Wednesday Liturgy: Follow-up: Membership in the Masons
ROME, FEB. 20, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.
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.
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.
posted by Chipi Buenafe at
8:28 AM
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