Freemason = freedom builder ~~ Masons Children

[TEPO]

It just occurred to me what the name actually means.

I just don’t think freedom as an ideology is greater than an ideology based on virtue. But then again, to be virtuous is to restrict… Which is oppression. So in a nutshell tolerance has become the new ideology, to tolerate all things -unless they prove to become a hindrance to the common good. But what is the common good anyways? The Church uses this language In the catechism, but what is it?

Here is a copyrighted poem by my favorite poet Robert Hunter. Possibly one of the greatest poets of the 20th/21st century. The poem is called “Masons Children”.
artsites.ucsc.edu/GDead/agdl/maso.html#reaper

The poem seems to point to ‘Mason’ as pharaoh who was entombed after his death. He was dug up and “Hardly aged a day” (mummy)… The strange part begins here, where the deceased Pharoh Is able to teach some type of knowledge.

After this the “children” of Mason “ran and hid”, And swore “we’d never show our face again”… This symbolizes the secrecy of the Freemasons.

Then the poem jumps to Thursday AND Friday, which symbolizes many years thereafter. Here masons children are cooking stew with fires “tall and bright”. This seems to point to people having a jolly time, indulging themselves. It also ties into the self proclaimed “charitable acts”.

…Now you interpret the end of the poem, and tell me what you think it means.

 

[bmullins]

I thought this song was about Altamont? It doesn’t seem to have anything directly to do with Freemasonry or even the lore of the Master Mason, just the word Mason used…

 

[TEPO]

I thought this song was about Altamont? It doesn’t seem to have anything directly to do with Freemasonry or even the lore of the Master Mason, just the word Mason used…

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poetry
“Poetry (from the Greek “poiesis” — “ποίησις” — with a broad meaning of a “making”, seen also in such terms as “hemopoiesis”; more narrowly, the making of poetry) is a form of literary art which uses the aesthetic qualities of language to evoke meanings in addition to, or in place of, the prosaic ostensible meaning.”…

Tieing Altamont into the equation was brilliant. It makes perfect sense.

 

[TEPO]

I just have to wonder, after reading the poem, and then finally piecing in my newly hypothesized meaning of the title “Freemason” -what does “free” really mean to a Freemason…? Ultimately, is it freedom from God? According to the poem, At the time of death, there will be a very heavy price to pay…

“Mason was a mighty man
A mighty man was he
All he said: when I’m dead and gone
don’t you weep for me”

 

[ess1113]

The term Freemason was the term used to describe a trained stone mason that was accepted by the masons guild for the appropriate level of his training. He was not endentured to anyone and could travel and work freely throughout the region, hence he was a “free” mason. These stone masons lived and worked at the work site and met in small shacks that held the designs for the building so it was labelled a “lodge”.

The masons had three primary levels of masonic knowledge and it took years to learn the skills needed to move to the next level. By the time they achieved the level of a master mason they were qualified to draw designs and to supervise the fellow craft and entered apprentices. To travel from site to site they had to be able to identify themselves, so the specific hand shakes and words accompanying the skill level was what was used for acceptance in a new job site.

Around 1700 these masons were rapidly running out of stone work but they wanted to continue to meet as a group so they transitioned from operative stone masons to speculative masons. This is what the current day freemasons identify themselves as. They pride themselves on building men rather then buildings. They still use the tools used by operative masons to teach moral lessons to their members: square, level, gauge, common gavel, plumb, and compasses. They each remind the members of a specific moral attribute that should be employed in daily life.

All of this is readily accessible through the myriad of websites pertaining to freemasonry. You dont have to be a member to learn what this organization is about. You have to be open minded and interested but you dont have to have a PhD.

 

[TS_Aquinas]

The term Freemason was the term used to describe a trained stone mason that was accepted by the masons guild for the appropriate level of his training. He was not endentured to anyone and could travel and work freely throughout the region, hence he was a “free” mason. These stone masons lived and worked at the work site and met in small shacks that held the designs for the building so it was labelled a “lodge”.

The masons had three primary levels of masonic knowledge and it took years to learn the skills needed to move to the next level. By the time they achieved the level of a master mason they were qualified to draw designs and to supervise the fellow craft and entered apprentices. To travel from site to site they had to be able to identify themselves, so the specific hand shakes and words accompanying the skill level was what was used for acceptance in a new job site.

