Can Catholics be Freemasons?

[gamewell45]

Faith of acceptance is odd terminology. Do you mean that Catholic freemasons are instructed to be steadfast in Catholicism? How can they be steadfast in Catholicism when they are forbidden by their Church from being freemasons?

To answer your question: No. Freemasons are instructed to be steadfast in the Faith of their acceptance. Masonry does not dictate which faith to be steadfast in; rather its left up to the individual member to make that decision. If there are any issues, that’s between them and their religious leaders.

It would appear at face value that the Brothers in my lodge who are of the Roman Catholic faith do not agree with the Pope or the Church teachings when it involves Freemasonry.

 

[TEPO]

If you have any questions, I’ll be more then happy to answer them for you if I can.

Why would anyone want to be a freemason?

What is so great about freemasonry that a Catholic would want to join so badly that he would be willing to cross the line that was drawn out by the Church for 300 years?

Do you think (as I do) that Catholic freemasons find freemasonry a greater body to belong to than the body of the Holy Catholic Church with Jesus Christ as its head?

 

[oneGODoneCHURCH]

Again, again, church rules. Ugh.

Why can’t we just stick with Scripture?

The Church ban on membership in the Masons is based on scripture and her obligations to protect and guide us evil. There are many good men that are masons, but the organization is evil. And your husband is in a state of sin by being a member and the priest that wrote him the letter is guilty of it as well.

 

[higherednerd]

Since I belong to Eastern Star and know a lot about Masons (once passed for a brother while infiltrating an email list), I would have to say that it has a lot of ceremony with a lot of religious trappings, but it is not actually a rival religion, because in no sense does it tell you to stop believing in or attending your own faith. You have to believe in a Supreme Being, and while you can be non Christian and be in Eastern Star, you will be confronted with expressly New Testament imagery and prayers, so you’d better be comfortable with that. And, I would pay no attention to Schnoebelen except to gawk. Just look at all his claims. I’ve been in a bunch of the groups he claims to have risen to the top in. No way.

 

[miguel]

To answer your question: No. Freemasons are instructed to be steadfast in the Faith of their acceptance. Masonry does not dictate which faith to be steadfast in; rather its left up to the individual member to make that decision. If there are any issues, that’s between them and their religious leaders.

It would appear at face value that the Brothers in my lodge who are of the Roman Catholic faith do not agree with the Pope or the Church teachings when it involves Freemasonry.

As Freemasons, they can’t be steadfast in Catholicism. So they’re non-compliant with both.

 

[gamewell45]

Why would anyone want to be a freemason?

What is so great about freemasonry that a Catholic would want to join so badly that he would be willing to cross the line that was drawn out by the Church for 300 years?

Do you think (as I do) that Catholic freemasons find freemasonry a greater body to belong to than the body of the Holy Catholic Church with Jesus Christ as its head?

Most likely for the same reason a person who is Jewish, Protestant, Muslim, Hindu, etc. To better themselves as men, raise monies for charities and show tolerance others who think different then us.

I can’t answer the last part of your question; you’d have to ask those Catholics who are Freemasons if they find freemasonry a greater body to belong to than the body of the Holy Catholic Church with Jesus Christ as its head.

 

[gamewell45]

As Freemasons, they can’t be steadfast in Catholicism. So they’re non-compliant with both.

That’s between them and the Catholic Church. The Masons would never question any member on their faith or activities within their faith. As long as they acknowledge that they believe in a supreme being or the immortality of the soul that would make them–as you say–“compliant” within Freemasonry.

 

[VerumAdInfernos]

Freemasons are one of the MOST prominent and dangerous and ancient enemies of the Church. As a Hibernian myself, I can tell you the Church has fought the evils of Freemasonry for ages. Freemasonry even corrupts our world of politics as many prominent members of society have been Freemasons. This organization is wholly evil and contradictory to Christ Jesus and his Bride.

 

[gamewell45]

Freemasons are one of the MOST prominent and dangerous and ancient enemies of the Church. As a Hibernian myself, I can tell you the Church has fought the evils of Freemasonry for ages. Freemasonry even corrupts our world of politics as many prominent members of society have been Freemasons. This organization is wholly evil and contradictory to Christ Jesus and his Bride.

As a Freemason I respectfully have to disagree with you; while the church may have its issues with Freemasonry, for you to label Freemasonry as “wholly evil” is in my opinion is irresponsible on your part, Can you be more specific as to why you feel Freemasonry corrupts our world as many members of society have been Freemasons? Are you suggesting that we limit our membership to say…only farmers? or laborers? Please elaborate.

 

[HoustonsSon]

Howdy oneGODoneCHURCH,

The Church ban on membership in the Masons is based on scripture and her obligations to protect and guide us evil.

Can you please share which scripture the scripture that the ban is based on?

There are many good men that are masons, but the organization is evil.

How/why is the organization evil? I’ve been a mason since I was 28 years old and haven’t seen anything evil about it.

And your husband is in a state of sin by being a member and the priest that wrote him the letter is guilty of it as well.

Political tyrants have always feared freemasonry. That’s why it was outlawed by Spain, during Franco’s dictatorships; Communist Russia, Nazi Germany, Mussolini’s Italy… the list goes on.

