the one stock which God created to people the entire earth, and also because all share a common destiny, namely God. His providence, evident goodness, and saving designs extend to all against the day when the elect are gathered together in the holy city.

+ Magic +

I don't know that much about Wicca but the Catholic Church has grave concerns about the possible abuse of magic and teaches:

All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one's service and have a supernatural power over others - even if this were for the sake of restoring their health - are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion.

These practices are even more to be condemned when accompanied by the intention of harming someone, or when they have recourse to the intervention of demons.

http://www.nccbuscc.org/catechism/text/pt3sect2chpt1.htm#2117

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

hmmmm... I'd have to do some hunting for documentation because I'm pretty sure the RCC hasn't addressed those religions specifically very often. I also don't think most Catholics understand that pagans do NOT worship the devil or anything stupid like that.

Gimme a sec, let me see what I can get for you.

A FEW MINUTES LATER

Okay, an initial search is coming up pretty empty on source material, so I'll just to to summarize what I THINK is the RCC position. All of humanity is God's creation and God loves all of His creation. Humanity has been given the ability to recognize and know the truth. The Catholic Church believes that Christians see the fullness of God's truth in Jesus Christ, but it does NOT say that truth cannot be found elsewhere. When it comes to salvation, Vatican II did say that nothing is beyond God and that the Holy Spirit might well be active in any person who does "good" so salvation of non-Christians could be a possibility.

I personally have a feeling that paganistic religions would end up in the same category as Hinduism and Buddism. The current pope is very anti-relativism and is often warning people not to base their lives and beliefs simply on fads or popular culture. So it could be said that he would frown on those who "play at" being pagans, but I think he would at least respect that for some, paganism is a valid and serious religion. Things might get sticky when talking about magic, but I don't know enough about that to really comment.

Answer 3

*Is Catholic*

Well Wicca is classified as New Age Spirituality and that is how you can find it in the documents of the Church.

Specificaly, the modern revival of neo-paganism and occult practices would fall under

VATICAN II LUMEN GENTIUM 16
Whatever good or truth is found amongst them is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the Gospel.(20*) She knows that it is given by Him who enlightens all men so that they may finally have life. But often men, deceived by the Evil One, have become vain in their reasonings and have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, serving the creature rather than the Creator.(129) Or some there are who, living and dying in this world without God, are exposed to final despair.

Another big doccument that you want to look at is
Jesus Christ, The Bearer of the Water of Life: A Christian reflection on the 'New Age'
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/interelg/documents/rc_pc_interelg_doc_20030203_new-age_en.html

This by Pope Benedict XVI (then Card. Ratzinger)
http://www.ourladyswarriors.org/dissent/ratzsitu596.htm

There are several other documents as well. If you need a go to book for this an other "what is the official position" buy
THE CHRISTIAN FAITH IN THE DOCTRINAL DOCUMENTS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH by Dupuis.

Answer 4

I can't speak for the "official" position from Rome, but the general Catholic consensus is that Paganism is evil and forbidden. Anything not Catholic is "evil" in the Catholic catechism.

Answer 5

The first commandment:

“I Am the Lord, your God. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is on the earth below, or that is in the water under the earth.”

God bless.

Answer 6

I don't think the Wiccians and Pagans are losing any sleep over it.

Answer 7

The Catholic church loves witches and pagans, they can't burn enough of them.

Answer 8

They consider it outright heresy!!!