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Encyclopedia > Catholicism and Freemasonry

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Freemasonry
Freemason

Core Articles
Freemasonry · Grand Lodge · Masonic Lodge · Masonic Lodge Officers · Prince Hall Freemasonry · Regular Masonic jurisdictions
Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ... Shortcut: WP:NPOVD Articles that have been linked to this page are the subject of an NPOV dispute (NPOV stands for Neutral Point Of View; see below). ... Image File history File links Info_non-talk. ... A kilobyte (derived from the SI prefix kilo-, meaning 1,000) is a unit of information or computer storage equal to either 1,000 bytes or 1,024 bytes (210), depending on context. ... An example of a Web browser (Mozilla Firefox) A web browser is a software application that enables a user to display and interact with text, images, videos, music and other information typically located on a Web page at a website on the World Wide Web or a local area network. ... Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... “Freemasons” redirects here. ... Image File history File links Square_compasses. ... “Freemasons” redirects here. ... A Grand Lodge, or Grand Orient, is the usual governing body of Craft, or Blue Lodge, Freemasonry in a particular jurisdiction. ... In most areas of the world Masons gather together in Masonic Lodges to work the three degrees of Freemasonry: 1° = Entered Apprentice 2° = Fellow Craft 3° = Master Mason Blue Lodge is used to specify the basic Masonic Lodge granting the first three degrees and to differentiate it from other Masonic... This article relates to mainstream Craft Freemasonry, sometimes known in America as Blue Lodge Freemasonry. Every Masonic Lodge appoints Masonic Lodge Officers to execute the necessary functions of the lodges life and work. ... Prince Hall Freemasonry derives from historical events which led to a tradition of separate, predominantly African-American, Freemasonic fraternal organization in North America. ... This article deals with organization in Craft or Blue Lodge Freemasonry. ...


History
History of Freemasonry · Liberté chérie · Masonic manuscripts
The History of Freemasonry studies the development, evolution and events of the fraternal organization known as Freemasonry. ... Memorial of the KZ Esterwegen close-up Liberté chérie was the only known Masonic Lodge to be founded in a Nazi concentration camp during the Second World War. ... This box:      There are a number of manuscripts that are historically important in the development of Freemasonry. ...

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This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913. The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...


The Roman Catholic Church has long been an outspoken critic of Freemasonry, and has continually prohibited members from being Freemasons since In Eminenti Secula in 1739. Since the early 1700s, the Vatican has issued several papal bulls forbidding Catholics from becoming Freemasons under threat of excommunication. The Church argues that Masonic philosophy discourages Christian dogmatism, and that it is anti-clerical in intent.[1][2] “Catholic Church” redirects here. ... “Freemasons” redirects here. ... Papal bull of Pope Urban VIII, 1637, sealed with a leaden bulla. ... Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive or suspend membership in a religious community. ...


The 1913 edition of the Catholic Encyclopedia went as far as to argue that some Masonic ceremonies are anti-Catholic.[3] However, this claim does not appear in subsequent editions. This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

Contents

[edit] Catholic Ban, Historically

[edit] Original Prohibition

In 1736 the Inquisition investigated a Masonic Lodge in Florence, Italy,[4], which was condemned in June 1737. The Lodge had originally been founded by English Masons, but accepted Italian members. This article is about the Inquisition of the Roman Catholic Church. ... This article is about the city in Italy. ... This article is about the English as an ethnic group and nation. ...


In 1738, Pope Clement XII issued Eminenti Apostolatus Specula, the first Papal prohibition on Freemasonry. Clement XII, born as Lorenzo Corsini (Florence, April 7, 1652 – Rome, February 6, 1740), Pope from 1730 to 1740, had been an aristocratic lawyer and financial manager under preceding pontiffs. ... In eminenti apostolatus specula was a Papal Bull issued by Pope Clement XII on 28 April 1738, banning Catholics from becoming Freemasons. ...


