[nuffsenuff]

1. If you are a Roman Catholic, you will be excommunicated if you become a Mason. You can, however, become a member of Opus Dei.

Ummm.... I need confirmation of this. This would be a problem for me.

[MeanWestTexan]

I don't that is correct, although I have seen that stated.

Masons are very much not a religion, merely a fraternity of religious men. There is NO theology involved, so I see no religious reason for it.

I do know, however, that the prohibitions for Roman Catholics dated to back when the Masons were a trade guild of free masons (basically a union) and also from the Crusades (Knights Templar). As a trade union the masons got in fights about with their big customer -- Churches.

Various popes and others tried to union-bust, in effect, to cut down on the cost of building churches.

Masons also have tended to be very egalitarian and suspicious of authority --- e.g. Paul Revere and the rest --- which makes those in power nervous, so they bucked Rome on occassion.

Politics, in short.

[kellynla]

FYI Freemasonry & Catholicism
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09771a.htm

[olde north church]

That was my most recent information. I don't recall hearing of any change. As a matter of fact, there was a banking scandal in Italy in the 1980's. Some of it actually was used as the basis for The Godfather III. It was also chronicled in the book "In God's Name". Sort of conspiracy regarding John Paul I death being a conspiracy.
It was revealed some of the Roman Catholic higher ups were Masons.

[cyborg]

I'm in the Rosicrucians. I just revived my membership. Half of my family are also members of the Rosicrucians. No masons but the groups are very similar imho.

[Chode]

NONsense... i'm Catholic and a PastMaster

[Flash Bazbeaux]

"If you are a Roman Catholic, you will be excommunicated if you become a Mason. You can, however, become a member of Opus Dei."


I think the Catholic analog to the Masons is the Knights of Columbus, not Opus Dei.

BTW, I have it on good authority that the original UN Charter was printed by a Mason.

[daler]

I know of Catholic Masons.

Not many, but I can tell you they exist.

I have heard that the Catholic church (and many Protestant ones as well) frown on its members joining the lodge, but I can't say as I've ever heard of a Catholic being excommunicated because of it.

It's always been my understanding that Catholic and other denominations' problems with Freemasonry was their concern that the lodge would displace the church.

However, the Masonic lodge goes out of its way with every new member to stress that it in no way should replace the member's church.

There have been a lot of fears and misconceptions about Freemasonry dating back hundreds of years, most of them absurd.

It is a wonderful fraternity with the noblest of principles and objectives.

[Redleg Duke]

Well, I have known a great many Brothers who were Roman Catholic and hadn't been excommunicated.

I think the RC Church has a 'Don't ask...Don't Tell" policy.

[Clemenza]

Masonry is "frowned upon" by the Catholic Church, largely a legacy of the anticlerical French Revolution (who's leadership was largely Masonic). Nevertheless, you will NOT be excommunicated if you are a Mason. Paul VI called a truce with the Masons.

[BlackjackPershing]

The Knights of Columbus is the Catholic Freemasonry organization.