The Story on Freemasonry and Catholicism

Here is why some people mistake the order’s take on Catholicism

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In 1738, Pope Clemente condemned Freemasonry as a “naturalistic religion.” Various edicts from the Vatican since have stated that Freemasonry is incompatible with Catholicism. And according to the official church position, Catholics are barred from joining the Freemasonry at the pain of excommunication.

However, it appears that that church leadership simply misunderstands Freemasonry. For one thing, Freemasonry is not a religion: It simply requires that prospective members and members profess a belief in God. Freemasonry takes no position on which God you believe in. Thus, many lodges of Freemasons have members who are Jewish, Muslim and Hindu, among other religions. Notwithstanding the threat of excommunication, many lodges also have Catholic members.

In fact, Father Michael Heinrich Weninger, a Vatican official and Freemason, this year published a 500-page book countering church edicts against Catholics joining Freemasonry. As Father Weninger notes, regular Freemasonry “keeps tolerance high and also encourages its members to a certain spirituality that is absolutely compatible with Christianity.” (Regular Freemasonry lodges are officially recognized by a Grand Lodge as adhering to masonic rules, whereas an irregular…