Free Masons

[patrickp200]

Who exactly are the free masons and what is the Catholic view on them. I have heard some people say that their organization is anti Christian and evil but I also heard some people say that they are a good organization based on Charity. I read that the Pope is against them but why? What do they do?

 

[Tantum_ergo]

You may find this helpful. It is from This Rock (the Catholic magazine that you can read right here at Catholic Answers.

		 			What is the Catholic Church's official position on Freemasonry? Are Catholics free to become Freemasons? 				        			
		”
	 			 				A: 			
		Freemasonry is incompatible with the Catholic faith. Freemasonry teaches a naturalistic religion that espouses indifferentism, the position that a person can be equally pleasing to God while remaining in any religion.

Masonry is a parallel religion to Christianity. The *New Catholic Encyclopedia *states, “Freemasonry displays all the elements of religion, and as such it becomes a rival to the religion of the Gospel. It includes temples and altars, prayers, a moral code, worship, vestments, feast days, the promise of reward or punishment in the afterlife, a hierarchy, and initiation and burial rites.”

Masonry is also a secret society. Its initiates subscribe to secret blood oaths that are contrary to Christian morals. The prospective Mason swears that if he ever reveals the secrets of Masonry - secrets which are trivial and already well-known - he wills to be subject to self-mutilation or to gruesome execution. (Most Masons, admittedly, never would dream of carrying out these punishments on themselves or on an errant member).

Historically, one of Masonry’s primary objectives has been the destruction of the Catholic Church; this is especially true of Freemasonry as it has existed in certain European countries. In the United States, Freemasonry is often little more than a social club, but it still espouses a naturalistic religion that contradicts orthodox Christianity. (Those interested in joining a men’s club should consider the Knights of Columbus instead.)

**The Church has imposed the penalty of excommunication on Catholics who become Freemasons. The penalty of excommunication for joining the Masonic Lodge was explicit in the 1917 code of canon law (canon 2335), and it is implicit in the 1983 code (canon 1374).

Because the revised code of canon law is not explicit on this point, some drew the mistaken conclusion that the Church’s prohibition of Freemasonry had been dropped. As a result of this confusion, shortly before the 1983 code was promulgated, the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a statement indicating that the penalty was still in force. This statement was dated November 26, 1983 and may be found in Origins** 13/27 (Nov. 15, 1983), 450.

 

[DavidFilmer]

Who exactly are the free masons

Freemasons are generally good people. There are NO Freemasons (even, and especially, at the highest levels) who have some “hidden agenda” to destroy Catholicism or any other religion. This claim is as silly as those who claim that the highest Catholic authorities are really subversive pagans in disguise.

But, as tantum ergo pointed out, Freemasonry is wholly incompatible with any Christian faith. Most Freemasons are Christians, but their Christian faith is really subverted, not enhanced, by the ideas of Freemasonry. The Masons *think *they are enhancing their Christianity, but are really detracting from it. They are misled, but not evil.

The Masons do good works. The Shriners are all Masons, and have established 22 Shriner’s Hospitals for Children in the United States, which treat seriously ill or injured children (regardless of religion or race or relation to any other Masons) completely free of charge. The Shriner’s Hospitals are highly regarded for their quality of care.

And men are sometimes attracted to a Masonic lodge because they seek “brotherhood.” A Mason must not cause harm to another Mason. My father-in-law was a Mason (blue-lodge). My wife remembers that, when she was young, her family was driving along a rural road while on a family vacation. They were pulled over by a policeman for speeding. Her father got out of the car, and briefly spoke with (and shook hands with) the officer. The officer smiled and waved them along, and they proceeded without incident.

Her mother later explained to her that the officer was also a Mason, and her father had demonstrated Masonic signs (maybe by code-words or the handshake). The officer thus did not issue him a citation.

 

[James_S_Saint]

I’ve discovered that there are 2 words that you never say to a Catholic priest; “Mormon” and “Mason”.

The Utah branch of the Mormon’s (LDS) was started by a clandestine Mason, Brigham Young.

