The Story of Rhiannon

[vivfox]

#1 Today, 12:03 am
RhiannonPotter
New Member Join Date: February 7, 2008
Posts: 3

This thread is a response to a forum I found through Google. The forum was discussing me, a graduate of our local Catholic school, and the article written about me a few years ago.
You can find the article here:

http://missoulian.com/articles/2005/...cal/news03.txt

Hello all! I would love to introduce myself; my name is Rhiannon and I live in Missoula, MT. I graduated from Loyola Sacred Heart in May of 2005 and our local newspaper has a feature every year in which they write about one graduate from each high school. When I was interviewed by Rob Cheney, I expressly informed him that I was a practicing Neo-Pagan. No, that's not New Age...not really Wiccan either. It's a new take on an old religion that was persecuted into near extinction. In fact, only about half the students who attend Loyola in any given year are actually Catholic; it's a wonderful place which encourages great American diversity! I am proud to say that I am now following the steps to be initiated into an old and proud order known as The Sacred Flame of Brighid and hope to be a Priestess within 5 to 7 years. I was never considered a "dippy teen" by myself or by others. However, I was a young woman who experienced an extreme amount of pain and found comfort in those I considered kindred spirits who introduced me to a religion which strongly resonated with me. I spent many hours out of every week reading as much as I could about Neo-Pagan religions, and even Wicca. Loyola didn't "endorse" my decision to take advantage of my Constitutional right to religion, that is hardly necessary. I'm delighted to live my life as a Neo-Pagan without any endorsements.

As for my name, I wasn't named after the Fleetwood Mac song. Stevie Nicks did write the song based on a character featured in the old Welsh collection called "The Mabinogi" which my parents read together in college...and later named me after. Rhiannon was considered the Celtic goddess of horses, the moon, fertility, the afterlife--an amazing and inspiring person of legend.

As a high school student I became a trained advocate with the YWCA, volunteered at retirement homes (singing for the occupants) and lived my life as a person of integrity—which I continue to do today. I hope to get involved with more community outreach organizations and continue to give back to this caring city which helped nurture me through the difficult teenage years. I am also confident in claiming my involvement within the Gothic subculture--if you'd like to know more about it I can suggest "Goth Craft" written by my close friend Raven Digitalis who is being interviewed by MTV news for a short feature. Being a Goth is far more complex than many people realize.

I’m sure you are all delightful individuals, and it certainly has been a fascinating experience to Google myself and find this forum. Oh, as an aside, I never practiced Catholicism but the loving people at Loyola treated me as I treated them, with respect.
May the Father and Mother bless and keep you.
~Rhiannon Potter


RhiannonPotter
View Public Profile
Send a private message to RhiannonPotter
Find all posts by RhiannonPotter
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

#2 Today, 6:20 am
Dale_M
Senior Member
Book Club Member Join Date: September 6, 2006
Location: the Midwest of the U.S.
Posts: 2,203

Hi Rhiannon, welcome to Catholic Answers forums. I would be distressed to find myself being discussed on some online forum which I have never visited.

For whatever reason, the thread to which you refer has been removed from this site. Clicking on the Google link doesn't work, nor does using the search function here.

I am sorry you found out about us in such an unpleasant way, but hope you will enjoy your visits here.

Dale_M
View Public Profile
Send a private message to Dale_M
Find all posts by Dale_M
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

#3 Today, 9:46 am
gam197
Senior Member Join Date: February 19, 2006
Posts: 925

Welcome to the forums and thank you for being a caring person. I too searched.
I did find this forum in Catholic Answers on Pagan worship and symbols.

http://forums.catholic.com/showthrea...ghlight=druids

Most of us have heard the Stevie Nicks song but I never related it to the the name Rhiannon. Interesting that it is relationship to "The Mabinogi" which I have never heard of. I do know who the Druids were and about tribalism. I wonder if you have read "Lord of the Flies" as it relates to tribalism(might makes right). I will post the lyrics......

Rhiannon Lyrics
Artist(Band):Fleetwood Mac

Rhiannon rings like a bell through the night and would you love to love her
Takes through the sky like a bird in flight
And who will be her lover

All your life you've never seen
A woman taken by the wind
Would you stay if she promised you heaven
Will you ever win

She is like a cat in the dark and then
She is the darkness
She rules her life like a fine skylark
And when the sky is starless

All your life you've never seen
A woman taken by the wind
Would you stay if she promised you heaven
Will you ever win
Will you ever win

Rhiannon

Rhiannon

Rhiannon

Rhiannon

She rings like a bell through the night
And would you love to love her
She rules her life like a bird in flight and
Who will be her lover

All your life you've never seen
A woman taken by the wind
Would you stay if she promised you heaven

Will you ever win
Will you ever win

Rhiannon

Rhiannon

Rhiannon

Taken by taken by the sky
Taken by taken by the sky

gam197
View Public Profile
Send a private message to gam197
Find all posts by gam197
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

#4 Today, 2:25 pm
RhiannonPotter
New Member Join Date: February 7, 2008
Posts: 3

I have read _Lord of the Flies_ and found it very disturbing. I'm an avid reader, I have books strewn about everywhere! Interestingly enough, as an Irish Studies minor, I've learned that the Druids weren't what most people people think (including myself at one point)! The Druids, or Fili, were the Keepers of the Culture. They were historians, law makers, officiants, priests, artists etc. They were trained to pass on just about everything via oral tradition. So many people have this hyped up idea of Druids--mages calling up tempests and whatnot, which is a bit ridiculous I have to say.

The Google search on the forum I found has been cached, I'll enter the link here and see if you all can view it.

file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Rhiannon%20Potter/Desktop/Catholic%20Forum.htm

Beir bua is beannacht. (I've been studying Irish language for three years...)
~Rhiannon

http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=217497