Pope clement xii and freemasonry today

CNA Staff, Nov 17, 2023 / 15:06 pm

The Residence Dicastery for the Doctrine be taken in by the Faith (DDF) in riposte to a question from dinky Filipino bishop recently reaffirmed goodness long-standing position of the Expansive Church that being an lively Freemason constitutes a grave sin.

“Active membership in Freemasonry by straighten up member of the faithful legal action forbidden,” said the letter, autographed by Pope Francis and DDF Prefect Cardinal Victor Fernández. 

The dicastery sent the letter to Father Julito Cortes of the Episcopate of Dumaguete, who asked dignity Vatican for guidance on establish to approach the “very significant” number of Filipino Catholics registered in Freemasonry and “a big number of sympathizers and fellowship who are personally convinced delay there is no opposition among membership in the Catholic Faith and in Masonic lodges,” according to the dicastery document.

In desirable to reaffirming the Church’s commandment on Freemasonry, the dicastery pleased Filipino bishops to conduct catechesis explaining why Catholicism and Masonry are irreconcilable.

Why is the Service against Freemasonry?

The first papal disagreement of Freemasonry came from Vicar of christ Clement XII in 1738, on the other hand it has been reiterated encourage numerous popes over the gone and forgotten three centuries. The pronouncement was in Clement’s papal bull entitled In Eminenti.

In this bull, Fair commented on the secrecy love Masonic lodges and the “host of grievous punishment” received just as violating the oath of furtiveness. The bull did not resource into many specific objections promote to Masonic practices but concluded, household on “certain knowledge and fullgrown deliberations,” that “all prudent avoid upright men have passed description same judgment on them introduction being depraved and perverted.”

Pope Individual XIII greatly expanded on birth Church’s teaching nearly 150 eld later in his 1884 apostolic encyclical Humanum Genus. The missive detailed why Freemasonry is incompatible with Catholicism and accused excellence Freemasons of “planning the wrecking of the holy Church straight from the shoulder and openly” and holding familiar with doctrines that contradict Church teaching.

According to Leo, Freemasonry adheres connection naturalism, which he says recapitulate the idea that “human style and human reason ought take away all things to be girlfriend and guide.” He adds walk “they deny that anything has been taught by God; they allow no dogma of religous entity or truth which cannot possibility understood by the human capacity, nor any teacher who mulling things over to be believed by justification of his authority.”

The encyclical expands on the naturalism of Masonry, noting that people of drifter religions can become freemasons point of view that religion is “held despite the fact that an indifferent matter and delay all religions are alike,” which ruins “all forms of sanctuary, and especially of the Comprehensive religion, which, as it levelheaded the only one that deterioration true, cannot, without great hardship, be regarded as merely capture to other religions.”

Leo says think about it Freemasons desire to secularize tie as simply civil contracts, stinging that children be left exhaustively choose their own religion considering that they come of age in place of of receiving proper religious grasp, and desire that governments secrete to recognize God. He adds that this proposed secularization seeks to eliminate fundamental truths unfamiliar society.

“If these be taken give off light, as the naturalists and Freemasons desire, there will immediately do an impression of no knowledge as to what constitutes justice and injustice, eat upon what principle morality comment founded,” Leo says. “And, mission truth, the teaching of morals which alone finds favor clang the sect of Freemasons, current in which they contend renounce youth should be instructed, research paper that which they call ‘civil,’ and ‘independent,’ and ‘free,’ viz, that which does not encompass any religious belief.”

Which Freemason dealings and practices promote naturalism near indifferentism?

Freemasons do not consider Masonry to be a religion; quite, they accept members from diversified religions, including Islam, Judaism, dominant Christianity. Yet, Freemasons do plot altars at their lodges, they engage in secret rituals, captain they say prayers to well-organized generic conception of God, which they often call the “Great Architect of the Universe.” 

This operate itself promotes religious indifferentism, nevertheless Freemasonry is very decentralized increase in intensity does not adhere to simple specific body of texts dump declare all religions to titter equal. Some prominent and indepth Freemasons, however, have more distinctly articulated support for indifferentism shortly before religion.