They don’t share their information with anyone, certainly no king or religious leader.

The officer smiled and waved them along, and they proceeded without incident.

This happens with ALL brotherhoods.

 

[cassini]

What is Freemasonry?
‘They answered and said to him: Abraham is our father…We have one Father, even God. Jesus therefore said to them: If God were your Father, you would indeed love me. You are of your father the devil: and the desires of your father you will do.’ (John 8:39-44.)

Martin L, Wagner, in one of the most revealing manuscripts on freemasonry ever written, Freemasonry: An Interpretation (1912), summarises this well known society thus: ‘Freemasonry in its chief and essential features is a religious institution, and as such has marks and elements that are peculiar to itself but which also differentiate it from Christianity’.

‘ “Masonry is a religion. If it is not why should it have temples, altars, official rituals, with hymns or odes, prayers, consecrations, and benedictions? Why have high priests, chaplains, written and authorised forms for opening and closing its meetings, for corner stone laying, and dedications, for instillations, for the burial of its dead and what not? Why the grotesque imitations and caricatures of the church’s forms, even to its sacraments?” ’

Freemasonry is a church of the Antichrist. It has taken the form of pseudo-Christianity with its good works, thus luring into its ranks some Catholic as well as anti-Catholic supporters. The institution is esoteric and ‘the symbolism is the very soul of freemasonry’ (Pike). ‘It least does mean what it most does say and show.’ The spirit of freemasonry has its origins in the first pagan religions on earth. ‘Its peculiar religious ideas and doctrines have survived from the periods of remotest antiquity until the present time, and continue with a persistence that is marvellous. It has diffused over the whole habitable earth. Like the mysterious force or energy in nature upon which it is based, the essence or data has been constant, but the forms in which it has found expression have varied in different ages and among different people. The marvel lies in its persistence. So long as there is unregenerate human nature, so long will the root of masonry find a congenial soil and keep alive the organization in some form’

Masonry and Lucifer

In 1738, a mere twenty-one years after the Masonic Order first went public in London (1717), Pope Clement XII, in his encyclical letter In Eminenti described freemasonry as ‘Satan’s synagogue’ with ipso facto excommunication for any Christian who joined or associated with it, reserving absolution to the Holy See alone. This excommunication was extended by Pope Pius IX in his Apostolicae Sedis of October 12, 1869 to include the Carbonari and other secret societies also active in the republican revolution in Italy at the time. In all, the Church has issued twenty bulls warning the faithful against masonry for while the organisation gives the outer appearance of being Christian their inner core of initiates are ultimately about the work of the Devil. This was further emphasised in Pope Pius IX’s Scite Profecto of July 1873, wherein he personally attributed masonry to Satan, for he says it can only be the Devil, the eternal adversary of God, who is responsible for it; founded it, and contrived its development. The most comprehensive of all these epistles however, was Leo XIII’s Humanum Genus (1884). Subsequently, in 1890, the vernacular encyclical Dall’ Alto, addressed to the clergy and people of Italy was published. The Pope here described freemasonry as pervaded with the spirit of Satan. Another warning appeared in the same pope’s Custodi of 1892. Addressing the Italian bishops, the Holy Father asserted that ‘the diabolical spirit of all former sects is revived in masonry that attacks everything sacred, while the public, lulled in false security, does not recognise the danger, for Christianity itself is at stake.’

Who is the Mason’s god?

‘ “God is, basically, whatever we perceive Him to be: our idea or concept of God becomes our God. Usually referred to with the vague and general term, ‘Deity’, the god of Masonry can be the one of our choosing, spoken of generally as ‘The Great Architect’… However, those who pursue the higher studies in Masonry learn that God is the force of nature, specifically the Sun with its life-giving powers. And so we are right back at the pagan pantheon with its array of sun-gods, for example, Re-Atun in Egypt, Shamash in Babylon (cf. Hebrew common noun SheMeSH.), Phoebus Apollo in Greece, Sol in Rome.’— Albert Mackey: The Masonic Ritualist, quoted by Rita Joseph in her article Satanic Ideology, Christian Order, April 2003, P. 268.

