Good One! Vatican Doctrinal Office Reiterates Ban on Catholics Becoming Freemasons

They must think we’re all morons…

Good One! Vatican Doctrinal Office Reiterates Ban on Catholics Becoming Freemasons

This past Monday, Nov. 13, the Vatican’s doctrinal office, headed by ‘Pope’ Francis’ theological undertaker ‘Cardinal’ Victor Manuel Fernandez, published a document reiterating that Catholics are forbidden from joining the Freemasons.

More technically, it was an instruction of the so-called Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) “regarding the best pastoral approach to membership in Freemasonry by the Catholic faithful” in response to a request by ‘Bishop’ Julito Buhisan Cortes (b. 1956) of the diocese of Dumaguete, Philippines.

As the note is rather brief, we will quote it here in full:

Recently, His Excellency, the Most Rev. Julito CORTES, Bishop of Dumaguete, after explaining with concern the situation caused in his Diocese by the continuous rise in the number of the faithful enrolled in Freemasonry, asked for suggestions regarding how to respond to this reality suitably from a pastoral point of view, taking into account also the doctrinal implications related to this phenomenon.

Membership in Freemasonry is very significant in the Philippines; it involves not only those who are formally enrolled in Masonic Lodges but, more generally, a large number of sympathizers and associates who are personally convinced that there is no opposition between membership in the Catholic Church and in Masonic Lodges.

To address this issue appropriately, it was decided that the Dicastery would respond by involving the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines itself, notifying the Conference that it would be necessary to put in place a coordinated strategy among the individual Bishops that envisions two approaches:

(a) 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 (cf. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, “Declaration on Masonic Associations” [1983], and the guidelines published by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines in 2003). 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.

(b) On the pastoral level, the Dicastery proposes that the Philippine Bishops conduct catechesis accessible to the people and in all parishes regarding the reasons for the irreconcilability between the Catholic Faith and Freemasonry.

Finally, the Philippine Bishops are invited to consider whether they should make a public pronouncement on the matter.

Ex Audientia die 13.11.2023

Franciscus

Víctor Card. Fernández

(Source; links added)

One wonders whom the Argentine doctrinal duo — Francis and Fernandez — think they’re fooling with this one. Certainly not anyone who’s been paying attention for the past decade.

One critical commentator has suggested, somewhat tongue-in-cheek but still quite realistically, that this new DDF instruction is not so much about protecting the Church from Freemasonry as it is about protecting Freemasonry from the Church.

In fact, why would anyone who wants to imbibe Masonic doctrine bother to join the Lodge? The endless blather of ‘Pope’ Francis — both the official/magisterial documents and the more informal remarks given in interviews, etc. — disseminates enough Freemasonic ideas. Here are a few examples:

• Masonic Fraternity instead of Jesus Christ: Francis’ Message for World Day of Peace Fails to Surprise
• Francis to Muslim Elders: ‘Transcendence and Fraternity Alone will Save Us’
• Francis: The Different Religions are an ‘Enrichment’ for Humanity
• Francis at Interreligious Congress: ‘Man is the Way for All Religions’
• Building Paradise on Earth: Francis’ Message for World Day of Migrants
• Naturalize to Neutralize: How Francis slyly deprives the Gospel of its Supernatural Character
• Apostate adrift: Francis says Fraternity is “Anchor of Salvation for Humanity”
• Indifferentism for Kids: Francis endorses interreligious “Park of Encounter” in Argentina
• Apostate Bergoglio endorses World’s Religions as “Different Ways of Coming to God”
• Francis expands the “People of God”: Now it includes All Religions!
• Welcome to the Religion of Fraternity: Francis releases dangerous new “Pope Video”
• The Apostate Abu Dhabi Declaration on Human Fraternity
• Naturalism at Full Blast: Francis on the Existence of All Religions

By now, the Novus Ordo Church is essentially a mouthpiece of Freemasonry, teaching its basic tenets in place of sound Catholic doctrine, with some occasional modifications, of course, for plausible deniability. Hence the constant emphasis on Masonic ideas such as the rights of man (ever hear of the rights of God from the Vatican anymore?), an exaggerated notion of (and focus on) human dignity, freedom of religion presented as an ideal, ecumenical practices, interreligious dialogue, interfaith projects such as the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi, peace among all men through merely natural fraternity and through generic religious means without any reference to grace and truth; and so forth.

It is no accident that Francis’ latest encyclical, Fratelli Tutti (2020), has a section explicitly on “Liberty, equality and fraternity” (see nn. 103-105). After all, the apostate pseudo-council of Vatican II had brought the French Revolution into the Church by introducing religious freedom (liberty), collegiality (equality), and ecumenism (fraternity).

The first papal condemnation of Freemasonry, by the way, came in 1738:

• Pope Clement XII, Bull In Eminenti

From then onward, all the way through the death of the last true Pope in 1958 (Pius XII), that condemnation was clear, serious, and understood by all.

But then Vatican II came, and the confusion began:

• When Catholics could be Masons(?) (The Pillar)

Looking at this new Vatican document on Freemasonry, was there really a need for its publication? There is very little there in terms of substance. Doctrinally, it says Catholics cannot be Masons and refers the reader to two documents from 20 and 40 years ago, respectively. Pastorally, it says the people should be educated in the matter. Profound advice!

The new DDF note is not terribly credible also for another reason: At a time when the ‘Pope’ trips over himself insisting on the inclusion of “everyone, everyone, everyone!” in the Church, we are to believe that ‘Catholics’ who have joined the Masonic sect are somehow excluded?

