Priscilla Presley hangs out with Scientology celeb and longtime friend Gottfried Helnwein

Lisa Marie Presley was very adamant about it: She told us that after her disastrous trip to the Flag Land Base in October 2014, not only did she no longer consider herself a Scientologist, but she told her mother Priscilla and her daughter Riley Keough that they were coming out of the church with her.

She told us this multiple times in lengthy conversations we had with her in 2015 about Scientology, about David Miscavige, and about Michael Jackson. There was no question about it, at least when we spoke in 2015: She was out, and she said she had pulled out her mother and daughter with her.

Mike Rinder also spoke to Lisa after her calamitous Florida trip in 2014, and after she and Riley had returned to a rental house in Nashville. In a phone call, Rinder told us, Lisa handed the phone to Riley, who told him, “You’ve got to take these motherfuckers down,” in reference to Scientology.

In the years since then, however, we have wondered about whether Priscilla and Riley stayed out of Scientology. We saw Riley, for example, posting photos with Scientology friends on social media. And Priscilla, through a representative talking to People, denied in 2017 that she’d left the church.

Recently, we wrote for The Daily Beast about some legal problems Priscilla is having as she’s being sued by Priscilla Presley, the company.

And now, Peter Reichelt, who wrote something for us not too long ago about Austrian artist and longtime Scientologist Gottfried Helnwein, wanted to make sure that we’d seen the news that Priscilla recently showed up at a showing of Helnwein’s works at the Albertina Museum in Vienna, which was widely reported there.

“Priscilla is for sure still a celebrity in Scientology. There is no way that Helnwein would be allowed to meet a Suppressive Person, if Priscilla were one,” Peter tells us, referring to the enemy label, “Suppressive Person” that Scientology aims at defectors.

Peter pointed out that Priscilla and Helnwein go way back, and she has been a visitor to his castle in Ireland for years. Helnwein is very prickly about his involvement in Scientology, and has even sued over claims that he’s a Scientologist. But there’s simply no doubt that he’s a dedicated member going back decades.

On February 7, Priscilla, accompanied by Vienna entrepreneur Richard Lugner, visited the Helnwein exhibit at the Albertina.

And there’s no doubt they are longtime friends. Peter reminded us that Priscilla and Lisa Marie made news when they celebrated the 2007 New Year at Helnwein’s castle in Kilasheen, County Tipperary.

What do you think? Is Priscilla’s very visible visit with Helnwein in Vienna, and a reunion with such an old Scientologist friend, evidence that she’s back in Scientology, despite her daughter Lisa’s attempt to pull her out ten years ago?

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Mexico City gets its second Ideal Org today

Less than a week after his event in Austin, David Miscavige is scheduled to open another “Ideal Org” today in Mexico City (its second). Last night, a brave soul attempted to get close to the setup being prepared for today’s ceremony, and paid for it by being beaten and nearly robbed.

Our helper is OK, but unfortunately this photo was as close as they could get. You can just make out the Scientology symbol under the bright lights.

We’ll just wait for Scientology’s slick photos of the event, which will probably be posted Saturday morning.

Then, on Sunday, Miscavige is supposed to be in Chicago for the Ideal Org even there.

Our helper in Chicago tells us the outside of the building still looks pretty grungy, but there is a lot of activity going on inside. Will this be a grand opening that takes place indoors rather than the traditional outside stage? We’ll see how it turns out on Sunday.

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