[edit] The Inquisition

In May 1739, Tommaso Crudeli, a physician and freethinker, was taken into custody and questioned under torture about his heretical beliefs and Masonic affiliation. He was released in April 1741 and died in January 1745 from what is believed to be the result of the torture and incarceration he suffered at the hands of Church authorities.[5] Tommaso Crudeli was a Florentine free thinker who was improsoned by the Roman Inquisition. ... For other uses, see Doctor. ... The word freethinker has different meanings: A freethinker is a proponent of the philosophical practice known as Freethinking, thus being a practitioner of Freethought. ... Torture, according to international law, is any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has... Look up Heresy in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...


Another case involved John Coustos, a Protestant Swiss living in England. He founded a Masonic Lodge in Lisbon and was arrested by the Portuguese Inquisition while traveling on business. After being questioned, he was sentenced to the galley.[6] Three other Portuguese Masons were put to death.[7] Coustos was released in 1744 as a result of the intercession of King George II of England, and after his return to England, wrote a book detailing his experiences at the hands of the Inquisition.[6] John Coustos was an eighteenth century Swiss businessman living in England. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Lisbon (disambiguation). ... An Inquisition - Auto-da-fe. ... Execution is a synonym for the actioning of something, of putting something into effect. ... George II King of Great Britain and Ireland George II (George Augustus) (10 November 1683–25 October 1760) was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Hanover) and Archtreasurer and Prince-Elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death. ...


In 1815, Francisco Xavier de Mier y Campillo, the Inquisitor General of Spanish Inquisition and Bishop of Almería, suppressed Freemasonry and denounced the lodges as “societies which lead to sedition, to independence, and to all errors and crimes.”[8] He then instituted a purge during which Spaniards could be arrested on the charge of being "suspected of Freemasonry".[8] A translation of the Latin Inquisitor Generalis, meaning the leading official of an Inquisition. ... This article is about one of the historical Inquisitions. ...


[edit] Reiteration of ban on membership

Pope Leo XIII author of Humanum Genus, which reiterated the ban on Catholics becoming Freemasons
Pope Leo XIII author of Humanum Genus, which reiterated the ban on Catholics becoming Freemasons

The ban in Eminenti was reiterated by several later popes, notably Pope Leo XIII in the encyclical Humanum Genus (1884). Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Pope Leo XIII (March 2, 1810—July 20, 1903), born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903, succeeding Pope Pius IX. Reigning until the age of 93, he was the oldest pope, and had the third longest pontificate... Humanum Genus (on Freemasonry) was a papal encyclical promulgated on April 20, 1884 by Pope Leo XIII. // It starts by using the Augustinian concept of the two cities, the City of Man and the City of God. ... Pope Leo XIII (March 2, 1810—July 20, 1903), born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903, succeeding Pope Pius IX. Reigning until the age of 93, he was the oldest pope, and had the third longest pontificate... An encyclical was a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Christian church. ... Humanum Genus (on Freemasonry) was a papal encyclical promulgated on April 20, 1884 by Pope Leo XIII. // It starts by using the Augustinian concept of the two cities, the City of Man and the City of God. ...


The 1917 Code of Canon Law explicitly declared that joining Freemasonry entailed automatic excommunication.[9] The 1917 Code of Canon Law also forbid books friendly to Freemasonry.[10] Canon Law is the ecclesiastical law of the Roman Catholic Church. ... Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive or suspend membership in a religious community. ...


[edit] Post Vatican II

After Vatican II, the Church appeared to some to be easing its stance towards Masonry. In 1974 Cardinal Seper, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, signed a document that stated, in part, that The Second Vatican Council, or Vatican II, was an Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church opened under Pope John XXIII in 1962 and closed under Pope Paul VI in 1965. ... Franjo Cardinal Šeper (2 October 1905—30 December 1981) was a Croatian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. ... The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) (Congregatio pro Doctrina Fidei) is the oldest of the nine congregations of the Roman Curia. ...

