For future reference, you might want to remember that Wikipedia is not a reliable source, because users can edit the information in it as they please. I’ve come across some pretty off-the-wall things there.
The Knights of the Immaculata (also known as the Milita Immaculata) were founded, to help deal with the problem of Freemasonry.
Here is their official website, and their discussion on
Freemasonry, written by their founder, St. Maximilian Kolbe.
“The purpose of the Knights is contained in these words: to do all you can for the conversion of sinners, heretics, schismatics and so on, above all the Masons, and for the sanctification of all persons under the sponsorship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Immaculate Mediatrix.”- St. Maximilian Kolbe (taken from the MI’s website)
Here is the
document from the CDF- taken from EWTN’s library of Church documents, stating that the Church’s position on Freemasonry remains unchanged. Here is a
link to a Q and A on Catholic Answers about it too.
Here are the quotes from the Codes of Canon Law of 1917 (With an English translation to follow) and 1983 that are referenced in the Catholic Answers Q & A link.
1917 Code of Canon Law:
Can 2335. Nomen dantes sectae massonicae aliisve eiusdem generis associationibus quae contra Ecclesiam vel legitimas civiles potestates machinantur, contrahunt ipso facto excommunicationem Sedi Apostolicae simpliciter reservatam.
Translation:
Those who enroll their names in the sect of Freemasons or similar associations which plot against the Church or the legitimate civil authorities incur by this very fact the penalty of excommunication, absolution from which is reserved simply to the Holy See."
1983 Code of Canon Law said:
Can. 1374 A person who joins an association which plots against the Church is to be punished with a just penalty; however, a person who promotes or directs an association of this kind is to be punished with an interdict.
Some people say this “however” means a person isn’t excommunicated- they should just be admonished- for joining the Masons. I personally believe this “however” is to allow for honest mistakes- not willful disobediance. Some lodges do not care if a person is Catholic or not, and Catechesis hasn’t been very good on this subject in recent times- many Catholics simply don’t know any better.