At a time when the ‘Pope’ teaches that even heretics and apostates are part of the Church, we are to believe that ‘Catholics’ involved with Freemasonry are deserving of punishment?

At a time when Amoris Laetitia makes ever so sneaky provision for giving sacraments to the publicly unworthy, and when the same DDF has just opened the way for public sexual perverts to be godparents, etc., we are to believe that ‘Catholic’ members of the Lodge are to be denied the sacraments?

At a time when the ‘Pope’ preaches, in thin disguise, a number of Freemasonic errors, we are to take the DDF seriously when it reminds us that Masonry is incompatible with Catholicism?

Do these people think we are complete fools?

It is more likely that someone in the Vatican was looking for an opportunity to generate some conservative-sounding headlines for a change. Perhaps we can expect that in the near future Fernandez’ doctrinal freak show will remind Catholics that there is no salvation outside the Church, or that Pope Pius X’s condemnation of Modernism is obviously still in effect! Don’t put it past them — remember that Francis is officially on record stating that he has a ‘strong devotion’ to St. Pius X!

Don’t be fooled, ladies and gentlemen. This latest DDF document is nothing more than the criminal looking for an alibi. It is the arsonist calling for a fire truck. It is the perpetrator going to the police to report a crime. It is the larcenist yelling, “Stop the thief!” It is the tax cheat lobbying for higher taxes to benefit the poor.

What we see here is a tactic we have come to expect from the Vatican: three steps forward, one step back. That still nets two steps forward in the direction of ever greater apostasy and yet provides enough plausible deniability for the gullible to think that the post-Catholic Vatican is opposed to Freemasonry after all. Besides, it provides wonderful cannon fodder for the Novus Ordo apologists, who were surely hoping for some relief after the past few months, to proclaim the incredible orthodoxy of ‘Pope’ Francis and his doctrinal undertaker. Now Michael Lofton can publish another video, Jimmy Akin can announce more things to know and share, and Catholic Answers will have something to talk about for their next radio show.

Those who think that as a matter of fairness, we should not just criticize the Vatican authorities when they do something shockingly bad but should also praise them for when they do something laudable, have not understood the nature or the seriousness of the situation we’re in, nor the cunning of the enemy we face.

To praise the Vatican for repeating that Catholics cannot be Freemasons would be like commending an abortionist because he donated $10 to a food drive. It would be like congratulating Martin Luther for not also denying the Resurrection. It would be like applauding the devil for his good memory of Scripture when he tempted Our Lord in the desert (see Mt 4:1-11). It would be like praising King Herod, who slaughtered the Holy Innocents, for his practice of sustainable agriculture.

This has nothing to do with being fair, in the sense of being impartial. It has everything to do with understanding reality and being truly charitable, by loving God and our neighbor for the sake of God. What sense does it make to praise an evil person (or evil institution) for the occasional good he (it) does? What does that accomplish? Does it not help to make the evil more attractive in some way? Does it not make the danger seem less than it is? Does it not help to drive people into a trap? Should we praise the child molester for the good candy he offers to little ones?

The Spanish cleric Fr. Felix Sarda y Salvany understood this very well when he wrote in his 1886 Vatican-endorsed book Liberalism is a Sin:

Impartiality is not permissible when it is distorted to the offense of truth, whose rights are imprescriptible. A woman of bad life is infamous, be she ever so beautiful, and the more beautiful, the more dangerous. Shall we praise Liberal books out of gratitude? No! Follow the liberals themselves in this, who are far more prudent than we; they do not recommend and praise our books, whatever they be. They, with the instinct of evil, fully appreciate where the danger lies. They either seek to discredit us or to pass us by in silence.

Si quis non amat Dominum Nostrum Jesum Christum, Sit anathema [“If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema”], says St. Paul. Liberal literature is the written hatred of Our Lord and His Church. If its blasphemy were open and direct, no Catholic would tolerate it for an instant; is it any more tolerable because, like a courtesan, it seeks to disguise its sordid features by the artifice of paint and powder?

(Rev. Felix Sarda y Salvany, Liberalism is a Sin, Chapter 18; some formatting changed.)

The idea that the post-Catholic Vatican, especially under Jorge Bergoglio, is concerned that Catholics are being misled and harmed by Freemasonry, can simply not be taken seriously.

By the way, remember when Inside the Vatican reported on the press conference held by ‘Fr.’ Michael Weninger in 2020 to introduce his new book about reconciling Freemasonry with Catholicism? Not only that, he is himself a Mason, as he admits, and the chaplain of three Masonic lodges. That he has worked for the Vatican’s interreligious dialogue office and has given ‘Pope’ Francis a copy of the book, goes without saying:

• New Openings to Make Masonic Membership Permissible? (Inside the Vatican)
• Vatican Official is Chaplain of three Masonic Lodges, publishes Book on reconciling Catholicism and Freemasonry (Novus Ordo Watch)

Why should Francis object? He himself is an honorary member of the Masonic Rotary Club of Buenos Aires, after all, and once collaborated with the B’nai B’rith to host a Jewish memorial in his cathedral. No wonder he knows how Masons shake hands. His encyclical Fratelli Tutti received praise from the Spanish Freemasons, we might add. And the fact that the DDF document was released on the thirteenth of the month, is just another benevolent wink to the Lodge.

They are laughing at you, folks.

And if you believe that the new DDF document is a genuine step in the right direction, then the joke is definitely on you.

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