[Ryan Bailey]

The Archbishop of Canterbury has been magnanimous in remedying the gaffe he inadvertently triggered previously. It is good to see him abstaining from the unnecessary business of isolating Christian men for ridicule.

In reality he now realizes what every informed person realizes, that there is no conflict of interests between Christianity and the Masonic lodge.

[Aquinasfan]

CATHOLIC QUICK QUESTIONS
Catholic Answers

What is the Catholic Church's official position on Freemasonry? Are Catholics free to become Freemasons? 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 and punishment in the afterlife, a hierarchy, and initiative and burial rites" (vol. 6, p. 137).

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.

[zboa]

Great, now all the tin foil hat "Freemasons are evil" "me and mine and no more" crowd will be getting their rocks off posting here all day.

[gobucks]

In reality he now realizes what every informed person realizes, that there is no conflict of interests between Christianity and the Masonic lodge.

Interesting .... (and the sound of a spinning reel, and a soft splash in the Pond of FR, and the ripples begin to spread outward in the quiet misty morning .... )

[ArGee]

OK, ignoring (for the moment) the issue of whether Freemasons do violate any tenets of Christianity, am I to understand that Archbishop Rowan is concerned about whether Freemasons can be Christians but not about whether active homosexuals can be Bishops?

Am I missing something here?

Shalom.

[badpacifist]

For those who don't know any better the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams is NOT Catholic! Dr. Rowan Williams, the archbishop of Canterbury and the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, which includes the U.S. Episcopal Church is a a social liberal who admits to ordaining homosexuals.

U. S. Catholics have enough problems of our own so I didn't want anyone confused.