Dad is a retired Fireman and a devout Catholic.
He was never a Mason, but the Shrine Burn Center and their Children’s hospital work is very close to his heart, to this day.
He got mad at anyone for bashing the Masons.
It is good that your father was not a freemason since it is impossible for a Catholic to be a freemason.
From the Catholic Encyclopedia:
“In view of these several reasons Catholics since 1738 are, under penalty of excommunication, incurred ipso facto, and reserved to the pope, strictly forbidden to enter or promote in any way Masonic societies.”
Again, if a Catholic becomes a mason they are by that act excommunicated.
As a Catholic I naturally know nothing about the internal workings of Masonry. I know some fine people who are Masons and some fine people who are Mormons.
Since George Washington was a Mason, obviously there are far worse things.