"The Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith... has ruled that Canon 2335 no longer automatically bars a Catholic from membership of masonic groups... And so, a Catholic who joins the Freemasons is excommunicated only if the policies and actions of the Freemasons in his area are known to be hostile to the Church ..."[11]

This advice led some Catholics to believe that the prohibition was no longer in force,[12] and that the Church no longer had many of its traditional objections to Freemasonry.[13]


In 1983, the Church issued a new Code of Canon Law. Unlike its predecessor, Canon 1374 does not explicitly name Masonic orders among the secret societies it condemns. It states in part: Canon Law is the ecclesiastical law of the Roman Catholic Church. ... A secret society is a social organization that requires its members to conceal certain activities—such as rites of initiation or club ceremonies—from outsiders. ...

A person who joins an association which plots against the Church is to be punished with a just penalty; one who promotes or takes office in such an association is to be punished with an interdict. Interdict can refer to several things: Look up interdict in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

This omission caused some Catholics and Freemasons to believe that the ban on Catholics becoming Freemasons may have been lifted, especially after the perceived liberalization of Vatican II,[14] and caused confusion in the Church hierarchy.[15] Many Catholics joined the fraternity, basing their membership on a permissive interpretation of Canon Law and justifying their membership by their belief that Freemasonry does not plot against the Church.[16] It is claimed that Catholic Freemasons in America ignore the 1983 clarification from the Vatican, looking to the 1974 pronouncement.[17]


[edit] Ratzinger's Reply

However, in the 1981 letter, Clarification concerning status of Catholics becoming Freemasons to the United States Bishops from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith authored by the then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI), the matter was clarified, and the prohibition against Catholics joining Masonic orders remains. The Clarification concerning status of Catholics becoming Freemasons was a 1981 letter from then Cardinal Ratzinger reiterating the Churchs prohibition on Catholics becoming Freemasons. ... The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (also known as the USCCB) is the official governing body of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. ... The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) (Congregatio pro Doctrina Fidei) is the oldest of the nine congregations of the Roman Curia. ... This article is becoming very long. ...


This was followed by the 1983 document Quaesitum est. To quote: This is a Roman Catholic Declaration on Masonic Associations. ...

"The faithful, who enroll in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion..."[18]

This is the authoritative interpretation of the Vatican's position on this subject.


The official Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano went further, claiming that Freemasonry acted as a rival to Catholicism because of the competing symbolic forms and the designation of Catholic non-Masons as outsiders.[19] Masthead LOsservatore Romano is the Vaticans newspaper. ...


[edit] German Bishops Conference

The 1980 German Bishops Conference produced a report on Freemasonry listing twelve points and allegations.[20]


Among the allegations were that Freemasonry denies revelation[21] and objective truth.[22] They also alleged that religious indifference is fundamental to Freemasonry;[23] that Freemasonry is Deist;[24] and that it denies the possibility of divine revelation.[25] so threatening the respect due to the Church's teaching office.[26] Deism is belief in a God or first cause based on reason, rather than on faith or revelation, and thus a form of theism in opposition to fideism. ...


The sacramental character of Masonic rituals was seen as signifying an individual transformation,[27] offering an alternative path to perfection[28] and having a total claim on the life of a member[29] In Christian belief and practice, a sacrament is a rite that mediates divine grace, constituting a sacred mystery. ...


It concludes by stating that all lodges are forbidden to Catholics,[30] including Catholic-friendly lodges[31] and that German Protestant churches were also suspicious of Freemasonry[32]


[edit] Report of the American Bishops Conference

Main article: Letter to U.S. Bishops Concerning Masonry

In the 1980s, the Bishops' Committee on Pastoral Research and Practices concluded that "the principles and basic rituals of Masonry embody a naturalistic religion, active participation in which is incompatible with Christian faith and practice." This report, together with two others, was sent in a public letter by Cardinal Bernard Law. The Letter to U.S. Bishops Concerning Masonry was a letter sent in April 19, 1985 by Cardinal Bernard Law. ... The Letter to U.S. Bishops Concerning Masonry was a letter sent in April 19, 1985 by Cardinal Bernard Law. ...