Around 1700 these masons were rapidly running out of stone work but they wanted to continue to meet as a group so they transitioned from operative stone masons to speculative masons. This is what the current day freemasons identify themselves as. They pride themselves on building men rather then buildings. They still use the tools used by operative masons to teach moral lessons to their members: square, level, gauge, common gavel, plumb, and compasses. They each remind the members of a specific moral attribute that should be employed in daily life.

All of this is readily accessible through the myriad of websites pertaining to freemasonry. You dont have to be a member to learn what this organization is about. You have to be open minded and interested but you dont have to have a PhD.

It’s actually a religion and one of which that promotes indifferentism and is anti-Christocentric. Such an organization is condemned by the Church and any member of the Church partaking in Masonic cults are condemned as well under pain of excommunication.

 

[ess1113a]

It’s actually a religion and one of which that promotes indifferentism and is anti-Christocentric. Such an organization is condemned by the Church and any member of the Church partaking in Masonic cults are condemned as well under pain of excommunication.

Statement on Freemasonry and Religion

Prepared by the Masonic Information Center

Basic Principles. Freemasonry is not a religion, nor is it a substitute for religion. It requires of its members a belief in God as part of the obligation of every responsible adult, but advocates no sectarian faith or practice. Masonic ceremonies include prayers, both traditional and extempore, to reaffirm each individual’s dependence on God and to seek divine guidance. Freemasonry is open to men of any faith, but religion may not be discussed at Masonic meetings.

The Supreme Being. Masons believe that there is one God and that people employ many different ways to seek, and to express what they know of God. Masonry primarily uses the appellation, “Grand Architect of the Universe,” and other non-sectarian titles, to address the Deity. In this way, persons of different faiths may join together in prayer, concentrating on God, rather than differences among themselves. Masonry believes in religious freedom and that the relationship between the individual and God is personal, private, and sacred.

Volume of the Sacred Law. An open volume of the Sacred Law, “the rule and guide of life,” is an essential part of every Masonic meeting. The Volume of the Sacred Law in the Judeo/Christian tradition is the Bible; to Freemasons of other faiths, it is the book held holy by them.

The Oath of Freemasonry. The obligations taken by Freemasons are sworn on the Volume of the Sacred Law. They are undertakings to follow the principles of Freemasonry and to keep confidential a Freemason’s means of recognition. The much discussed “penalties,” judicial remnants from an earlier era, are symbolic, not literal. They refer only to the pain any honest man should feel at the thought of violating his word.

Freemasonry Compared with Religion. Freemasonry lacks the basic elements of religion: (a) It has no dogma or theology, no wish or means to enforce religious orthodoxy. (b) It offers no sacraments. (c) It does not claim to lead to salvation by works, by secret knowledge, or by any other means. The secrets of Freemasonry are concerned with modes of recognition, not with the means of salvation.

Freemasonry Supports Religion. Freemasonry is far from indifferent toward religion. Without interfering in religious practice, it expects each member to follow his own faith and to place his Duty to God above all other duties. Its moral teachings are acceptable to all religions.

Prepared by the Masonic Information Center(12/93)
Revised (9/98)

 

[Bix]

I thought this song was about Altamont? It doesn’t seem to have anything directly to do with Freemasonry or even the lore of the Master Mason, just the word Mason used…

What is the lore of a master mason?

 

[T_More]

Statement on Freemasonry and Religion

Prepared by the Masonic Information Center

Basic Principles. Freemasonry is not a religion, nor is it a substitute for religion. It requires of its members a belief in God as part of the obligation of every responsible adult, but advocates no sectarian faith or practice. Masonic ceremonies include prayers, both traditional and extempore, to reaffirm each individual’s dependence on God and to seek divine guidance. Freemasonry is open to men of any faith, but religion may not be discussed at Masonic meetings.

The Supreme Being. Masons believe that there is one God and that people employ many different ways to seek, and to express what they know of God. Masonry primarily uses the appellation, “Grand Architect of the Universe,” and other non-sectarian titles, to address the Deity. In this way, persons of different faiths may join together in prayer, concentrating on God, rather than differences among themselves. Masonry believes in religious freedom and that the relationship between the individual and God is personal, private, and sacred.

Volume of the Sacred Law. An open volume of the Sacred Law, “the rule and guide of life,” is an essential part of every Masonic meeting. The Volume of the Sacred Law in the Judeo/Christian tradition is the Bible; to Freemasons of other faiths, it is the book held holy by them.

