[longtermmemmory]

fake.

the way I understand it, pope john paul changed this.

Does anyone who happens to be a member know the real deal and not the silly conspiracy theories?

(History Channel pretty much had a documentary on this which poo poos the conspiracy kooks)

[G Larry]

You understand incorrectly.

Catholics may not be Masons.

It isn’t about “all the good work they do” or “all the great people I know who are Masons”.

It is about the fundamentals of the organization.

[Claud]

As far as I know, the teaching on this has not changed in the Church, and the ban is still in effect.

[paterfamilias]

“the way I understand it, pope john paul changed this.”

(This statement was promulgated with the approval of Pope JPII; the author (Cardinal Ratzinger) is now Pope Benedict XVI)

DECLARATION ON MASONIC ASSOCIATIONS

NOTE: The following is the most recent decree from the Vatican on the subject of Freemasonry and is thus is the most current statement of the Church’s law on this topic…

---

Issued by the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on November 26, 1983.

It has been asked whether there has been any change in the Church’s decision in regard to Masonic associations since the new Code of Canon Law does not mention them expressly, unlike the previous Code.

This Sacred Congregation is in a position to reply that this circumstance is due to an editorial criterion which was followed also in the case of other associations likewise unmentioned inasmuch as they are contained in wider categories.

Therefore the Church’s negative judgment in regard to Masonic associations remains unchanged since their principles have always been considered irreconcilable with the doctrine of the Church and therefore membership in them remains forbidden. The faithful who enroll in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion.

It is not within the competence of local ecclesiastical authorities to give a judgment on the nature of Masonic associations which would imply a derogation from what has been decided above, and this in line with the Declaration of this Sacred Congregation issued on 17 February 1981 (cf. AAS 73 [1981] pp. 240-241).

In an audience granted to the undersigned Cardinal Prefect, the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II approved and ordered the publication of this Declaration which had been decided in an ordinary meeting of this Sacred Congregation.

Rome, from the Office of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 26 November 1983.

JOSEPH Card. RATZINGER
Prefect

+ Fr. JEROME HAMER, O.P.
Titular Archbishop of Lorium
Secretary

http://www.cin.org/users/james/files/masons1.htm

[massgopguy]

My pastor who is also the Chaplain of my Knights of Columbus Council explained the penalty we would incur if any us us joined the Masons. This was last month. We were very surprised.

[ontap]

I am a Mason....I know of no conspiracies.

[marshmallow]

There are two main concerns regarding Freemasonry.

Firstly, freemasonry was explicitly anti-Catholic in recent history and in some parts of the world, still is. It aimed to undermine the Catholic Church. For this reason, the Code of Canon Law of 1917 (canon 2335) mentioned freemasonry explicitly and stated that membership carried a penalty of excommunication. The revised Code of Canon Law of 1983, does not mention freemasonry explicitly but it is implicit in canon 1374.

As the revised code does not mention freemasonry explicitly, some got the idea that the penalties for freemasonry membership had been revoked but this is not the case. In fact, The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a statement to this effect on November 26 1983.

The second issue with freemasonry is that, it can lead to indifferentism, i.e. that a person can be equally pleasing to God while adhering to any faith. It also masquerades as a quasi-religion itself.

As the "New Catholic Encylopedia" 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 or punishment in the afterlife, a hierarchy, and initiation and burial rites."

[Boogieman]

"(History Channel pretty much had a documentary on this which poo poos the conspiracy kooks)"

LOL you are saying the History Channel is more authoritative than "conspiracy kooks"? The channel that gives airtime to this guy?:

[Cheburashka]

Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, 26 November 1983:

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19831126_declaration-masonic_en.html

[cradle of freedom]

Are you a Mason?