 

[James_S_Saint]

Trying to decide who the bad guys are in a world filled over the top with secrets and deceptions is quite a task to take on. Presumption is the very seed of all sin, so even trying to declare who is bad is tempting a sinful step. It is usually best to not decide, but rather wait until such a decision is actually required, then hope for forgiveness if you happen to be wrong.

Every significant order that is different than any other is at least “a devil” to each other. If an order is not declared to be “The Devil” by someone, then it can be certainly known that either they are not significant or that they are different in their methods or goals (even I have been accused of being the Devil, among other things).

“Will the real Devil please stand up?” To see who is really the bad-guy requires the ability to see through the darkest of clouds as every significant order keeps secrets. It is by how they actually operate, their methods, that the altruist can most easily identify the bad-guys. Listening to what they say as a measure is about like listening to a political speech or a con-man and deciding that they must be good because they just seem so nice. How could they be significant if they didn’t at least seem to be nice?

In my case, in trying to see who the bad guys actually are, I ended up eventually seeing that altruistically, we ALL are. I have found no order that seems to actually follow God, step by step, hand in hand, although many earnestly try. In the end, it is a matter of merely trying to choose the best of the bad. But then most expect for a second coming so as to fix that.

I have found very specific indicators of true Holiness that guide me through the clouds, but they merely yield a “yes or no” as to whether an order is being perfect. As to what to do about it all, such indicators merely guide me away from establishing anything myself that wouldn’t be so perfect. Such isn’t my task anyway, but you seriously don’t want to challenge me to point out your sins, regardless of who you are.

If you accuse someone of being “the Devil” realize that you just qualified yourself as being “a devil”. None are without sin as far as I can see.

 

[James_S_Saint]

However, those who pursue the higher studies in Masonry learn that God is the force of nature, specifically the Sun with its life-giving powers. And so we are right back at the pagan pantheon with its array of sun-gods,

The Masons worship the Sun in about the same way you worship the cross itself. - Nada!

They were the builders of King Solomon’s temple. Although the “Free Masons” are different from Royal Masons and other major sects.

 

[mary_di_valerio]

There is a book that you may find helpful on the subject; it is called “she shall crush his head.” My mom read it and knows alot about Masons. Apparently many of them don’t know that they belong to an “evil” organization, and only those higher up in the “brotherhood” know. I’m not a big expert on it, but I do know some basic facts about Masonry.

Mar

 

[twb1621]

Who exactly are the free masons ?

In addition to some of the other information that has been posted here, it should also be made known that in many areas where the free masons are strong they strive to maintain control over businesses and commercial activities. Their membership is predominantly supported by many of those who are owners or in control of businesses and they are generally interested in maintaining their influence through politics and wealth. Even today many of those who attempt to establish private businesses in areas where FM is thriving are confronted with interferences by the FMs who pressure them to become members or threaten to see they do not succeed or even open if they are politically connected;

I recently posted the following on another thread and It might also be interesting to note the prophecies of the 16th century:

“At the end of the 16th century, Our Lady appeared to a Connectionist sister from Quito, Equador, then colony of the Spanish Crown, under the title of Our Lady of Good Success.”

Our Lady, in a three-centuries-old approved apparition, was addressing the problems of our own days. There is absolutely no way that a Spanish religious in the 1600s could have had any idea of what would be occurring in our century.

"Our Lady prophesied that at the end of the 19th Century and especially in the 20th Century that Satan would reign almost completely by the means of the Masonic sect. The Queen of Heaven told Mother Mariana that this battle would reach its most acute stage because of various unfaithful religious, who, “under the appearance of virtue and bad-spirited zeal, would turn upon Religion, who nourished them at her breast.” “During this time,” she continued, "insomuch as this poor country will lack the Christian spirit, the Sacrament of Extreme Unction will be little esteemed. Many people will die without receiving it - either because of the negligence of their families or their false sentimentality that tries to protect the sick from seeing the gravity of their situations, or because they will rebel against the spirit of the Catholic Church, impelled by the malice of the devil.

