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CajunRick
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Posted: Tue Feb 6th, 2007 11:16 pm |
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ROME, FEB. 6, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.
Q: A member of the RCIA program was told by another member of the parish that if they were going to become Catholic they needed to terminate their involvement with the Masonic lodge before they could join. Is this still the case in the United States? -- T.N., Howard City, Michigan
A: This question is more canonical than liturgical. The Church's position with respect to membership of Masonic lodges, even though canon law no longer explicitly mentions the Masons, has not substantially changed.
The new code states in Canon 1374: "A person who joins an association which plots against the Church is to be punished with a just penalty; however, a person who promotes or directs an association of this kind is to be punished with an interdict." An interdict is an ecclesiastical penalty that deprives the person of the right to celebrate or receive the sacraments but is less harsh than excommunication.
This text greatly simplified the former code which had specifically mentioned the Masons. This change led some Masons to think that the Church no longer banned Catholics from being Masons, since, among other things, in many countries membership at a lodge was merely social and had nothing to do with plotting against the Church.
In order to clarify the issue the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith published a declaration on Nov. 26, 1983, shortly before the present Code of Canon Law came into effect. This declaration, signed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, states:
"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 in 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 association 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; English language edition of L'Osservatore Romano, 9 March 1981).
"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."
The congregation's judgment, therefore, was not so much based on whether the Masons as such or any specific group of Masons effectively plot against the Church today. This does not deny that some Masonic groups have historically combated the Church nor that even today, in some countries or at certain levels, the lodge remains at the forefront of those who oppose the Church's freedom of action.
Rather, the Vatican congregation above all stressed the incompatibility of some Masonic principles with those of the Catholic Church.
This incompatibility resides in some aspects of Masonic ritual, but more importantly in elements regarding the question of truth.
In its effort to bring together people of different provenances, Masonry requires that its members adhere to a minimal belief in a supreme architect of the universe and leave aside all other pretensions of truth, even revealed truth.
It is thus basically a relativistic doctrine, and no Catholic, nor indeed any convinced Christian, may ever adhere to a group that would require him, even as a mere intellectual exercise, to renounce the affirmation of such truths as Christ's divinity and the Trinitarian nature of God.
Of course, for many people active in Masonic lodges, the conversations and activities are more social in nature and rarely veer toward the realm of philosophical speculation. A Catholic, however, cannot ignore the fundamental principles behind an organization, no matter how innocuous its activities appear to be.
The above article is reposted from Zenit.
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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Darlene
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Posted: Wed Feb 7th, 2007 12:38 am |
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| Thanks for posting this. I'm glad to hear that the Catholic Church takes a stand in this regard.
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The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. II Corinthians 13:14
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mrsbmoo
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Posted: Wed Feb 7th, 2007 07:46 pm |
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| It was my understanding that most conservative Christian groups discouraged or forbid membership in the masons.
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Becky
Wife of Michael(called Moo) and stay at home mom to 5 daughters between 10 months and 17
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mrsbmoo
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Posted: Mon Feb 12th, 2007 09:09 pm |
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| I was watching TV after midnight last night and there was a show about the history of the masons. I only watched about 15 minutes of it as I decided it would not be conducive to peaceful sleep but it was mentioned that John Wayne was a Mason. My husband is a big John Wayne fan and insists he was Catholic. Anybody know anything on the subject?
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Becky
Wife of Michael(called Moo) and stay at home mom to 5 daughters between 10 months and 17
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CajunRick
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Posted: Mon Feb 12th, 2007 09:30 pm |
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mrsbmoo wrote: I was watching TV after midnight last night and there was a show about the history of the masons. I only watched about 15 minutes of it as I decided it would not be conducive to peaceful sleep but it was mentioned that John Wayne was a Mason. My husband is a big John Wayne fan and insists he was Catholic. Anybody know anything on the subject?
I don't.
I know that the Shriners, which is a Masonic organization, are very active in my community, and I know that there are very good Catholics who are members. Then again, over three-fourths of the population in our diocese are Catholic. I don't know the relationship between the Shriners and the Masons, but I know the Shriners help fund Children's Hospital in New Orleans, and operate a pediatric burn facility in Houston. They also ride big Harleys and drive clown cars in all the Mardi Gras parades. You know the parade is coming when you see the Shriners preparing the way.