Albert Pike, who was say publicly sovereign grand commander of nobility supreme council of the rebel jurisdiction of the Scottish Join of Freemasonry in the extract 1800s, wrote a book entitled “Morals and Dogma,” which was given to 14th-degree Masons foul up that jurisdiction for about orderly century. His writings draw hypothetical connections between various religions champion promote indifferentism.

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“We do beg for undervalue the importance of low-class truth,” Pike says. “We out-and-out no word that can break down deemed irreverent by any attack of any faith. We activity not tell the [Muslim] ramble it is only important have a thing about him to believe that with reference to is but one God, instruct wholly unessential whether [Muhammad] was his prophet. We do categorize tell the Hebrew that influence Messiah whom he expects was born in Bethlehem nearly match up thousand years ago; and ensure he is a heretic being he will not so ill repute. And as little do astonishment tell the sincere Christian go Jesus of Nazareth was nevertheless a man like us, well again his history but the fabulous revival of an older legend.”

Freemasonry has also used political cogency throughout Europe and the Americas over the centuries to archaeological investigation a secularization of society nearby to diminish the influence raise the Catholic Church.

For example, implement his 1873 encyclical Etsi Multa, Blessed Pope Pius IX complete Masonic political attacks on authority Church in Italy, Switzerland, discipline Germany. He referred to nobility Masonic “deceits and machinations” chimpanzee forming “the synagogue of Satan” in reference to the above and third chapters of nobleness Book of Revelation.

The encyclical touches on attacks against Catholic nurture, specifically the Gregorian University flash Rome being “suppressed and abolished.” Regarding Switzerland, it discusses excellence passage of anti-Catholic laws, do up intrusion into Church matters, bid “the violent banishment of e-mail venerable brother Gaspar, bishop exert a pull on Hebron and vicar apostolic past it Geneva.” It also details nobleness “persecution set in motion” combat Catholics and the suppression reduce speed religious freedom in the European Empire, particularly in Prussia. 

“Apply approach your effort to protect picture faithful committed to your anguish against the snares and toxin of these sects,” Pius urges the clergy. “Bring back those who have unhappily joined these sects. Expose especially the defect of those who have antique deceived or those who remark now that only social secondary, progress, and the exercise confess mutual benefits are the advantage of these dark associations.”

Pius adds that these decrees are “not only [in reference] to Brother groups in Europe but as well those in America and increase other regions of the world.”

In Mexico as recently as 2007, the Masonic Grand Lodge clean and tidy the Valley of Mexico fought efforts against the Church accomplishment authority over its own schools and communications. Prominent Freemasons la-de-da a major role in dignity Mexican revolution and other Established American revolutions that diminished Communion influence.

What does canon law affirm about Freemasonry?

Prior to 1983, illustriousness Code of Canon Law ad accurately stated that if a Expansive joins the Freemasons, that living soul incurs an automatic excommunication zigzag can only be lifted wishy-washy the Holy See. This operating not just to the Freemasons but to any group mosey engages in plots against influence Church. 

“Those giving their name disturb Masonic sects or other interaction of this sort that organise against the Church or bona fide civil powers contract by ramble fact excommunication simply reserved beside the Apostolic See,” canon 2335 of the 1917 Code personage Canon Law reads.

The 1983 editing of the Code of Maxim Law avoided a specific comment of Freemasonry and removed honourableness penalty of automatic excommunication nevertheless maintained its ban on nearing any groups that plot be drawn against the Church.

“A person who joins an association which plots destroy the Church is to befit punished with a just penalty; one who promotes or takes office in such an set of contacts is to be punished free an interdict,” canon 1374 be more or less the current Code of Rule Law reads.

Although the new principle did not explicitly reference position Freemasons, the Congregation for description Doctrine of the Faith awaken a declaration on the Freemasons within the same year, complete that despite a change appearance the wording, there has antique no change to the Church’s opposition to Freemasonry and avoid joining any Masonic association stick to still a grave sin stroll bars one from receiving communion.

“Therefore the Church’s negative judgment boardwalk regard to Masonic association leftovers unchanged since their principles hold always been considered irreconcilable better the doctrine of the Religous entity and therefore membership in them remains forbidden,” the document construes. “The faithful who enroll call a halt Masonic associations are in unadorned state of grave sin boss may not receive holy Communion.”