Thus many souls will be deprived of innumerable graces, consolations and the strength they need to make that great leap from time to eternity…" "As for the Sacrament of Matrimony, which symbolizes the union of Christ with His Church, it will be attacked and profaned in the fullest sense of the word. Masonry, which will then be in power, will enact iniquitous laws with the objective of doing away with this Sacrament, making it easy for everyone to live in sin, encouraging the procreation of illegitimate children born without the blessing of the Church. The Christian spirit will rapidly decay, extinguishing the precious light of Faith until if reaches the point that there will be analmost total and general corruption of customs. The effects of secular education will increase, which will be one reason for the lack of priestly and religious vocations…"

“The Sacred Sacrament of Holy Orders will be ridiculed, oppressed and despised. …The demon will try to persecute the Ministers of the Lord in every possible way and he will labor with cruel and subtle astuteness to deviate them from the spirit of their vocation, corrupting many of them. These corrupted priests, who will scandalize the Christian people, will incite the hatred of the bad Christians and the enemies of the Roman, Catholic and Apostolic Church to fall upon all priests. This apparent triumph of Satan will bring enormous sufferings to the good Pastors of the Church…"
"Moreover, in these unhappy times, there will be unbridled luxury which, acting thus to snare the rest into sin, will conquer innumerable frivolous souls who will be lost. Innocence will almost no longer be found in children, nor modesty in women, and in this supreme moment of need of the Church, those who should speak will fall silent.”

"But know, beloved daughter, that when your name is made known in the 20th century, there will be many who will not believe, claiming that this devotion is not pleasing to God…A simple humble faith in the truth of My apparitions to you, My predilect child, will be reserved for humble and fervent souls docile to the inspirations of grace, for Our Heavenly Father communicates His secrets to the simple of heart, and not to those whose hearts are inflated with pride, pretending to know what they do not, or self-satisfied with empty knowledge."

During this time, Our Lady foretold, "the secular Clergy will leave much to be desired because priests will become careless in their sacred duties. Lacking the divine compass, they will stray from the road traced by God for the priestly ministry, and they will become attached to wealth and riches, which they will unduly strive to obtain. How the Church will suffer during this dark night! Lacking a Prelate and Father to guide them with paternal love, gentleness, strength, wisdom and prudence, many priests will lose their spirit, placing their souls in great danger.

Excerpts;
catholic-sacredart.com/ologs.htm

 

[twb1621]

In regard to freemasons and charities, the following is provided by “Ex-masons for Jesus”;

"There is public and private Masonic charity. The most well known public Masonic charity is the Shriner’s Hospitals. They provide medical services, including surgery, to children - without charge. Much money is raised from the public to support the hospitals. The Internal Revenue Service audited the Shrine Hospitals. A series of investigative articles appeared in The Orlando Sentinel June 29-July 3, 1986. The series, entitled The Shriners: Where the money goes, stated IRS records indicate that less than a third of the millions of dollars raised for Shriner’s hospitals actually goes to the hospitals. IRS records were available for 76 of the Shrines 195 temples in 1984. Those 76 temples raised $10.4 million from circuses, football games and newspaper sales. Shrine hospitals received only $2.7 million of that money. The rest was kept for the use of the temples. $3.9 million went for entertainment, including picnics, dances, banquets, parties, seminars, open bars and hospitality suites at meetings and conventions.

An example of private Masonic charities are the Masonic homes. The Kentucky Monitor, thirteenth edition, speaks of help for widows and orphans on page 343:
There is no doubt that if a woman with a child or two is left in destitute condition, the most practical thing to do is to put the child (or children) in the Widows and Orphans Home. That will leave the mother free to make her own living. Great delicacy must be exercised in approaching this subject with the average mother, as she naturally does not want to part with her children, but it should be fully explained to her that the children will get a better raising in the Home than she can possibly give them under such circumstances; and in the future, if her condition should change and should she again be able to take care of her children, she can always get them back without formality.
This example of Masonic charity would separate children from their mother, rather than keep the family intact."

