Patrick McCollum

Patrick M. McCollum

Patrick McCollum is an internationally recognized spiritual leader in the Pagan/Earth-Based religions whose work toward human rights, social justice, and equality for all religions and spiritual traditions, transcends cultural, religious, and political barriers. Reverend McCollum is the 2010 recipient of the Mahatma Gandhi Award for the Advancement of Pluralism. Reverend McCollum’s spiritual work focuses on seeing the sacred within each and every human being and bringing together people of all spiritual paths, to work together toward global sustainability and world peace. Affiliations and activities include:

Board Member and Development Director, Children of the Earth, United Nations NGO. A worldwide organization directed toward empowering youth to make a better world and to building a better future. COE delivers programs which provide young people with the empowerment and leadership skills necessary to advance peace in the world today and in the future. COE fosters building networks of cooperation, multicultural understanding, spiritual values, and ethical living skills.

DIrector of The National Correctional Chaplaincy Directors Association (NCCDA), an organization composed of directors and administrators of state and federal programs, dedicated to the advancement of religious understanding and pluralism in governmental agencies, with a particular focus on correctional institutions.

Chaplaincy Liaison for the American Academy of Religion, the world’s largest and oldest convocation of religious scholars, theologians, and clergy, and in that capacity provides training and resources to government agencies seeking to advance pluralism.

Member of the Advisory Committee of the Peace Service Center in Katmandu, Nepal.

National Advisory Council of American’s United for the Separation of Church and State, Dedicated to preserving the constitutional principal of church-state separation as the only way to ensure religious freedom for all Americans.

In 2008, Reverend McCollum served as an Advisor to the United States Commission on Civil Rights on a special report to Congress and the President of the United States, outlining problems and solutions to religious discrimination in U.S. prisons. Reverend McCollum’s comments became instrumental in the final report and proposed solutions.

International Interfaith Coordinator for Circle Sanctuary.

Reverend McCollum has served for over 13 years in the California prison system, meeting and facilitating the emotional and spiritual needs of inmates who practice earth-based religions, where he received an official commendation from the California State Senate for his work.

Chaplaincy Advisor for Cherry Hill Seminary

Director of Our Lady of the Wells Church