I also know that our Church teaches that one cannot be a Mason and also a Catholic, so I would never join any Masonic organization, but I find it hard to believe that the Masons here could be considered anti-Catholic.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
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David W. Emery
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Posted: Mon Feb 12th, 2007 11:11 pm |
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Darlene wrote:It was mentioned that John Wayne was a Mason. My husband is a big John Wayne fan and insists he was Catholic.
He converted on his deathbed. Prior to that, he was a sometime evangelical. All of his wives, however, were Hispanic and at least nominally Catholic.
David
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Annie
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Posted: Fri Feb 16th, 2007 02:20 pm |
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That was a very good TV program on the Freemasons. Modern Freemasonry in America is mainly a fraternal organization like the Lions or Elks and is dying out, the average Shriner is something like 72 years old. The "Shriners" is open to 32nd degree Masons I believe. My Dad was a York and Scottish Rite Mason and Shriner. The belief that they are anti-Catholic is a misstatement of fact but the philosophy of Freemasonry does indeed contradict the teachings of the Magisterium, mainly the teaching that orthodox Christianity is the one true faith.
I have extensively studied the rites of Freemasonry and the Order of the Eastern Star.
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Annie
Ora et labora
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Darlene
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Posted: Sun Feb 18th, 2007 01:34 pm |
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Annie,
Don't the Masons also have an organization for women called "Daughters of Job" or something to that effect?
Darlene
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The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. II Corinthians 13:14
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BodRod
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Posted: Sun Feb 18th, 2007 02:11 pm |
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| I think the women's group is called "Eastern Star" and the girl's group is called "Job's Daughters".
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Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro.
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Annie
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Posted: Mon Feb 19th, 2007 10:31 am |
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BodRod is correct. I didn't like the Eastern Star ritual, it was very sexist, i liked the Masonic ritual better. What it does is take you on a "journey" that is a metaphorical view of the lifelong faith journey that some people have. It was actually helpful in letting me sort out what things were important and what were not and was instrumental in my becoming Catholic!  But don't tell the Bishop!
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Annie
Ora et labora
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chnchris
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Posted: Tue Feb 20th, 2007 10:34 pm |
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cajunrick wrote: I also know that our Church teaches that one cannot be a Mason and also a Catholic, so I would never join any Masonic organization, but I find it hard to believe that the Masons here could be considered anti-Catholic.
There are many things that are sinful, but Catholics simply
ignore; ie, abortion, contraception, divorce and remarriage,
adultery, fornication, homosexuality, Masons, and on and on.
And we don't hear it from the pulpit either, no wonder
few go to confession anymore. Why bother, no one goes
to Hell anyway, right. 
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Pax eT Bonum,
chris
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CajunRick
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Posted: Tue Feb 20th, 2007 11:02 pm |
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This followup by Fr. McNamara was included in today's Zenit Dispatch.
After I replied to a question on prospective Catholics who belonged to a Masonic lodge (Feb. 6), one reader asked about Catholics who already belong to this group in the belief that it is just another social organization. Another asked for clarifications on those who convert who are already members.
The latter writes: "The answer must surely be two-part: The first part of Canon 1374 ('A person who joins an association which plots against the Church is to be punished with a just penalty') prevents a Catholic from joining the Masons but says nothing about converts who are already Masons. I have heard the case made by persons in that situation that 'once a Mason always a Mason' and that there is no way of ceasing to be one.
"The second part must be that the rest of the canon ('however, a person who promotes or directs an association of this kind is to be punished with an interdict') prevents our convert Mason from taking an active part in the running of his lodge, including enrolling new members."
As mentioned in the earlier column, once a Catholic, or a future Catholic, becomes aware of the Church's position on Freemasonry, he should formally withdraw his membership. To willfully remain would be an objectively sinful act and impede that Catholic's reception of Communion or his reception into the Church.
There might be specific cases, however, when for grave reasons Church authorities allow a person an informal severance of association from an organization. This means that the person does not officially withdraw but ceases to participate in any meetings or activities of the organization until he or she is no longer considered a member.
From a Catholic standpoint, the statement "once a Mason always a Mason" is simply untrue, even if Masons hold to this position.
In spite of its mystique and elaborate myths, Masonry is just as much a human social organization as myriad other secret societies. After all, becoming a Mason hardly leaves an indelible and eternal mark on the soul as does baptism and ordination. For all practical purposes one ceases to be a Mason the moment one decides to sever the relationship.
