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To: Magnatron
Catholic AND 33rd degree? I’m sure some of you will be apoplectic after hearing that.

This wouldn't make me angry. It would matter whether he doesn't know his Church's teaching or doesn't care. If he really shares the Catholic faith, then I would be very concerned for him and would make certain he knows what this means.

From the Mason side, I would also wonder since I believe the fellowship emphasizes honesty and following one's religion seriously and faithfully. I believe this should be a serious matter to his fellows and his standing in Freemasonry.

If he is a serious practicing Catholic and was unaware, I think it would be negligent to not inform him for his own sake. If he is a serious practicing Catholic, is aware, and is acting contrary to the clear teaching of his Church on a extremely grave matter (Eucharist), then this should speak unfavorably to his character and true beliefs.,p>If he is Catholic in name only, then he is mis-identifying his religious affiliation and might as well say "none."

227 posted on 04/10/2008 12:51:28 PM PDT by D-fendr (Deus non alligatur sacramentis sed nos alligamur.)
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To: D-fendr

Your reply was nicer than a few of the others I received. It’s nice to have a reasoned discussion, and of course, great minds can differ.

You wrote:

“From the Mason side, I would also wonder since I believe the fellowship emphasizes honesty and following one’s religion seriously and faithfully. I believe this should be a serious matter to his fellows and his standing in Freemasonry.”

This would matter if Freemasonry was a religion (and I’m certain that it matters in the Knights of Columbus). But since we don’t question a man’s faith - only his belief in God, we feel that this is a matter for an individual and his own conscience (and his own interpretation of his religion).

Going back to my statement regarding the possible roots of Freemasonry in the Knights Templar - this is one of the factors in the legend of how the Masons rose from that order. After being betrayed by the pope of that day, it is thought that the surviving Templars/early Freemasons eschewed the solemn word of the pope as the funnel from which they receive their faith. To them, the pope no longer represented them (and in fact, was now hostile to them), and that it wasn’t necessary for them to acquire the word of God only through him. As a result, it was determined that a man could worship God in his own way. If a man decides to receive God’s word through the pope, it was his own right. If not, that was okay as well. After all, the Protestant faiths came to that conclusion themselves.

Regardless, it is up to a Catholic to come to terms with his religion - not the position of his brothers to force it upon him.


228 posted on 04/10/2008 1:11:46 PM PDT by Magnatron
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