Posted on 10/30/2009 9:01:19 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
A few years ago I was told that at the ceremony of induction of the vicar of one of the local Anglican churches, the Bible which was handed to him had embossed on its front cover the emblem of the Freemasons, the square and compasses. It subsequently came to light that nearly all the male members of his Parochial Church Council were "on the square", and his predecessor as vicar had been a Mason as well. This is not a "low", or Evangelical, church, but very firmly in the Anglo Catholic tradition, where a number of clergy and lay people over the years have talked of becoming Catholics.
Why is all this a problem? The reason is that the Catholic Church teaches that Freemasonry and Christianity are incompatible. The Holy See in 1983 reiterated the traditional position that Catholics who are Freemasons are in a state of grave sin and may not receive the sacraments - the Declaration on Masonic Associations was signed by the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and makes it clear that local bishops cannot dispense from its provisions. There were two reasons for this document: first, the new Code of Canon Law, which came out at the same time, no longer mentioned Freemasonry by name in its list of organisations which Catholics are forbidden from joining; second, mistaken advice had been given in the late Seventies in Britain and America which suggested that Catholics could be Freemasons if local lodges were not anti-Catholic; the 1983 rescript corrected that advice. Consequently, Anglicans or others who are Freemasons wishing to become Catholics will have to discard their aprons: this may keep the numbers of potential converts down.
It is often claimed by Freemasons and others that the reasons for the Catholic Church's hostility to Freemasonry are to do with politics - the political hostility between the Church and what is known as "Grand Orient" Freemasonry in the rest of Europe and Latin America; English Freemasonry is completely different, it is claimed; unlike the "Grand Orient" it has retained belief in the "Supreme Being". But this is nonsense: the Church's original condemnations from the 18th century related to English Masonic lodges in Florence and elsewhere in Italy.
The reasons for our teaching, expounded in teaching from many popes since the 18th century, are theological. In the first place, Freemasonry is a naturalistic religion. Its rituals and constitutions present the member as a man who is able to advance towards enlightenment through his own efforts - a good parable of this is the depictions of the trials of Tamino in Mozart's opera The Magic Flute. The Mason can earn his salvation through rites of initiation and the activities of the lodge (including charitable giving); it is thus, in a way, the perfect religion for the "self-made", middle-class professional man. It is totally at odds with the Christian vision, in which we need God's grace, through the death and resurrection of Our Lord, to grow in holiness.
Second, the prayers in its rituals specifically exclude reference to Our Lord. They are often prayers of Christian origin which have been vandalised.
In order to encompass adherents of other faiths the Saviour of the world is simply removed and set aside: he is not important. How can any Christian go along with this?
Third, the oaths required in the initiation rites require the new Mason to promise to keep secret the organisation's rituals, even though he does not at that point know what they are. These oaths are what Christian moral theologians call "vain" - they are not acceptable and cannot bind the person making them, even if they are done in the name of God. This is the problem with the oaths, not (as is sometimes claimed) the dire penalties which used to be referred to in the rituals.
These are the principal reasons why we teach that Freemasonry and Christianity are not compatible. In addition, we could cite the reactionary world view espoused in the rituals, supportive of the status quo and urging members to "keep to their station" in society. This, coupled with the make-up of lodges and the mechanisms of social control identified in exposés written in the Eighties reveal the movement as being somewhat at odds with the social teaching of the Catholic Church and our witness for justice and peace in the world. The "preferential option for the poor" would not find a place in the lodge. One could also point to the exclusion of women from lodge membership and the strain placed on many marriages by the commitments demanded of Freemasons: in spite of claiming to be a "system of morality" infidelity and adultery seem often to be viewed with some indulgence.
It is important that Catholics rest their challenge to Freemasonry on the clear theological arguments which I have advanced and that we are well-informed about the subject: sometimes criticisms of Freemasonry are inaccurate and frankly hysterical, and we should avoid conspiracy theories. It is also true that it is somewhat weaker than it was, partly as a result of the books written 20 years ago and pressure for Freemasons to reveal their membership, particularly in the police and the legal profession. Because of the decline, Freemasonry is very conscious of its public image and superficially less secretive than in the past.
Although it is weaker than in the past, Freemasonry still seems to have some influence in the Church of England. A study written by Caroline Windsor, Freemasonry and the Ministry (Concilium publications 2005), has shown that it is still quite strong in cathedrals (a big Masonic service was held in St Paul's Cathedral in 2002, with the Dean preaching) - and also that many parishes where Freemasons are active are weak in terms of Christian witness. If we are serious about ecumenical dialogue, the issue of Freemasonry has to be addressed; the same is true of interfaith relations, as Freemasons are sometimes involved in interfaith organisations - if they are there, we are talking about dialogue which is three-way, not two-way.
