Maetreum of Cybele Wins Court Battle

The Maetreum of Cybele, Magna Mater , a Goddess-centered and Pagan-identified not-for-profit incorporated religious organization in the town of Catskill NY, won a battle Thursday that began in 2009 to defend their tax-exempt status. The Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court reversed the Court's previous decision which would have upheld the Town of Catskill's efforts to deny the Maetreum's real property tax exemptions despite the the Maetreum's IRS tax-exempt status. The Appelate Court's decision affirms the religious nature of the Maetreum's activities and annuls the town's denial of tax exempt status for 2009, 2010, and 2011.

 As I wrote last night in response to Rev. Mother Cathryn Platine's "status" post announcing the victory: "Thanks and blessings to Cathryn and the Maetreum of Cybele for persisting and achieving a victory not only for Goddess folks, but for Freedom of Religion."

The Maetreum's website today has the following statement about the case:

"The Maetreum would like to thank the greater Pagan community for the spiritual and financial help to win this case.  It is truly a win for all minority religions setting forth the standard that we Pagans are to be treated in law the same as the so called mainstream religions.

"Throughout this battle we at the Maetreum of Cybele have kept doing our charitable works and recently have applied for a low power FM radio license to further serve our community with true community radio.  If we recover our costs that money will go towards further green projects at the Maetreum, continued charitable housing, funding the community radio station and setting up a local food pantry.

"The lessons from this battle are keep true to your beliefs and values and never give up even when it looks rocky.

"Blessings,
Rev. Mother Cathryn Platine from the Maetreum of Cybele."

Also covering this story, The Wild Hunt, Witches and Pagans, New York Law Journal, Wiccan Woman  [links updated 11/26, thanks to Wiccan Woman for NY Law Journal link]