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Pagans honoring Veterans Day
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In 1989 Rosemary Kooiman requested that on her husband Abe Kooiman’s headstone a pentacle, the symbol of their Pagan faith, be engraved. For over 10 year she was denied her request and told that changes were being made and once this was done, the pentacle would be approved. This began what came to be known as The Pagan Veterans Headstone Campaign and it would be 18 years before victory would prevail.
In April 2007, after settling a lawsuit brought against the Veterans Administration by Roberta Stewart, widow of US Army Sgt. Patrick Stewart, the pentacle was finally accepted and added to the VA’s list of religious symbols available for headstones that mark the graves of the men and woman who served their country proudly.
Since then Veterans Day has taken on a whole new meaning for the Pagan community, especially for those serving in the armed forces or with loved ones in the service. After spending years of using Veterans Day as a day to remind people that Wiccans and Pagans were serving alongside those of many mainstream religions, but not recognized in the same way, we can now look toward the future. Today we can focus on caring for those serving and those at home waiting for their loved ones to return safe and sound rather than worrying what will be on their headstones.
This Veterans Day Circle Sanctuary’s Operation Circle Care, a year-round program which creates and sends Pagan-themed care packages to Pagan soldiers serving in war zones, begins preparing Yule packages for the soldiers. This year because of the recent tragedy at Fort Hood, they are including gifts to 150 Pagan and Wiccan troops and families at Fort Hood, Texas in addition to their usual donations.
Circle Sanctuary offers a number of outreach and ministry programs for Wicca and Pagan veterans and active service personnel all year round, including direct ministry, an email support group, sending free Pagan prayer cards to soldiers and their families, rituals and altar honoring at the sanctuary, and training for Wiccan and Pagan ministers to be able to serve as US military chaplains.
If you would like to help with this year’s Operation Circle Care you can get details and a list of suggested items here, and you can see all Circle Sanctuary has to offer the Pagan community here.
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