As there is much ignorance regarding the Church's position, and the motives of principle which lie at the heart of Masonry's incompatibility with Catholicism, it is incumbent upon priests to study the phenomenon, understand the Church's reasons and explain them to others.
This explanation may be public, especially where Masonry is active in the area of a parish, or private, to Catholics who have unwittingly become involved.
The above article is reposted from Zenit.
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
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Annie
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Posted: Wed Feb 21st, 2007 08:55 am |
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| chnchris, the issue brought up was whether the Masons are anti-Catholic, which they are not. the separate issue is the incompatibility with Catholic belief which makes membership for Catholics in the Freemasons (their proper name) untenable.
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Annie
Ora et labora
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AggieCatholic
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Posted: Sat Feb 24th, 2007 12:01 am |
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One of the main reasons Catholics are forbidden from joining the Freemasons is because they have a very long history of intolerance, intimidation and even violence against the Catholic Church. Few people know that the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. is filled with carved stone blocks given as gifts from the world's heads of state in honor of our first president. Pope Pius the IX sent a block stone from the Concord Temple, a 2,000 year old Roman church as his gift. The Know-Nothings, a political party comprised almost solely of Freemasons and with intense bigotry towards Catholics in general and immigrants in particular, saw the inclusion of this Roman Catholic artifact as some sort of twisted plot meant to signal a Catholic takeover of the young United States. In the dead of night members of the Know-Nothings stole this stone, broke it to pieces and tossed the bits into the Potomac River.
Freemasonry is often described as a pseudo-religion. It has rituals, rites, and a vague theology centered on a supreme being referred to as the Great Architect of the Universe. Members take blood oaths meant to ensure secrecy from all outsiders.
But, let's be honest, the Freemasons are not what they used to be. Membership is aging and declining. Are they as anti-Catholic as they used to be? No, in fact they will openly accept Catholics mainly because they are desperate for new members. My question to a Catholic or convert would be, what does Freemasonry have to offer that one cannot find within the Catholic Church?
(Note: Thanks to Carl Anderson in his forward to, "By Their Works" for the story of the Washington Monument.)
____________________
What part of, "Hoc est enim Corpus meum" don't you understand?
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Steven Barrett
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Posted: Sun Feb 25th, 2007 01:11 am |
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Before getting around to asnwering AggieCatholic's question about what the Masons have to offer Catholics, it should be noted that when the KofC was getting some bad publicity during its founding years, the Masons, ironically enough, came to the defense of the Order regarding something to do with its ritual. I'm not familiar with all the details. Hopefully a good Knight can come to my aid and fill in the details. I believe it had something to do with the KofC being a closed secret society, to which even the real secret society had to admit the KofC wasn't.
As for the Masons and what they have to offer is this: social, business and job connections that their old boy network, especially within small towns or cities that are still run by elites, usually WASP elites, still control. That's it.
Certainly not worth selling one's soul to obtain, and joining the Masons for reasons of material advancement is even worse than joining the Masons simply for social comraderie. Both are inexcusable reasons because the Masons, despite all their patina of respectability within established communities, remain opposed to what the Catholc Church believes and teaches.
It's helpful to also remember that many business leaders at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries were Masons and owners of the factories where Catholic workers put in many hours of labor each day, at great risk to themselves, for a pittance. Worse still, if the factory worker, no matter what faith he or she belonged to, was injured, that person was out luck financially. The factory owners could care less and did so legally. Thanks to the KofC, at least Catholic men had an organization they could join, insure their families for an affordable premium, and not have the constant fear that usually accompanied the loss of a limb or worse yet, a life.
What amazes me about the Masons is despite all their official talk about being an organization dedicated to promoting the brotherhood of man, how so many of them could have been so virulently anti-Catholic in the past; and even to this day, why so many Masons could've be blind enough to this history to have joined in the first place.
To be fair, the Masons, through their Shriner organizations, have done wonders in providing free care for children who've been severely burned or crippled.
____________________
For anybody interested in reading commentary from a Catholic's socially conservative/fiscally liberal viewpoint, go to my new blog at http://www.politicsramble.com/ .
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CajunRick
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Posted: Sun Feb 25th, 2007 01:52 am |
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Steven Barrett wrote: it should be noted that when the KofC was getting some bad publicity during its founding years, the Masons, ironically enough, came to the defense of the Order regarding something to do with its ritual. I'm not familiar with all the details. Hopefully a good Knight can come to my aid and fill in the details. I believe it had something to do with the KofC being a closed secret society, to which even the real secret society had to admit the KofC wasn't.