Although at least one American bishop has said that Freemasonry is less anti-clerical in the United States than it is among the "Latin" lodges,[33] the view that the Catholic Church was looking at Freemasonry from the perspective of France and Italy was dismissed by the report of the American Bishops.[34]


[edit] Anslow Affair

On 15 September 2000 Rev. Thomas Anslow, Judicial Vicar of the Los Angeles Arch-Diocese wrote a letter to David Patterson, Executive Secretary of the Masonic Service Bureau of Los Angeles. In reply to the question "whether a practicing Catholic may join a Masonic Lodge" he said that "at least for Catholics in the United States, I believe the answer is probably yes".[35] This letter was later publicly retracted with the explanation that the analysis was faulty.[36] He said that Freemasonry fostered a "supraconfessional humanitarian" conception of God replacing faith and revelation.[37] The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... For other uses, see Faith (disambiguation). ... Revelation of the Last Judgment by Jacob de Backer Revelation is an uncovering or disclosure via communication from the divine of something that has been partially or wholly hidden or unknown, which could not be known apart from the unveiling (Goswiller 1987 p. ...


[edit] Gianfranco Girotti

On March 1 2007 Bishop Gianfranco Girotti, the regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary made a statement that membership of Masonic organisations "remains forbidden" to Catholics, and called on priests who had declared themselves to be Freemasons to be disciplined by their direct superiors.[38] The Apostolic Penitentiary, more formally the Tribunal of the Apostolic Penitentiary, is one of three bodies in the Roman Curia that make up the judiciary within the Holy See. ...


[edit] Catholic Fraternal Societies

Freemasonry was an important catalyst in the founding of the Knights of Columbus.[39] One of the attractions of Freemasonry is that it provided a number of social services unavailable to non-members (and therefore, devout Catholics).[40] Father Michael J. McGivney, a Catholic priest in New Haven, Connecticut wished to provide Catholic men with an alternative to Freemasonry.[41] He believed that Catholicism and fraternalism were not incompatible and wished to found a society that would encourage men to be proud of their American-Catholic heritage.[42] Knights of Columbus emblem The Order of the Knights of Columbus is the worlds largest Catholic fraternal service organization. ... Categories: Stub | 1852 births | 1890 deaths | Roman Catholic priests ... This article is about the city in Connecticut. ... Official language(s) English Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport Largest metro area Hartford Area  Ranked 48th  - Total 5,543[2] sq mi (14,356 km²)  - Width 70 miles (113 km)  - Length 110 miles (177 km)  - % water 12. ...


[edit] Current Position of the Catholic Church

The Catholic Church's most recent statement on Freemasonry was released in the 1983 document Quaesitum est, written by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and approved by Pope John Paul II. This document remains the most current standing reference on the Church's policy on Freemasonry.[43] Quaesitum est states: This is a Roman Catholic Declaration on Masonic Associations. ... The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) (Congregatio pro Doctrina Fidei) is the oldest of the nine congregations of the Roman Curia. ... Coat of Arms of Pope John Paul II. The Letter M is for Mary, the mother of Jesus, to whom he held strong devotion Pope John Paul II (Latin: , Italian: Giovanni Paolo II, Polish: Jan PaweÅ‚ II) born   []; 18 May 1920 – 2 April 2005) reigned as the 264th Pope of... This is a Roman Catholic Declaration on Masonic Associations. ...

"The faithful, who enroll in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion...." According to the beliefs of Catholicism, a mortal sin is a sin that, unless confessed and absolved (or at least sacramental confession is willed if not available), condemns a persons soul to Hell after death. ... The Eucharist is either the Christian sacrament of consecrated bread and wine or the ritual surrounding it. ...