Quoted from the site Ex-masons for Jesus;
http://www.emfj.org/charity.htm

 

[James_S_Saint]

What do they do?

I might add that the Freemasons and the Knights of Columbus have some similarities, but are not really comparable. The Knights, as I understand it, were developed so as to answer the concern of the Masons.

Both groups are trust groups and in that respect are basically a good thing, but the Masons are actually society builders, from scratch, where the Knights are more of a men’s club following Catholic lead. The Masons are like a trust group of societal construction workers and architects, whereas the Knights are more of a gathering of Catholic devotees. There is a significant difference.

The two aren’t compatible because the Mason’s “do their own thing” independent of what the Catholic Church might be trying to accomplish and believe in maintaining independence believing that too much power given to any authority will result in devastation.

What they “do” is largely merely protecting themselves and others against too much authority from any one source; king, priest, or pharaoh. But of course, that leaves out the Catholic intent of being the one church for all of mankind, thus the Masons, much like the Jews are always trying to ensure that the CC does not get into a dictatorship position whether they would ever attempt it or not (which they have).

I read an official Masonic book on Freemason Rituals that was filled with phrases like “In the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ…” But I found later that such was merely the publication from a particular sect that happen to hold Jesus as their Lord. Since that time, it seems that all of America has done an about-face to Jesus and I have found no allegiance to Jesus being reflected in Freemasonry.

The original Freemasons disallowed blacks and women but recently black males and white feminists have been given the formula for their own masonic type of order and the Freemasons have recently recognized the black males’ order as compatible. The white feminists have a compact with the black males, so in effect, the 3 orders are merged. And of course, the good or bad guy sits in the thrown above it all.

Masons ensure the solidity of societies regardless of the societ’s particular beliefs, but in so doing, they instill a degree of their own make of independence from any single minded authority. Such has become a serious challenge lately as the UN and the American president have become Pharaohs (priest-kings). Such is exactly the opposite of what the Freemasons strive to achieve. But the slightest inexactness leads to eventual failure.

Soon their methods and the methods of all others will no longer work. Someone is going to have to become humble.

 

[James_S_Saint]

In regard to freemasons and charities, the following is provided by “Ex-masons for Jesus”;
Quoted from the site Ex-masons for Jesus;
http://www.emfj.org/charity.htm

But then you should go look at what the “Ex-Christians” have to say about Catholics.

“Ex-Anything” is not exactly a good source for balanced report.

And there is NO “Mom” that knows hardly anything about the Masons any more than the Atheists know about the Holy See.

 

[workingman]

Who exactly are the free masons and what is the Catholic view on them. I have heard some people say that their organization is anti Christian and evil but I also heard some people say that they are a good organization based on Charity. I read that the Pope is against them but why? What do they do?

I am not a expert but it was not that long ago I left the masons. It was a easy yet hard decision. Easy as in the CC forbids it hard due to the brother hood and family ties to it. I could go into all sorts of detail about rituals ect… but that is all findable on the web. Also there have been a couple of threads on it here on CAF. Here are links to those threads.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=389378&highlight=Freemasonry
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=649&highlight=Freemasonry
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=330972&highlight=Freemasonry

Also I came on to this from Fr. William Saunders. It was linked up with EWTN.

ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/WHATMAS.HTM

I hope some of this is helpful. Let me know.

 

[cassini]

There is a book that you may find helpful on the subject; it is called “she shall crush his head.” My mom read it and knows alot about Masons. Apparently many of them don’t know that they belong to an “evil” organization, and only those higher up in the “brotherhood” know. I’m not a big expert on it, but I do know some basic facts about Masonry.

Mar

Mary, your mom is correct. They cherry pick from the ordinary folk in the first degrees and move them up the ladder towards the 33degree.

 

[workingman]

Mary, your mom is correct. They cherry pick from the ordinary folk in the first degrees and move them up the ladder towards the 33degree.

