Free Masons

[goldenchild17]

I don't know anything about them. But I heard that you were going against Catholic teaching if you were one? Is this true? What are they? Any info or sites I could check out would nice.

[catholicflower]

yes. Pope Clement XII condemmed it in 1738 ( all successors have done likewise) There was an encyclical by Pope Leo XIII called "Humanum Genus" stated the evils of the Freemasons. Also In the code of cannon law (1983) stated the Masonry was forbidden to all Catholics. in 1985, the US bishops stated that Catholicism and Freemasonry were "irreconcilable".
A good place to start is the encyclical by Leo XIII, also if you have access to a library or catholic book store, the book "KOLBE Saint of the Immaculata" edited by Br. Francis M. Kalvelage FI has a great chapter about them.
Hope this helps.

[goldenchild17]

Thanks.

[phatcatholic]

colin, you really need to check the reference section more

[b]Freemasonry[/b]
--[url="http://www.knight.org/advent/cathen/09771a.htm"]Masonry[/url]
--[url="http://www.catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=1367"]Declaration on Masonic Associations[/url]
--[url="http://www.scripturecatholic.com/freemasonfaq.html"]FAQ's on Freemasonry[/url]
--[url="http://www.scripturecatholic.com/three_degrees.html"]Rituals of Freemasonry[/url]
--[url="http://www.scripturecatholic.com/prayer_for_freemasons.html"]Prayer for the Conversion of Freemasons[/url]
--[url="http://www.catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=4889"][i]Dall'alto Dell'apostolico Seggio[/i] (On Freemasonry In Italy)[/url]
--[url="http://www.catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=2969"]The Masonic Religion[/url]
--[url="http://www.catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=5135"]Clarification Concerning Status of Catholics Becoming Freemasons[/url]
--[url="http://www.catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=4151"]Freemasonry And Christianity: Are They Compatible?[/url]
--[url="http://www.catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=5285"]Letter of April 19, 1985 to U.S. Bishops Concerning Masonry[/url]
--[url="http://www.catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=4890"][i]Custodi Di Quella Fede[/i] (On Freemasonry)[/url]
--[url="http://www.catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=1244"][i]Humanum Genus[/i] (On Freemasonry)[/url]
--[url="http://www.catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=4891"][i]Inimica Vis[/i] (On Freemasonry)[/url]
--[url="http://www.catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=1243"]Catholics and the Freemason 'Religion'[/url]
--[url="http://www.catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=1368"]The Pastoral Problem of Masonic Membership[/url]
--[url="http://www.catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=2652"]Catholicism vs. Freemasonry: Irreconcilable Forever[/url]
--[url="http://cuf.org/nonmemb/mason.pdf"]Can Catholics Be Freemasons?[/url]
--[url="http://web.archive.org/web/20040216053952/http://john654.org/masonsme.html"]The Attack on the Church by Freemasonry[/url]
--[url="http://catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0161.html"]What Are the Masons?[/url]
--[url="http://www.cin.org/users/james/questions/q059.htm"]Is [i]Opus Dei[/i] a Branch of the Masonic Lodges?[/url]
--[url="http://www.catholicapologetics.info/modernproblems/freemasonry/freemsns.htm"]The Freemasons: A Historical Perspective[/url]
--[url="http://www.catholicapologetics.info/modernproblems/freemasonry/freemasonry.htm"]Freemasonry and the Anti-Christian Movement[/url]
--[url="http://www.catholicapologetics.info/modernproblems/freemasonry/cathason.htm"]The Catholic Church and Freemasonry[/url]