The Oath of Freemasonry. The obligations taken by Freemasons are sworn on the Volume of the Sacred Law. They are undertakings to follow the principles of Freemasonry and to keep confidential a Freemason’s means of recognition. The much discussed “penalties,” judicial remnants from an earlier era, are symbolic, not literal. They refer only to the pain any honest man should feel at the thought of violating his word.

Freemasonry Compared with Religion. Freemasonry lacks the basic elements of religion: (a) It has no dogma or theology, no wish or means to enforce religious orthodoxy. (b) It offers no sacraments. (c) It does not claim to lead to salvation by works, by secret knowledge, or by any other means. The secrets of Freemasonry are concerned with modes of recognition, not with the means of salvation.

Freemasonry Supports Religion. Freemasonry is far from indifferent toward religion. Without interfering in religious practice, it expects each member to follow his own faith and to place his Duty to God above all other duties. Its moral teachings are acceptable to all religions.

Prepared by the Masonic Information Center(12/93)
Revised (9/98)

A rose by any other name is still a rose…

 

[TS_Aquinas]

Statement on Freemasonry and Religion

Prepared by the Masonic Information Center

Basic Principles. Freemasonry is not a religion, nor is it a substitute for religion. It requires of its members a belief in God as part of the obligation of every responsible adult, but advocates no sectarian faith or practice. Masonic ceremonies include prayers, both traditional and extempore, to reaffirm each individual’s dependence on God and to seek divine guidance. Freemasonry is open to men of any faith, but religion may not be discussed at Masonic meetings.

The Supreme Being. Masons believe that there is one God and that people employ many different ways to seek, and to express what they know of God. Masonry primarily uses the appellation, “Grand Architect of the Universe,” and other non-sectarian titles, to address the Deity. In this way, persons of different faiths may join together in prayer, concentrating on God, rather than differences among themselves. Masonry believes in religious freedom and that the relationship between the individual and God is personal, private, and sacred.

Volume of the Sacred Law. An open volume of the Sacred Law, “the rule and guide of life,” is an essential part of every Masonic meeting. The Volume of the Sacred Law in the Judeo/Christian tradition is the Bible; to Freemasons of other faiths, it is the book held holy by them.

The Oath of Freemasonry. The obligations taken by Freemasons are sworn on the Volume of the Sacred Law. They are undertakings to follow the principles of Freemasonry and to keep confidential a Freemason’s means of recognition. The much discussed “penalties,” judicial remnants from an earlier era, are symbolic, not literal. They refer only to the pain any honest man should feel at the thought of violating his word.

Freemasonry Compared with Religion. Freemasonry lacks the basic elements of religion: (a) It has no dogma or theology, no wish or means to enforce religious orthodoxy. (b) It offers no sacraments. (c) It does not claim to lead to salvation by works, by secret knowledge, or by any other means. The secrets of Freemasonry are concerned with modes of recognition, not with the means of salvation.

Freemasonry Supports Religion. Freemasonry is far from indifferent toward religion. Without interfering in religious practice, it expects each member to follow his own faith and to place his Duty to God above all other duties. Its moral teachings are acceptable to all religions.

Prepared by the Masonic Information Center(12/93)
Revised (9/98)

It teaches immortality of the soul and of a “celestial lodge above,” it’s a religion. And Gnostic religion at that since they reveal their secrets only to their higher degree members. No need to reject that since plenty of former Masons have already said this. Might want to read what John Salza wrote about his Masonic experience who is now one of the best Catholic apologists today. And that relativistic garbage is exactly what indifferentism is. By the very fact it ignores Christ and accepts all religions is in itself evil and deserves no place in a society of Christians.

Quick question, are you a Freemason? If so, why are you disobeying Holy Mother Church? If not, why on earth are you defending one of her enemies?

 

[ess1113a]

I am not a mason.
I absolutely and totally disagree when an individual or an organization is unfairly persecuted. This does not violate the precepts or edicts of my Holy Catholic Church or my religion.
In fact, standing up for the wrongfully persecuted is exactly what Jesus would want us to do.

With the Vatican leaks from this week, and the continuing sex abuse that is perpetually ongoing, and so many other major issues effecting the Church, I am just not comfortable with the time and effort spent condemning the masons, the boy scouts, and the girl scouts.

