The PAL and the Religious Construct

To me, this is a non-issue. However, just for the record, the PAL recognizes, within reason and practicality, any faith which is historically linked to the former nations of Northern Italy. This would include Catholic, Waldensian Protestant, Etruscan paganism, Celtic Druidism and Witchcraft, Germanic paganism (Odinism, Asatru, Wotanism), Atheism, Agnostic, etc. They all represent our history going back literally tens of thousands of years. The Padanian-American League is a folk-based association, not a religious or political construct.

The religious construct is rarely a folk-based one, unless it has elements of ancestor worship, like Shintoism and others. One exception is the Greek Orthodox Church, which is basically Greek-only. Apparently it's a sub-branch of Orthodox Christianity, therefore Orthodox Eastern Europeans may attend a Greek Orthodox Church.

Comunità Odinista (Odinist Community) is an Odinist group specifically for those of Northern Italian descent, which traces it's Odinist roots back to the Langobards. The group is active in Northern Italy and Argentina. The PAL has had contact with "CO America" in Argentina. We can cover more about this group later.

The idea of Padanian-based faiths has crossed my mind, but it would be somewhat divisive at the end of the day. For example, Cattolica Padana (Padanian Catholic), Wotanismo Langobarda (Lombard Wotanism), Disciplina Etrusca (Etruscan Discipline), Wicca Camuna (Camunian Wicca) or Druidismo Celtica (Celtic Druidism), Cristianesimo Valdese (Waldensian Christian), Rito Ambrosiano or Rito Milanese (Ambrosian [Catholic] Rite or Milanese [Catholic] Rite), etc., etc. All of these religious constructs, which were regionalized by historically Northern Italian peoples at one time or another, would be best left up to the individual in the modern world. As far as studies and ceremonies, that is different, and it should be encouraged.

If nothing else, we should honor our history and heritage, even if we may disagree with particular events and movements. For example, the Crusades. I know that there are those would would see the Crusades as a glorious movement, and those who do not. I don't think that we can ignore the fact that most of our folk are Catholic. Have been for centuries. Therefore, it remains, by default, at the top of the list, where it will remain. However, any practitioner of any historically factual religion or faith from any of the former nations of Northern Italy, Catholic, Atheist, or Pagan alike, should be equally welcome in the PAL. In other words, those theologies, traditions, and trains of thought will be the ones which will guide us.

[Retraction: We will no longer use the term "Wicca" in reference to specifically
our own links to the Cernic tradition, and will use the term 'Witchcraft" only in reference as it may pertain to how people may perceive certain traditions. This does not mean that some dialog will not take place to rectify disagreements in certain areas.]