Vatican reaffirms 'grave sin' of Freemasonry, says Catholics cannot join them

Catholics cannot join the world's largest secret society

https://www.foxnews.com/faith-values...secret-society

Freemasonry has been prohibited for Catholics since 1738, when Pope Clement XII called the secret society 'depraved and perverted'

The Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) has reaffirmed the Catholic Church's teachings that laity or clerics participating in Freemasonry are in "a state of grave sin."

The DDF released the Nov. 13 document to the public with the signatures of Pope Francis and the DDF Prefect Cardinal Victor Fernández, urging the faithful not to participate in or affiliate with Freemasonry groups.

"On the doctrinal level, it should be remembered that active membership in Freemasonry by a member of the faithful is forbidden because of the irreconcilability between Catholic doctrine and Freemasonry," the document reads, citing the 1983 "Declaration on Masonic Associations" by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who would go on to become Pope Benedict XVI.

"Therefore, those who are formally and knowingly enrolled in Masonic Lodges and have embraced Masonic principles fall under the provisions in the above-mentioned Declaration. These measures also apply to any clerics enrolled in Freemasonry," the document continues.

The clarification was requested by Bishop Julito Cortes of the Philippines, who raised concerns about growing interest in the secret society in his country.

Freemasonry, the world's largest secret society with millions of members scattered across almost every country in the world, established its first Grand Lodge in England in 1717.

The society swears oaths of secrecy, fellowship and fraternity among members and has accumulated a vast catalog of rituals, ceremonial attire and secret signals between masons. These aesthetic affectations often use Christian imagery despite being used for non-Christian rituals.

Freemasons are usually expected to profess belief in a "supreme being" but are not obligated to believe in any specific deity.

Members of the Catholic Church are not allowed to join or affiliate with Freemasonry groups due to the organizations' deistic, non-Christian teachings about divinity.

Additionally, the secretive and ritualistic nature of Freemason lodges has often led to accusations from Catholic leaders of idolatry and clandestine opposition to Christianity.

I sincerely hope that Pope will repent and return to Orthodox Church becoming one of regional bishops once again (they're historical bishops of Rome) giving up their papist heresy and heresies like Filioque and immaculate conception of the Holy Theotokos.