I don’t want to derail but up to the 32degree is easily achieved it is a matter of what right one wants to go. Scottish or York. The 33degree is mostly honorary and is hand picked. It is quite a honor for a mason to be elected to the 33degree.

 

[thistle]

In regard to freemasons and charities, the following is provided by “Ex-masons for Jesus”;

]"There is public and private Masonic charity. The most well known public Masonic charity is the Shriner’s Hospitals. They provide medical services, including surgery, to children - without charge. Much money is raised from the public to support the hospitals. The Internal Revenue Service audited the Shrine Hospitals. A series of investigative articles appeared in The Orlando Sentinel June 29-July 3, 1986. The series, entitled The Shriners: Where the money goes, stated IRS records indicate that less than a third of the millions of dollars raised for Shriner’s hospitals actually goes to the hospitals. IRS records were available for 76 of the Shrines 195 temples in 1984. Those 76 temples raised $10.4 million from circuses, football games and newspaper sales. Shrine hospitals received only $2.7 million of that money. The rest was kept for the use of the temples. $3.9 million went for entertainment, including picnics, dances, banquets, parties, seminars, open bars and hospitality suites at meetings and conventions.

An example of private Masonic charities are the Masonic homes. The Kentucky Monitor, thirteenth edition, speaks of help for widows and orphans on page 343:
There is no doubt that if a woman with a child or two is left in destitute condition, the most practical thing to do is to put the child (or children) in the Widows and Orphans Home. That will leave the mother free to make her own living. Great delicacy must be exercised in approaching this subject with the average mother, as she naturally does not want to part with her children, but it should be fully explained to her that the children will get a better raising in the Home than she can possibly give them under such circumstances; and in the future, if her condition should change and should she again be able to take care of her children, she can always get them back without formality.
This example of Masonic charity would separate children from their mother, rather than keep the family intact."

Quoted from the site Ex-masons for Jesus;
http://www.emfj.org/charity.htm

The drug cartels in Colombia provide hospitals and schools for local people. Does that make them good. Of course not. Its a way to manipulate and deceive people into thinking they are not evil.

 

[thealtonroute]

Why do people put so much thought into the supposed conspiracies of the Freemasons against the Church? There’s definitely no Masonic plot to destroy the Catholic Church. I don’t think any Catholic is in a position to point fingers at the Masons when our own bishops have wreaked such devastating havoc on the reputation of the Catholic Church. The leadership of the Catholic Church in Ireland doesn’t have even a mere fraction of the integrity of the Masons whom I have met.

 

[thistle]

Why do people put so much thought into the supposed conspiracies of the Freemasons against the Church? There’s definitely no Masonic plot to destroy the Catholic Church. I don’t think any Catholic is in a position to point fingers at the Masons when our own bishops have wreaked such devastating havoc on the reputation of the Catholic Church. The leadership of the Catholic Church in Ireland doesn’t have even a mere fraction of the integrity of the Masons whom I have met.

The Church is very clear and unambiguous about Freemasonry.
Freemasonry and the Catholic faith are INCOMPATIBLE. Any Catholic who is or becomes a freemason is committing a grave sin and may not receive Communion. Such a Catholic who died in that state (unrepentant) would end up in Hell.

 

[twb1621]

But then you should go look at what the “Ex-Christians” have to say about Catholics.

“Ex-Anything” is not exactly a good source for balanced report.

And there is NO “Mom” that knows hardly anything about the Masons any more than the Atheists know about the Holy See.

Yes, some are prejudice, no doubt, but as in any case, there is little to go by in such an organization without those who have been members. In this case the charities and contributions were found by the IRS and it was presented publically. The thing about accusations of ex-Catholics or Ex-Christians that I have found is they were sadly unaware of the true teachings of their faith in the first place.

 

[twb1621]

The drug cartels in Colombia provide hospitals and schools for local people. Does that make them good. Of course not. Its a way to manipulate and deceive people into thinking they are not evil.

Its also a good source for money laundering…