Why does the Catholic Church fear the masons? I’m curious as to how and why the Catholic Church made it a sin to be a mason? Would Rome’s vendetta against the Templar Knights have anything to do with it?–just a hunch.

Thank you,

 

[HoustonsSon]

That’s between them and the Catholic Church. The Masons would never question any member on their faith or activities within their faith. As long as they acknowledge that they believe in a supreme being or the immortality of the soul that would make them–as you say–“compliant” within Freemasonry.

Amen!

 

[HoustonsSon]

Freemasons are one of the MOST prominent and dangerous and ancient enemies of the Church. As a Hibernian myself, I can tell you the Church has fought the evils of Freemasonry for ages. Freemasonry even corrupts our world of politics as many prominent members of society have been Freemasons. This organization is wholly evil and contradictory to Christ Jesus and his Bride.

Whoa! Those are some pretty high-level charges.

I’d really like to know what you mean by the “evils of Freemasonry.”

Gracias,

 

[ralphinal]

The ban on Masonry has nothing to do with the Knights Templar because they are NOT the same group.

The ban comes from the activities of European Masonry (French) and the acts they undertook against the Church.

 

[HoustonsSon]

The ban on Masonry has nothing to do with the Knights Templar because they are NOT the same group.

The ban comes from the activities of European Masonry (French) and the acts they undertook against the Church.

Howdy Ralphinal,

The Knights Templar was previously part of the Catholic Church. When the tyrannical King of France convinced the pope to have them disbanded on various bogus charges, the members ran for their lives.

Many went to England and Scotland and were aided by a group of nomadic tradesmen called the masons. The masons provided the ex knights a sort of “Underground Railroad” helping in their escape.

From this masonry made a shift from operative to speculative. This previously secret organization ceased to be so secretive in 1717 with the forming of the UGLE.

The Catholic Church’s vendetta continues…

Hope this helps.

 

[ralphinal]

Howdy Ralphinal,

The Knights Templar was previously part of the Catholic Church. When the tyrannical King of France convinced the pope to have them disbanded on various bogus charges, the members ran for their lives.

Many went to England and Scotland and were aided by a group of nomadic tradesmen called the masons. The masons provided the ex knights a sort of “Underground Railroad” helping in their escape.

From this masonry made a shift from operative to speculative. This previously secret organization ceased to be so secretive in 1717 with the forming of the UGLE.

The Catholic Church’s vendetta continues…

Hope this helps.

Can you provide some non-Masonic, pre-20th century proof of the Masonic involvement?

 

[ralphinal]

Oh, and the issue with the Church started with the French lodge, not the one in England. Please reconcile that to the vendetta story

 

[HoustonsSon]

Oh, and the issue with the Church started with the French lodge, not the one in England. Please reconcile that to the vendetta story

Pope Clement the XII issued the first papal bull against Freemasonry in April of 1738. No where in this document does he mention France.

 

[ralphinal]

Pope Clement the XII issued the first papal bull against Freemasonry in April of 1738. No where in this document does he mention France.

That is correct. However, we went through this song and dance a few months ago (we go through it every few months). A Freemason poster and I actually researched it, and we found that the claims made against the Masons were based on the Continental Lodge and not the English one. The French lodge was VIOLENTLY anti-Catholic in its positions. In fact, the charges against Masonry in that Bull do stem from the Continental Lodge.

Not that I like wiki, it does have useful links. Check this out to see what I am talking about

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Freemasonry

And, from the Wiki article

There is no known historical evidence to link the medieval Knights Templar and Masonic Templarism, nor do the Masonic Knights Templar organizations claim any such direct link to the original medieval Templar organization.

 

[HoustonsSon]

Howdy Ralphinal,

Can you provide some non-Masonic, pre-20th century proof of the Masonic involvement?

The only proof I have is in the centuries old traditions.

• The descriptions of King Solomon’s temple
• The need for ways of identifying oneself (this wouldn’t be common if it were just a labor union)
• Belief in a supreme being (why would a labor union care?)
• Why does a mason have to be born free?
• Why does a mason have to have use of all his limbs?

There are many more beyond this that distinguish Freemasonry from just a group of cathedral and castle builders.

The two groups blended together when the pope and king of France started persecuting the Templars.

Thanks,

 

[ralphinal]

Howdy Ralphinal,

The only proof I have is in the centuries old traditions.

• The descriptions of King Solomon’s temple
• The need for ways of identifying oneself (this wouldn’t be common if it were just a labor union)
• Belief in a supreme being (why would a labor union care?)
• Why does a mason have to be born free?
• Why does a mason have to have use of all his limbs?

There are many more beyond this that distinguish Freemasonry from just a group of cathedral and castle builders.

The two groups blended together when the pope and king of France started persecuting the Templars.

Thanks,

Please correct me if I am misreading what you are saying. Are you saying that there is NO proof beyond circumstantial evidence that the two groups merged?

To go backwards in your list, a man without use of his limbs cannot work.

To be born free means you can or do own land and are not under another’s rule

In the era that the Masons were formed, openly denying a Supreme Being was the same as openly denying the King

Groups love means to identify themselves. It makes them feel special. It would be like claiming an American Greek Frat is born of the knight templars because they, too, have secret words and handshakes and customs.

As far as the Temple goes, I am not 100% sure the Masonic description tells us anything special that the Bible or archeology does not tell us