My own parish honors and supports a parishoner that is an ob/gyn for her huge monetary donations to the parish yet they turn a blind eye as she continues to prescribe birth control and perform sterilizations on female patients. I personally think she deserves more attention that condemning a local masonic lodge.

John 8:7 reminds us to ensure that we are clear of sin before we start gathering stones. I am not without sin as I am totally confident you are the same. With that being said, I just think we should dedicate more time to righting other issues before we start on this organization. This is what Jesus would want us to do.

 

[Brother_Steve]

It teaches immortality of the soul and of a “celestial lodge above,” it’s a religion. And Gnostic religion at that since they reveal their secrets only to their higher degree members. No need to reject that since plenty of former Masons have already said this. Might want to read what John Salza wrote about his Masonic experience who is now one of the best Catholic apologists today. And that relativistic garbage is exactly what indifferentism is. By the very fact it ignores Christ and accepts all religions is in itself evil and deserves no place in a society of Christians.

Freemasonry seeks no converts. Freemasonry has no dogma, cosmology, eschatology or theology. Freemasonry offers no sacraments or ritual of worship, nor does it claim to lead to salvation by any definition.
*
*Freemasonry lacks the basic elements of religion. Freemasonry is not a religion nor is it a substitute for religion.

Freemasonry advocates no sectarian faith or practise.
They seek no converts.
They solicit no new members.
They raise no money for religious purposes.
They have no dogma or theology. Religious discussion is forbidden in a masonic lodge thereby eliminating the chance for any masonic dogma to form.
**It offers no sacraments and does not claim to lead to salvation by works,*** by secret knowledge, or by any other means. The secrets of Freemasonry are concerned with the modes of recognition only and not with the means of salvation.
By any definition of religion accepted by our critics, we cannot qualify as a religion.
Freemasonry supports religion. Freemasonry is far from indifferent to religion. Without interfering in religious practise, it expects each member to follow his own faith.

***A man does not subscribe to a new religion, much less to an anti-Christian religion when he becomes a freemason, any more than when he joins any political party or community association. ***There is nothing in Freemasonry that is opposed to the religion he brings with him into the masonic lodge. Freemasonry does not assert nor does it teach that one religion is as good as another. Freemasonry admits men of all religions. Freemasons believe in religious freedom and that the relationship between the individual and his God is personal, private and sacred.

Masons do not apply a theological test to a candidate. They ask a man if he believes in God and that is the only religious test. Belief in God is faith; belief about God is theology. As freemasons we are interested in faith only and not in theology.

Freemasonry is a completely tolerant organization. When Freemasonry accepts a Christian, or a Jew, or a Buddhist, or a Mohammedan,** it does not accept him as such, but accepts him as a man, worthy to be received into the masonic fraternity.**
Freemasonry stands for the values that are supreme in the life of the church and expects each member to follow his own faith and to place his duty to God above all other duties. We are sure that a member who is true to the principles he learns in Freemasonry will be a better church member because of it. *

 

[cjmclark]

Canon 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.

Clarified by this letter issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on November 26, 1983:

CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH

---

DECLARATION ON MASONIC ASSOCIATIONS***

It has been asked whether there has been any change in the Church’s decision in regard to Masonic associations since the new Code of Canon Law does not mention them expressly, unlike the previous Code.

This Sacred Congregation is in a position to reply that this circumstance in due to an editorial criterion which was followed also in the case of other associations likewise unmentioned inasmuch as they are contained in wider categories.

Therefore the Church’s negative judgment in regard to Masonic association remains unchanged since their principles have always been considered irreconcilable with the doctrine of the Church and therefore membership in them remains forbidden. The faithful who enroll in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion.

It is not within the competence of local ecclesiastical authorities to give a judgment on the nature of Masonic associations which would imply a derogation from what has been decided above, and this in line with the Declaration of this Sacred Congregation issued on 17 February 1981 (cf. AAS 73 1981 pp. 240-241; English language edition of Lâ’Osservatore Romano, 9 March 1981).

In an audience granted to the undersigned Cardinal Prefect, the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II approved and ordered the publication of this Declaration which had been decided in an ordinary meeting of this Sacred Congregation.

Rome, from the Office of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 26 November 1983.

