This was presented to Pope Francis, Merciful and not guilty of Clericalism, on  August 11, 2018, at a gathering which he held with 70,000 Italian youth in the Circus Maximus, the place where the chariot racing once took  place.

The two young ladies pictured are presenting the apparent ferule as a gift to be  used at the upcoming Youth Synod, which began yesterday October 4, 2018

Did the Pope just put it away without an examinatiion?  Perhaps.  Perhaps not.  Nonetheless, he carried it proudly in procession to the opening of the Youth Synod which was to take place with a Mass in St. Peters Square.

The ‘ferule’ is unusual, being made of wood.  Looking closely at it, one can see the figure of Christ at the ‘Y’ juncture. It would not be unusual for Francis, in his humility, to prefer a wooden ferule. We skate on thin ice!

But it is not a ferule.  It is a stang, a ritual tool in witchcraft.  If you have a stang, and only a witch would, you can do anything.  You can use it for an altar, you can ‘cast circles’ with it, and, it is portable for outdoor rites and festivals.

Casting circles?  What is that?  It is a term used in Wiccan tradition for setting up a temporary space as a psychic boundary.  To ‘cast a calm’ hold your stang in your right hand and point it outwards as you turn your body sunwise essentially drawing a circle with your stang.  As you do so you can recite a charm or call on your guardians.  When the circle is complete, drive your stang into the ground.  The calm is cast.  Let it be so.  Or, as Malachai Martin writes, in describing the chant response during the black mass he wrote of in his book:  ‘Keys of the Kingdom,’ ‘So mote it be’  Now you can perform your rite, spell, or invocation while in this protected space between the worlds.

Your stang can also be a conduit.  Sit or lay beside your stang in  the protected ritual space when you practice hedgecrossing.  You may find that having a stang as conductor for your spirit to travel down to the underworld, or up to the heavens,  significantly aids in your travels.  Think of the stang as a horse or chariot.  It is your ride to the otherworld.  If you wrap yourself in an animal hide while performing this rite you will be able to practice hag riding,  as when, your spirit travels through the stang,  it will take on the form of the animal.  You will be riding the animal, rather than your stang.

Your stang can also be used as a tool of fate.  (Not yours)

From a stang as distaff one can spin thread to represent a specific person’s soul.  Simply spin thread to represent the soul  Use magical thread and spin counter clockwise for use in spells and charms.  To bind someone’s spirit, the woven thread is kept sealed in a box or bottle after it is taken off the tines (without cutting it).  To unbind someone, the thread is removed and burned or cut up with a ritual knife.  The thread generally used is red to represent life force and energy.  Not the red threaded bracelet on the left wrist of the young lady presenting the ferula to the Pope.                                                                                    http://sarahannelawless.com/2011/02/27/how-to-use-a-stang/

Comment:  “I do disagree that fallen wood has no spirit in it.  A few months ago my betrothed found a piece of wood on the ground when we were out in the forest and handed it to me saying “this would be a good height for a walking stick.  A couple of weeks later I took it out when going into the same forest for a bat walk.  Some time into the walk I became aware that something was wrong, so I tuned in.  It was the stick … worrying that it would be thrown away and wanting to be used for something.

“I plan to carve some protective ogham when the stick is dry enough and I have tools and a vice set up.  But, it is happy now to be used as a walking stick and I use it at present to cast a circle.” Querus Robur

 

                                   

Pray! Pray! For the Holy Father!  St. Jacinta Marto 

Oh! God of the Trinity, help us!

Our Lady of the Clergy, Help our Priests                                                                                                      And our Seminarians!

                                     Viva Cristo Rey!   Ecclesia Vivat!