Friday, February 15, 2008

Ixnay on Asonry-May

News flash: Catholics are STILL forbidden to join the Masons. I bring this up because I personally know some Catholics who belong to the Masons, and who persist in being Masons -- despite having been warned -- on the grounds that the Code of Canon Law no longer explicitly forbids membership.

Well, the Code of Canon Law should not need to forbid Masonry by name, any more than it should need explicitly to forbid Catholics from joining the Church of Satan or the Communists or any other organization openly hostile to the Catholic Church; two seconds' thought should take care of the whys and wherefores. But human nature being what it is, canon law does forbid Catholics to join organizations that plot against the Church (see Can. 1374). As for the Masons in particular, here's the straight, official dope on the subject from Josef Cardinal Ratzinger, then Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, now you-know-who:

QUAESITUM EST
Declaration on Masonic Associations
Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

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 is 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 associations 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. [Emphasis added.]

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 Feb. 17,1981. [1]

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, Nov. 26, 1983

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger Prefect

Father Jerome Hamer, O. P. Titular Archbishop of Lorium
Secretary

Notes

1. Cf. AAS 73 (1981) pp. 240-241.

Thus, although I have been loftily informed to the contrary, it is not merely my opinion that Catholics may not also be Masons. Even if it was my opinion, those who insist they can at one and the same time be faithful Catholics and good Masons are operating on the basis of their opinions; if opinions are the only guides we need, then to what authority can they appeal to show that their opinions should prevail over mine?

H/T Fr. Gonzales at Overheard in the Sacristy.

5 comments:

  1. What does the Church have against bricklayers? Sheesh.

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  2. Lol, Theo:

    I once got a friend of mine to leave the Masons, due to Canon Law 1364 & 1374 & The Apostolic Declaration of 26 November 1983, as written by Cardinal Ratzinger. I also familiarized myself with Masonic Ritual, which goes from Sheer Naturalism to The Satanic+all their Blood Oaths to keep everything Secret;

    He later admitted that The Masons are a Satanic Cult.

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  3. A Certain Mr William Roger Clemens, is a Member of Freemasonry

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  4. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  5. Dear "Masonic Traveler,"

    Here is your comment in full:

    There is a certain irony in this post in that the the man you have on your page with his victory sign was a Freemason.

    1. I can understand why you would like to claim Winston Churchill as a freemason. I have only ever seen that claim on a masonic website.

    2. Even if Churchill was a freemason, he was not a Catholic; the prohibition applies to Catholics.

    3. I am deleting your comment, not because of its content, but because it comes with a masonic symbol. I don't want masonic symbols on my blog.

    ReplyDelete