Bishop Joseph Strickland: The Grave Spiritual Danger of Freemasonry

“Bear not the yoke with unbelievers. For what participation hath justice with injustice? Or what fellowship hath light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14).

In these times of growing confusion, a shepherd must speak with clarity. There has been a noticeable rise in online voices claiming that Freemasonry is compatible with Catholicism, or at least harmless to those seeking to authentically live the One True Faith. That claim is not new, but it is false. The Catholic Church has always and consistently condemned Freemasonry, not out of malice, but out of a concern for the integrity of the Faith and the salvation of souls.

As a bishop and servant of the Gospel, I wish to clarify that a Catholic may not become a Freemason. The principles of Freemasonry are irreconcilable with the doctrine of the Church. Membership in any Masonic association is a grave sin and bars one from receiving Holy Communion. This has been taught by the Church for nearly three centuries and has never changed.

Let us briefly look at the unwavering voice of the Church on this matter:

In 1738, Pope Clement XII, in his papal bull In Eminenti, issued the first formal condemnation of Freemasonry, warning of its secrecy and its opposition to the Church.

In 1884, Pope Leo XIII, in his great encyclical Humanum Genus, explained in depth how the Masonic worldview seeks to overthrow the Christian order and replace it with secular naturalism. …

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