CBCP pastoral letter on freemasonry

OZAMIS CITY, September 29, 2008—Ozamiz Archbishop Jesus A. Dosado, CM echoed earlier pronouncements that Catholics in the freemasonry movement should be denied reception of Holy Communion and other sacraments.

In his pastoral letter on the subject of Freemasonry (accessible through http//www.cbcpworld.com/misamis/masonic4.htm), the prelate quoted the Epistle of Saint Paul (Eph 4:15) "Rather, living the truth in love, we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ"

The prelate recalled during the 2001 July CBCP Plenary Assembly, it was decided that a catechesis of one year be made to the Catholic faithful on the negative judgment on Freemasonry, after which the CBCP guidelines of 1990 must be put into effect.

The bishops directed that Catholics publicly known as Masons may not receive Communion, not be sponsors in baptism, confirmation and weddings, nor be admitted as members of religious organization, nor be given Church funeral.

“Why, I asked myself, was there still a discussion on this matter in the last Plenary Assembly?” he asked

“I am afraid it is because there is still much misunderstanding regarding the issues, and little political will, we might say, among the clergy in enforcing the guidelines which also appear in PCP-II and in the past statements of the Holy See,” the prelate added.

He further said “It is in an effort to dispel the misunderstanding among our faithful that I issue this Pastoral Letter.”

Dosado explained Freemasonry refers to the principles, institutions, and practices of the Fraternal Order of the Free and Accepted Masons

Freemasonry is an organization of men based on the "fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man," using builders' tools as symbols to teach basic moral truths generally accepted by persons of good will.

The purpose of Freemasonry is to enable men to meet in harmony, to promote friendship, and to be charitable.

Its basic ideals are that all persons are the children of one God, that all persons are related to each other, and that the best way to worship God is to be of service to people.

The basic unit is the lodge, which confers three degrees: Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and Master Mason.

Additional degrees are conferred by the York Rite, which awards 12 degrees; and the Scottish Rite, 30 higher degrees.

He added although only men of at least 21 years of age can be Masons, related organizations are available for their relatives—there is the Order of the Eastern Star for Master Masons and their wives; the Order of De Molay for boys; and the Order of Job's Daughters and the Order of the Rainbow for young girls.

“Most do not realize the terrible oaths that Masons are required to take for each advancing degree in this cult,” the local ordinary said.

Given the above and since Masons are involved in so many worthy causes, why, then, the negative judgment?

The prelate said it is because “the views of the Freemasonry are in open conflict with Christianity, so much so that a knowledgeable and committed Mason could not possibly be a true Christian.”

Dosado clarified “we are not passing judgment on the conscience of the individual Catholic enrolled in a Masonic association. With pastoral concern we are aware that many of those so enrolled are in ignorance of the true fundamental principles of Masonry, and that many think that their Masonic association is purely civic or philanthropic in purpose.”

But as the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines in 1991 clearly puts it, the Church's negative judgment against Masonic associations is a "statement of the objectively serious wrongness of such membership by Catholics."

The prelate said the CBCP on March 14, 1990 issued its own guidelines: "Any Catholic who is publicly known as Mason, i.e. whose membership in any Masonic association can be proven in the external forum: (a) may not receive Holy Communion; (b) may not be allowed to act as sponsor in Baptism, Confirmation, and weddings; (c) may not be admitted as members of religious organizations; (d) Church funeral sites may be denied unless some signs of repentance before death has been shown; (e) where Church funeral rites were allowed by the Ordinary, no Masonic services shall be allowed in the church or cemetery immediately before or after the Church rites in order to avoid any public scandal."

What are their principles that "have always been considered irreconcilable with the doctrine of the Church?"

Below is detailed what the Masons believe about their source of authority, God, Jesus Christ, sin, and salvation and future life:

Masons refer to the Bible as the "Volume of the Sacred Law" (V.S.L.), and it is considered an indispensable part of what is called "the furniture" in a Masonic Lodge. But the Bible is used only in a so-called "Christian" lodge—the Hebrew Pentateuch is used in a Hebrew lodge, the Koran in a Muslim lodge, the Vedas in a Brahmin lodge, etc.

The prelate said “In the final analysis, Masons do not adjust their beliefs to fit the Bible, the Bible is adjusted to fit their beliefs.”

Masons require one to believe in God to be a member, but the candidate is never required to say what god he believes—"Masonry ... requires merely that you believe in some deity, give him what name you will ... any god will do, so he is your god" (Little Masonic Library, Macoy Publishing, 1977, 4:32).

Masons commonly refer to their deity as the "Great Architect of the Universe" (G.A.O.T.U.) or the Supreme Being, Grand Artificer, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge Above, Jehovah, Allah, Buddha, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, or Great Geometer. (The "G" in the Masonic ring can refer to God; it can also refer to geometry.)
The name of Christ is seldom referred to in Masonic literature, apparently due to Masons not wanting to offend their non-Christian members. Some Masonic leaders even teach that the Messiah will not be an individual, but "the perfection of the human race." Masons, therefore, consider the discussion about the deity or Christ to be an endless, futile argument.

Sin is seldom referred to in Masonic literature. The reality of sin in the Biblical sense is denied; Masons think that any "shortcomings" can be overcome by greater enlightenment. Yet in attaining the degree of Master Mason, the symbolism implies that a person is redeemed from the death of sin and sin's pollution.

Masons think that salvation refers to being brought from the material to the spiritual; i.e., when man returns to "his forgotten inherent spirituality." Because they deny the reality of sin, Masons see no need of salvation in the Biblical sense. They see salvation as a step-by-step enlightenment, which comes through initiation into the Masonic degrees and their mysteries.

It is this incompatibility of Masonic principles with the Catholic faith that explains the Church's continuing and unchanged condemnation and rejection of Masonry also here in the Philippines.

A Catholic should not join any Masonic association whether it is hostile to the Church or not, because he or she would be untrue to his/her own beliefs if he/she were really to adhere to Masonic principles.

“Admittedly what we have written is too short to adequately explain the judgment of the Church on Freemasonry; but I judge it to be adequate to teach the average member of our Church,” Dosado added.

“I am sending some more materials our priests for their use in their teaching our faithful. For those who may wish to learn more, let them go through this (in) our website,” the Archbishop said.

“These, however, are not offered in a spirit of debate but solely in teaching our faithful or, as we said above, "Rather, living the truth in love, we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ" (Eph 4,5),” Dosado concluded.