Joseph Card. RATZINGER
Prefect

• Fr. Jerome Hamer, O.P.
  Titular Archbishop of Lorium
  Secretary

Pretty clear. If you’re Catholic and you’re a Mason, you shouldn’t receive the Eucharist. If you’re a Catholic and you’re considering joining, the Church expressly forbids membership.

If you strongly feel the need to join a charitable fraternal organization, consider contacting your local Knights of Columbus council instead.

As for the “Vatileaks” scandal and the sex abuse cases, the answer remains the same - just because people in the Church have fouled something up somewhere doesn’t mean that all the rules should be thrown out the window, or that we should ignore some of them because they just don’t seem like that big of a deal. The rules are still the rules, and we as Catholics are still required to follow them.

 

[LittleFlower378]

Nice post, cjmclark. We recognize that we are sinners and as a Church have had some tough times but no matter what this is God’s Church for eternity.

Matthew 16:18
“I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”

 

[cjmclark]

Nice post, cjmclark. We recognize that we are sinners and as a Church have had some tough times but no matter what this is God’s Church for eternity.

Matthew 16:18
“I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”

I wound up deleting it as I realized that the thread had come completely off the rails from the OP. Sorry.

 

[TS_Aquinas]

Freemasonry seeks no converts. Freemasonry has no dogma, cosmology, eschatology or theology. Freemasonry offers no sacraments or ritual of worship, nor does it claim to lead to salvation by any definition.
*
*Freemasonry lacks the basic elements of religion. Freemasonry is not a religion nor is it a substitute for religion.

Freemasonry advocates no sectarian faith or practise.
They seek no converts.
They solicit no new members.
They raise no money for religious purposes.
They have no dogma or theology. Religious discussion is forbidden in a masonic lodge thereby eliminating the chance for any masonic dogma to form.
**It offers no sacraments and does not claim to lead to salvation by works,**** by secret knowledge, or by any other means. The secrets of Freemasonry are concerned with the modes of recognition only and not with the means of salvation.
By any definition of religion accepted by our critics, we cannot qualify as a religion.
Freemasonry supports religion. Freemasonry is far from indifferent to religion. Without interfering in religious practise, it expects each member to follow his own faith.

***A man does not subscribe to a new religion, much less to an anti-Christian religion when he becomes a freemason, any more than when he joins any political party or community association. ***There is nothing in Freemasonry that is opposed to the religion he brings with him into the masonic lodge. Freemasonry does not assert nor does it teach that one religion is as good as another. Freemasonry admits men of all religions. Freemasons believe in religious freedom and that the relationship between the individual and his God is personal, private and sacred.

Masons do not apply a theological test to a candidate. They ask a man if he believes in God and that is the only religious test. Belief in God is faith; belief about God is theology. As freemasons we are interested in faith only and not in theology.

Freemasonry is a completely tolerant organization. When Freemasonry accepts a Christian, or a Jew, or a Buddhist, or a Mohammedan,** it does not accept him as such, but accepts him as a man, worthy to be received into the masonic fraternity.**
Freemasonry stands for the values that are supreme in the life of the church and expects each member to follow his own faith and to place his duty to God above all other duties. We are sure that a member who is true to the principles he learns in Freemasonry will be a better church member because of it.

Fortunately, some of us do not skew definitions and mislead readers in unequivocal meaning. You can raise a million words in refutation, the simple fact is unchanged that it is a religion when it professes garbage like a celestial lodge. And no, it doesn’t make people better church members, that’s heresy. Only the grace of Christ through the holy Saraments can help someone better themselves as church members. Such relativism is evil and should be out casted from all ranks of Christianity, as all intelligent Christians already do as they see it for what it is and listen to ex-higher ranked Masons for what it professes in secret. It really is simple, freemasonry is an enemy of holy Mother Church and thus an enemy of God.

 

[LittleFlower378]

The problem is as well is that from my understanding it portreys all religions as equal.

 

[ess1113a]

The problem is as well is that from my understanding it portreys all religions as equal.

Can we not treat other religions as equals but not accept them as our own?

I have served next to Methodist, Pentecostals, Southern Baptist, Lutheran, Muslims, Jews, and probably an entire litany of others and they all treated me as a soldier. Thats all I asked them to do and thats what I did in return.

In combat I didnt discriminate based on religion when I was fighting for the causes of my nation. I didnt go into combat for just the Catholics of my nation, I went for all of the 300+ million Americans regardless of religion. They WERE my equals.