The overriding problem is that in spite of what Freemasons claim, their way of life is a religion, with all of religion's hallmarks. You can no more be a Freemason and a Christian than you can be a Muslim and a Christian. Catholics are committed to inter-faith dialogue and mutual respect, but this requires Freemasons to be honest about what they are. For Catholics, thinking about the reasons for the gulf between us can deepen our understanding of the Christian faith.
I've been a Catholic all my life, and been all over the world. I have never once seen a Church with gold statues in it. I have never seen a picture of a Catholic Church with gold statues in it. Can you please name a few examples of Catholic churches with gold statues? You've made an accusation, back it up.
I agree. I am allowed to attend several Catholic churches and the priests know I am a Mason. In fact, I have great friendships with them.
Besides that, in the Roman Rite, even a lay person could perform a wedding (Canon 1112.2) because the bride and groom confer marriage on each other. (In the Eastern Rite the priest is the minister of the sacrament)
So, no one would tell you and your wife they are not married.
Anyone, even an atheist, can perform a baptism, as long as the formula is correct.
If you really are Catholic, then the Masons are effecting you more than you think, because they are telling you stuff about the Catholic Church that is completely false. How come you implicitly trust all the bad things said about the Catholic Church by Masons, but you distrust everything the Catholic Church teaches?
Is this familiar to you:
“The All-Seeing Eye, whom the Sun, Moon, and Stars obey, and under whose watchful care even comets perform their stupendous revolutions, pervades the inmost recesses of the human heart, and will reward us according to our merits.”
It is enough that Jesus said do not swear oaths.
Mel
At this point, I realized this gentleman hasn't a clue.
As a Mason for the past 37 years, I have always been encouraged to be active in my own religion. It is about power and control...Roman Catholic...Wisconsin Synod Lutheran...whatever...it is about the church "owning you" body and soul.
My soul belongs to God Almighty, who gave it to me at the moment of conception! "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!"
And I will do so, wearing an apron if I wish, but still beholding to God!
OK, I stand corrected. In this Masonic ceremony with everyone in full regalia, the temple was either in Baltimore or Alexandria, on the table was a Talmud, a Bible, AND a Koran, no doubt about the latter.
I’m not sure that Freemasonry is incompatible with Christianity, but it is pre-Christian, no doubt. I still believe there is an element of salvation-by-degrees assocoated with Masonic belief. In any case, it’s about much more than a night out with the boys as some allege. I have to give the benefit of the doubt to an organization that had Washington and Jefferson as members.
But I would like to know just what’s the story with the fez, and Potentates, and the crescent on the fezes, you know. Twice a year we have a huge gun show at the Jamil Temple, and from the entrance to the main hall you walk past case after glass case full of Past Potentate fezes.
Just curious about all the Islamic symbolism.
Funny, in 37 years as a Mason, I have never seen or worn any of that.
Joseph Smith was a defrocked Mason...he was defrocked for attempting to make the Fraternity into a Religion!
I believe what the writer was implying was that the immense wealth of the Roman Catholic Church stands in juxtaposition to the poverty outside of its own doors...impoverished souls who are constantly exhorted to give for their eternal salvation.
You, however, are using the word "statues" to deflect the facts, just as you will ignore my words as well.
"There are none so blind as those who will not see and none so deaf as those who will not hear!"
Yeah? Well one thing an atheist is not allowed to do is become a Mason!
Put that into your Roman Catholic Supremacy Equation, my friend.
I wish the Catholic Church would use it's energies to excommunicate the baby killers like Pelosi and Biden.
30% of the members of Congress are Catholics and most of them are for abortion.
It would also be great if the Catholic Church used some more energy in focusing on the greatest threat Christians face today which is Islam.
I won't belabor what went on in the Vatican during the 15 hundreds, and so on.
I was raised in 1985. I agree with you Redleg Duke, 100%.
There are more lies told about Masonry than any other fellowship!
Be Ever Vigilant!
You, however, are using the word "statues" to deflect the facts, just as you will ignore my words as well.
Are you Dan Rather. He said something untrue, and you blame me for that! Fake but accurate.
The Catholic Church alleges all sorts of ridiculous accusations against freemasonry simply because they view it as competition for income.Well plus the documented facts about FreeMasonry, read Pike's book for example. Then there are actual documents like this one -
DOCUMENTI RIGUARDANTI L'ALTA VENDITAPesky facts.
Your gratuitous slap with Dan Rather points out your irrelevance. Ta-Ta, fella!
You are right. Catholics are evil and the whole point of Catholicism is to torture the poor and accumulate wealth. Unlike the Masons who only care about making the world a better place. Is that better?
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