Quaesitum est clarified the 1983 Code of Canon Law, which did not explicitly list Masonic orders among the secret societies it condemns.[44] This contrasted with the 1917 Code of Canon Law, which explicitly declared that joining Freemasonry entailed automatic excommunication. The omission of Masonic orders from the 1983 Canon Law prompted Catholics and Masons to question whether the ban on Catholics becoming Freemasons was still active, especially after the perceived liberalization of the Church after Vatican II. A number of Catholics became Freemasons, relying on a permissive interpretation of Canon Law and justifying their membership by the belief that Freemasonry does not involve plotting against the Church.[45] Quaesitum est addressed this misinterpretation of the Code of Canon Law, clarifying that "...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." This is a Roman Catholic Declaration on Masonic Associations. ... In Western culture, canon law is the law of the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches. ... The Second Vatican Council, or Vatican II, was an Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church opened under Pope John XXIII in 1962 and closed under Pope Paul VI in 1965. ... This is a Roman Catholic Declaration on Masonic Associations. ...


[edit] Freemasonry's position

Freemasonry has no problem with a Catholic joining the Fraternity if he wishes to do so. There has never been a Masonic prohibition against Catholics joining the fraternity, and many Freemasons are Catholics.[46]


[edit] Reasoning behind the Catholic position towards Freemasonry

The Catholic Church considers Freemasonry incompatible with Catholicism for a number of reasons:

  • Freemasonry's acceptance of people of any faith in a religious atmosphere minimizes the importance of Catholic religious dogma.
  • The Catholic Church contends that Freemasonry advocates a Deist view of God.[47][48]
  • Some Masonic lodges advocate a radical separation of church and state,[49] this stance being perceived by the Church as true of all Freemasonry. Avowedly anti-clerical groups such as the carbonari in the Papal States are alleged to have followed a Masonic agenda as well as having based their organization on Masonic forms.
  • Freemasonry has characteristics of a secret society, which engenders distrust.
  • Sources such as the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia claim that initiation rituals for Scottish Rite degrees have been anti-Catholic.[50]

For other senses of this word, see dogma (disambiguation). ... Deism is belief in a God or first cause based on reason, rather than on faith or revelation, and thus a form of theism in opposition to fideism. ... Constantines Conversion, depicting the conversion of Emperor Constantine the Great to Christianity, by Peter Paul Rubens. ... The Carbonari (charcoal burners[1]) were groups of secret revolutionary societies founded in early 19th-century Italy. ... Coat of arms Map of the Papal States; the reddish area was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy in 1860, the rest (grey) in 1870. ... It has been suggested that Knight Kadosh be merged into this article or section. ...

[edit] Allegations of Deism

One of the most cited Catholic criticisms of Freemasonry is that it advocates a deist or naturalist view of Creation. While Masonry is explicitly theistic (atheists are not permitted to join mainstream Masonic Lodges), its references to the "Supreme Architect of the Universe" are seen by the Catholic Church as contending that God created the Universe but did not subsequently intervene in the world.[47] This was a common heresy that arose in the Enlightenment.[51] Deism is belief in a God or first cause based on reason, rather than on faith or revelation, and thus a form of theism in opposition to fideism. ... This article is about methodological naturalism. ... Great Architect of the Universe (GAOTU) is a term used within Freemasonry to denominate the Supreme Being which each member individually holds an adherence to. ... The Enlightenment (French: ; German: ) was an eighteenth-century movement in European and American philosophy, or the longer period including the Age of Reason. ...


The prominent role of geometry in rituals of (non-dogmatic) Freemasonry is given as evidence of deism in the Catholic Encyclopedia.[52] The Catholic Church sees this as in opposition to a Naturalistic philosophy. Calabi-Yau manifold Geometry (Greek γεωμετρία; geo = earth, metria = measure) is a part of mathematics concerned with questions of size, shape, and relative position of figures and with properties of space. ...


