Actually, although many American Masons are nice enough, I can think of at least two times in US history that American Masons have acted with grave hostility toward Catholics and the Catholic Church.
In the last part of the 19th century, in the upper northwest, Masons, along with other nefarious groups, tried to close down Catholic parochial schools by making all private schools illegal, and forcing all school-aged children to attend public schools.
This was overthrown by the Supreme Court, but it survives in the Blaine Amendments of various states that forbid the expenditure of public funds to help provide for the educational needs of any child going to a Catholic school, named after James G. Blaine, Republican presidential candidate in 1884 (”Blaine, Blaine, James G. Blaine! The continental liar from the state of Maine!” - I still remember SOMETHING from high school US history).
As well, Masons gave rise to the anti-Catholic government of Mexico in the early part of the 20th century that ultimately murdered many Catholic priests, many thousands of Catholic laity, and forbid the open practice of Catholicism in Mexico, outside of church buildings, including Catholic education and catechesis.
sitetest
Dear sitetest,
Thanks so much for the history lesson.
Thank you for the information!
I have only recently spent time learning about the Mexican martyrs, especially Bl. Miguel Pro. What a very sad time in the history of such a Catholic country.