I am devoted and committed to Roman Catholicism, my faith, and the Church, but I have respect for anyone that is devout in their faith. I do not have the luxury of picking the religion of my fellow soldiers. I think its great that you get to pick the religion of the people you work with but I think the majority of people work peacefully with other faiths and they seem to get along well in society.

Maybe the Masons are on to something. Accepting other religions without trying to eradicate them is pretty peaceful. I am not a mason but I can see some wisdom in that philosophy. God is probably pretty proud of people that can accept differences and respect those differences.

 

[cjmclark]

sigh

Well, if this is the track this thread is on, then we might as well…

Can we not treat other religions as equals but not accept them as our own?

I have served next to Methodist, Pentecostals, Southern Baptist, Lutheran, Muslims, Jews, and probably an entire litany of others and they all treated me as a soldier. Thats all I asked them to do and thats what I did in return.

In combat I didnt discriminate based on religion when I was fighting for the causes of my nation. I didnt go into combat for just the Catholics of my nation, I went for all of the 300+ million Americans regardless of religion. They WERE my equals.

The Church recognizes that elements of God’s truth exist in religions outside of Catholicism, but that this does not confer a status of “equality” with the Church upon them (cf. Nostra Aetate).
"NA:

The Church reproves, as foreign to the mind of Christ, any discrimination against men or harassment of them because of their race, color, condition of life, or religion.

So no, we shouldn’t discriminate against someone on the basis of their religion. But that doesn’t make their religion an equally valid path to salvation.

I am devoted and committed to Roman Catholicism, my faith, and the Church, but I have respect for anyone that is devout in their faith. I do not have the luxury of picking the religion of my fellow soldiers. I think its great that you get to pick the religion of the people you work with but I think the majority of people work peacefully with other faiths and they seem to get along well in society.

Maybe the Masons are on to something. Accepting other religions without trying to eradicate them is pretty peaceful. I am not a mason but I can see some wisdom in that philosophy. God is probably pretty proud of people that can accept differences and respect those differences.

And here’s what I originally posted -

Canon 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.

This was clarified by this letter issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on November 26, 1983:

CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH

DECLARATION ON MASONIC ASSOCIATIONS

It has been asked whether there has been any change in the Church’s decision in regard to Masonic associations since the new Code of Canon Law does not mention them expressly, unlike the previous Code.

This Sacred Congregation is in a position to reply that this circumstance in due to an editorial criterion which was followed also in the case of other associations likewise unmentioned inasmuch as they are contained in wider categories.

Therefore the Church’s negative judgment in regard to Masonic association remains unchanged since their principles have always been considered irreconcilable with the doctrine of the Church and therefore membership in them remains forbidden. The faithful who enrol in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion.

It is not within the competence of local ecclesiastical authorities to give a judgment on the nature of Masonic associations which would imply a derogation from what has been decided above, and this in line with the Declaration of this Sacred Congregation issued on 17 February 1981 (cf. AAS 73 1981 pp. 240-241; English language edition of L’Osservatore Romano, 9 March 1981).

In an audience granted to the undersigned Cardinal Prefect, the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II approved and ordered the publication of this Declaration which had been decided in an ordinary meeting of this Sacred Congregation.

Rome, from the Office of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 26 November 1983.

Joseph Card. RATZINGER
Prefect

• Fr. Jerome Hamer, O.P.
  Titular Archbishop of Lorium
  Secretary

Long story short - a practicing Catholic who is also a Mason may not receive the Eucharist. If you are Catholic and are considering the Masons, membership is forbidden.

[PLUG](If you’d just like to be part of a charitable fraternal order, consider the Knights of Columbus instead.)[/PLUG]

Regarding the “Vatileaks” and sex abuse scandals, we don’t get to decide that some rules don’t need to be followed just because some people in the Church did bad bad things or the Church should have bigger fish to fry. Rules are rules, and we as Catholics are to be faithful to them, both large and small. You don’t have to persecute Masons, you just aren’t allowed to be one.

 

[M-Dent]

the Church’s negative judgment on Masonry remains unchanged, because the Masonic principles are irreconcilable with the Church’s teaching (“earum principia semper iconciliabilia habita sunt cum Ecclesiae doctrina”); (3) Catholics who join the Masons are in the state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion and (4) no local ecclesiastical authority has competence to derogate from these judgments of the Sacred Congregation.

Declaration on Masonic Associations