[edit] Catholic Prohibition on Secret Societies

The Catholic Church regards oath-bound secret societies as being detrimental to the Faith and has banned its members from joining them. According to the Church, secret societies compel Catholics to sin. For example, a secret society may require a Catholic to keep information from his confessor, or from civil authorities, even if he would otherwise have an obligation to reveal it.[53] Further, secret societies are seen as disruptive to the civil order by creating an atmosphere amenable to criminal conspiracy.[54] A secret society is a social organization that requires its members to conceal certain activities—such as rites of initiation or club ceremonies—from outsiders. ... For other uses, see Sin (disambiguation). ...


Oaths are also believed to bind people to blind obedience, contrary to the Roman Catholic view of man[55] and to facilitate the manipulation of well-intentioned "lower orders" by less benign "higher orders" (see below). This article is 82 kilobytes or more in size. ...


Other secret societies legislated against by the Church have been the Sons of Temperance, the Order of Odd-Fellows and the Knights of Pythias.[56] Sons of Temperance Procession, Hill End, New South Wales, a gold mining town in Australia, 1872 The Sons of Temperance was a brotherhood of men who promoted the temperance movement and mutual support. ... The Oddfellows is a British friendly society. ... The Knights of Pythias is a fraternal organization founded at Washington, DC on 19 February 1864. ...


Freemasonry denies that it is a secret society, instead referring to itself as "private".[57] While this point is widely contested, the German historian Dieter A. Binder tells us “Lodges are closed societies, but not secret societies” and says that the historical correct description would be "discrete society."[58] Grand Lodges provide complete information about their Officers and activities.[59]


[edit] Allegations that Freemasonry is a new religion

Main article: Christianity and Freemasonry

The Catholic Church charges that Freemasonry shows many characteristics of a separate religion,[60] and so the Church forbids those who accept its authority from becoming Freemasons — in the same way that membership in a non-Catholic church would be forbidden.[61] This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia This box:      Christianity and Freemasonry have had a mixed relationship, with various Christian denominations banning or discouraging members from being Freemasons. ...


The United Grand Lodge of England claims that Freemasonry has a non-dogmatic nature and explicitly states that "Freemasonry is not a religion nor substitute for religion."[62] The United Grand Lodge of Englands Coat of Arms Headquarters of The UGLE. The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) is the main governing body of Freemasonry within England, and certain jurisdictions overseas (normally ex-British Empire and Commonwealth countries). ...


[edit] Religious Indifferentism

Main article: Religious Indifferentism

The Catholic Church claims Freemasonry's refusal to hold one faith as being superior to any others[63] and its insistence on pseudo-religious rituals[64] indicate an indifference to religion.[63] The Church sees Masonic behavior as a denial of the truth of Christian revelation[65] and what the Catholic Church views as Christ's guarantee of orthodoxy[66] to that Church.[67] Religious Indifferentism is a term given to the theories which deny that it is the duty of man to worship God by believing and practicing any one religion. ...


Freemasonry categorically denies that it is a religion (and, in fact, had definitively stated that it is not),[68] but supports its members in their personal faiths.[68] At the same time, it allows members of all faith to participate in its rituals.[69]


[edit] Anti-Catholicism and the Scottish Rite

It is alleged[70] that anti-Catholicism becomes more pronounced in the appendant bodies, commonly called "higher" or "advanced" degrees,[71] of Scottish Rite Masonry. Catholic criticisms of Freemasonry, such as the Catholic Encyclopedia, claim that Freemasons in craft lodges, or "lower" degrees, are deceived as to the authority of the appendant bodies over craft lodges and the power that the appendant lodges have over them.[72] A related allegation is that lower degree initiates could be manipulated into directions—particularly against either Catholicism or Christian belief—of which they are unaware.[73] It has been suggested that Knight Kadosh be merged into this article or section. ...


The Supreme Councils of the Scottish Rite have stated that the highest degree in Masonry is that of the Third degree of Master Mason,[74] despite the fact that Scottish Rite uses a numbering system that labels its degrees in a higher sequence than Craft or Blue Lodge Freemasonry. In addition, regular Grand Lodges have specifically stated that they are sovereign and do not owe allegiance to any Scottish Rite Supreme Council.[75] This article deals with organization in Craft or Blue Lodge Freemasonry. ...