There is a "secret" dimension to the KC initiation program that members promise not to divulge. It's not some dark ominous thing, but more of a fraternal "sharing" of an event. It's intention is to cement the brotherhood of members.
You are correct in that the original reason for founding the Knights was to provide affordable insurance coverage to Catholic men, usually of ethnic origin, who worked in dangerous occupations. It was one of the first "mutual" insurance combines. Mutual insurance companies are owned by the policyholders, and profits are returned to them as dividends on their policies, rather than being paid to owners and stockholders. Prior to that time, the only way to obtain life insurance was to pay exhorbitant rates to companies designed to make a profit. Or at least that's what I remember from taking the insurance exam in the 70's.
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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Steven Barrett
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Posted: Sun Feb 25th, 2007 02:50 pm |
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Cajunrick, Thanks for mentioning the "secret" part of the initiation. Being 3rd Degree Knight, I'm well aware of that part. If I told anyone, I'd have to have he or she put to the stake.
All kidding aside, there's nothing in the Knights' rituals that would violate human dignity and especially Catholic teachings. After all, the Order was founded by a priest, the Venerable Fr. Michael McGivney, and we have priests as member Knights.
The last time I checked with "my sources," the KofC wasn't involved with any conspiracies either here or in France. Well, maybe there was one, its source coming from the Emerald Isle. Legend has it that Fr. McGiveny's ancestors were directly related to St. Patrick and because of that yet-to-be-disclosed "fact" that I just disclosed, instead of red white and blue in our flag, we should have white and green stripes and 50 shamrocks because we would've broken off from the Irish Empire.
The more one thinks 'bout it, the notion of the Irish Empire makes more sense. The Brits wouldn't have had an empire without building it on the backs of their first "colonists."
Psssst, don' speak o'word of it with any Know-Nothings you might be acquainted with. They might tell the Masons, get (mis) aligned again and we'll have to beat more sense into 'em all over agin'.
Last edited on Sun Feb 25th, 2007 02:51 pm by Steven Barrett
____________________
For anybody interested in reading commentary from a Catholic's socially conservative/fiscally liberal viewpoint, go to my new blog at http://www.politicsramble.com/ .
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CajunRick
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Posted: Sun Feb 25th, 2007 03:01 pm |
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Steven Barrett wrote: The more one thinks 'bout it, the notion of the Irish Empire makes more sense. The Brits wouldn't have had an empire without building it on the backs of their first "colonists."
Like the Cajuns, the Irish could never be conquerers. After the first victory they'd be so busy celebrating that they'd have to sleep it off the next day, and their enemies would come in and wipe them out in their sleep.
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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Steven Barrett
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Posted: Sun Feb 25th, 2007 03:55 pm |
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While I can't speak for Cajuns, I can for the Irish. Our demise would happen before we hit the hay, if we were fortunate to have made it that far.
Our formerly vanquished foes would regroup, lick their wounds and find a reliable informer to get a gist of what we'd be drinking whose family or region did most of the killin' to grab most of the bragging rights. It's not just the drinking for us. It's the drinking and the fighting that follows, surely as a family feud breaking out at old nana's wake.
In this instance, the Imperial Irish Army would be "celebrating" its wake ahead of its demise.
"Kinky" Friedman, that great irish candidate for Texas governor said once that Guinness (or whisky) is the drink that kept the Irish from conquering the world.
He could've added that only the promise of more whiskey (or threat of a firing squad) could've "convinced" the Irish Brigade to march up Mayre's Hgts at Fredericksburg to fight against their brother Gaels employed by a (very eccentric Scotch Irish Prod) General Stonewall Jackson. Or, was it the (eventual convert to Catholicism) James Longstreet's boys?
I grew up in a house where discussions about history, politics, sports and girls were secondary only to matters of Faith. Yet, I never knew it was the "War of Northern Aggression" until my middle brother wrote to us in Germany during his first year at The Citadel. Now he teaches history there.
In the meantime, let's pray for the Gen.'s elevation to the College of Cardinals! I just hope they don't elevate him to the Pope's Jt. Chief of Staff, the Curia. He needs to be out with the troops.
____________________
For anybody interested in reading commentary from a Catholic's socially conservative/fiscally liberal viewpoint, go to my new blog at http://www.politicsramble.com/ .
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