I believe the first papal bull on Freemasonry was by Pope Clement XII in 1738 (remember, Freemasonry first became open only in 1717, so it’s not surprising that a pope would feel a bit threatened by this new secret society - especially one rumored to have arisen from Catholic malfeasance). It’s been reinforced several times by various popes since then, but some popes made no effort to speak out against or condemn Freemasons at all during their reign, leading some to believe that the church had loosened up a bit on it. When I say “varying standards,” I don’t necessarily mean those on Freemasons, but many standards outside of that, including Vatican II.
I am not Catholic, so I don’t speak from expertise here. The closest I get is that my wife is Catholic, and we are raising our children Catholic. By the way, by Catholic papal standards, my wife apparently is living in sin, being married to a Methodist with a Jewish mother - let alone a Freemason. To me, it seems strange and unnecessary that anyone is required only to receive the word of God through the funnel of another human being. I admit I was astonished even to learn that no one in church had their Bibles. In my mind, it shouldn’t matter what a pope tells one to do. It is only important what God says to me, through His word and my prayers. I am no less of a Christian for the way I worship than any Catholic. So why should a Catholic feel bound and guilty by a papal bull issued 300 years ago? I don’t know anywhere in the Bible where a man is forbidden to be a Freemason, or a woman to marry outside of the Catholic faith (of course Catholics don’t appear in the Bible at all), or be a Protestant, or even an agnostic.
But that’s just me. As much as you find Freemasonry confusing, the Catholic faith is even more so to me.
No, no, no no.
So why should a Catholic feel bound and guilty by a papal bull issued 300 years ago?
It is the current canon law, reiterated and emphasized by Cardinal Ratzinger speaking officially for the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and approved by Pope John Paul II in 1983, re-emphasized and explained by Cardinal Bernard Law in a letter to US Bishops April 19,1996 which included a study of American Masonry by Professor William Whalen of Purdue University written for the committee.
In my mind, it shouldn’t matter what a pope tells one to do.
In my mind it shouldn't matter what a mason leader tells me to do, but if I were to wish to become a mason, I'd need to change my mind.
You and I are free to become Catholics or Masons, but if we do, we're not free to write our own masonry rules or determine our own theology and Church teaching on faith and morals.