[edit] Knight Kadosh Degree

Particularly controversial is the Knight Kadosh or thirtieth degree, written by Albert Pike and purported to be in use in the Southern Jurisdiction of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite in the United States. The 1913 edition of the Catholic Encyclopedia claims that the papal tiara is trampled[3] during the initiation.[76] This allegation was not repeated in the 1967 New Catholic Encyclopedia,[77] (which, while it discusses Scottish Rite in some depth, does not discuss the Knight Kadosh degree in particular), although it was repeated by Father William Saunders in the Arlington Catholic Herald in 1996.[78] The Knight Kadosh is a freemasonic degree or ceremony of initiation of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Papal Tiara, also known as the Triple Tiara, or in Latin as the Triregnum, and in Italian as the Triregno, is the three-tiered jewelled papal crown, supposedly of Byzantine and Persian origin, that is a prominent symbol of the papacy. ... William Saunders Serving as the first Master (President) of the National Grange, William Saunders (1822 – 1900) also became the first Secretary of Agriculture, a seat on the Presidents Cabinet fought for by the Order of Patrons of Husbandry. ...


Neither the Catholic Encyclopedia's nor Father Saunders's account agree with Pike's ritual in The Magnum Opus,[79] which includes neither trampling nor any mention of the papal tiara.


Pike's book Morals and Dogma does mention hostility to the papal tiara by the historical Knights Templar when discussing the Kadosh degree.[80] However this is Pike's personal commentary on the degree and is not part of the degree itself. The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (Latin: Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici), popularly known as the Knights Templar or the Order of the Temple, were among the most famous of the Christian military orders. ...


An early twentieth century essay, authored under the pen name of "Cato Perpatria", translated from the original Spanish by Edwin Sherman and published in a Masonic magazine, says that the Knight Kadosh initiation ritual commemorates a Papal betrayal of the Knights Templar,[81] while at the same time swearing enmity towards the Church.[82] It is not known if "Cato Perpatria" was a member of the Scottish Rite, and his essay does not specify the symbolic actions of the ritual, nor say if members of the Scottish Rite agreed with his sentiments. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s The 20th century lasted from 1901 to 2000 in the Gregorian calendar (often from (1900 to 1999 in common usage). ... For other uses, see Essay (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Author (disambiguation). ... A pen name or nom de plume is a pseudonym adopted by an author. ... The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (Latin: Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici), popularly known as the Knights Templar or the Order of the Temple, were among the most famous of the Christian military orders. ...


[edit] Sources of Catholic antagonism

The Catholic Church's antagonism towards Freemasonry has historical roots.


[edit] Separation of Church and State

Freemasons are seen by the Church[83] as prominent advocates of a strict separation of church and state,[84] a charge many Freemasons will willingly admit.[citation needed] Such strict separation of church and state was seen by the Church as a veiled attack on its place in public life,[85] manifesting a Religious Indifferentism, which did not accept any religion as true or revealed.[86] Constantines Conversion, depicting the conversion of Emperor Constantine the Great to Christianity, by Peter Paul Rubens. ... Religious Indifferentism is a term given to the theories which deny that it is the duty of man to worship God by believing and practicing any one religion. ...


Freemasonry was accused of promoting state supported secular education in opposition to Church education in both Italy[85] and the United States.[87] In Italy, Freemasonry has been accused of promoting civil marriage[88] and supporting cremation[89] Freemasonry was also accused of being the motivating force behind the forfeiture of Italian church property[90] and ending Papal temporal authority in the Papal States.[91] This article concerns secularity, that is, being secular, in various senses. ... Marriage is a relationship that plays a key role in the definition of many people who (usually) are in a sexual relationship. ... The crematorium at Haycombe Cemetery, Bath, England. ... Coat of arms Map of the Papal States; the reddish area was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy in 1860, the rest (grey) in 1870. ...


The Vatican criticized Freemasonry in this area in 2004.[92]


[edit] Josephinism

Joseph II was the absolutist emperor of Austria. His ecclesiastical policies of measured toleration and national control of the church, known as Josephinism, were aimed at breaking any real control of the Austrian church by Rome.[93] There is no evidence that Joseph II was a Mason. He is fondly remembered today by Masonic historians for being favorably inclined to the Fraternity,[94] and it was speculated in the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia that he had an alliance with Freemasonry.[95] Joseph's father, Francis I, was a Freemason, and patron to the musical arts.[96] Joseph II (full name: Joseph Benedikt August Johannes Anton Michel Adam; March 13, 1741 – February 20, 1790) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. ... The term absolutism can mean: A belief in absolute truth moral absolutism, the belief that there is some absolute standard of right and wrong political absolutism, a political system where one person holds absolute power, also called apolytarchy from Gr. ... An emperorrefers to Nick Herringshaw, a title, empress may only indicate the wife of an emperor (empress consort. ... Josephinism is a term used in reference to the ecclesiastical policies of the Holy Roman Empire Emperor, Joseph II of Austria (1765-1790). ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Francis I Silver coin of Francis I, dated 1754. ...


Freemasonry was banned in .Austria-Hungary shortly after Joseph II's death in 1790,[97] a state of affairs that continued until 1867 in Hungary and 1918 in Austria. Austria-Hungary, also known as the Dual monarchy (or: the k. ...


[edit] Kulturkampf

Kulturkampf was Bismarck's vigorous campaign of the Prussian nation against the Catholic Church. The Papal encyclical Etsi multa of Pope Pius IX in 1873 claimed that, along with Swiss and Italian Catholics, the German Catholic community was suffering from a "bitter persecution".[98] and claimed that Freemasonry was the motivating force.[99] It condemned Freemasonry, accusing it of being "the Synagogue of Satan".[100] The German term Kulturkampf (literally, culture struggle) refers to German policies in relation to secularity and the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, enacted from 1871 to 1878 by the Chancellor of the German Empire, Otto von Bismarck. ... “Bismarck” redirects here. ... For other uses, see Prussia (disambiguation). ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Pope Pius IX (May 13, 1792 – February 7, 1878), born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, reigned as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from his election in June 16, 1846, until his death more than 31 years later in 1878. ... Not to be confused with Roman Catholicism in Germany The German Catholics (Deutschkatholiken) were a schismatic sect formed in December 1844 by German dissidents from the Roman Catholic Church, under the leadership of Johannes von Ronge. ... A synagogue (from ancient Greek: , transliterated synagogē, assembly; ‎ beit knesset, house of assembly; Yiddish: or Template:Lanh-he beit tefila, house of prayer, shul; Ladino: , esnoga) is a Jewish house of worship. ... This article is about the concept of Satan. ...


The Kulturkampf included outlawing the Society of Jesus, state interference in seminary education and clerical appointments, and the Kanzelparagraph which criminalized political speech by clerics from the pulpit. Seal of the Society of Jesus. ...


The Catholic Encyclopedia claims that the Kulturkampf was instigated by Masonic lodges.[101] This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...


[edit] Anti-Clericalism among the "Latin Lodges"

In many traditionally Catholic countries, the branch of Freemasonry commonly practiced (in what some Masonic scholars refer to as the "Latin Lodges"[102]) has been seen as an outlet for anti-Catholic disaffection, and many particularly anti-clerical regimes in traditionally Catholic countries were perceived as having a strong Masonic element. Anti-clericalism is a movement that opposes religious interference into public and political life and more generally the encroachment of religion in the citizens lives. ...


Freemasonry has been commonly claimed[103] to be behind many of the revolutionary movements in these countries. For other uses, see Revolution (disambiguation). ...


[edit] France