Norbert Wójtowicz, Masonry of the 21st century, number 2/2023
When Mr. Daniel Soszka late addressed me with a proposal to compose a short text to the diary “Masonry of the 21st Century” on “excommunication for belonging to freemulation”, I felt that in order to address the subject, we must first explain in a fewer words what this “excommunication” is.
The problem is that it was frequently identified only with any “curse” or “anathem” thrown solemnly from the tallness of the pulpit. In the meantime, although we do not, of course, question the very legitimacy of this idea, the most basic knowing of this word should be somewhat broader. “Excommunication” is the highest ecclesiastical punishment in Christianity, it is to place a associate of the Church “beyond communion” and thus outside the ecclesiastical community. And there is no request to put a peculiar curse on him, due to the fact that he is frequently interested, due to his failure to comply with specified or another doctrinal or disciplinary rules, he is beyond the community defined by these principles. It is binding by law itself ‘excommunatio latae sententiae’, acting automatically against the fact that a peculiar prohibited act has been committed.
In the case of the Catholic Church, 1 specified disciplinary rule will be, for example, a clearly defined attitude towards free-multure and membership of members of the Church in this organization. What was that attitude in the past? Is it permanent or has it changed over time? And what's it truly like with this excommunication today?
Excommunication and Freemulation in Church History
Antagonisms between the Church and free-murdering were born almost simultaneously with the appearance of the latter. Initially, it was rather limited local activities, but as early as 28 April 1738, only 2 decades after the establishment of the large Lodge of London, there was a first condemnation on the scale of the universal Church. Following doctrinal and disciplinary motives, Pope Clement XII bull “In eminenti Apostolatetus specula” He prohibited belonging to the Masonry under excommunication punishment.
The basic reason why the Masonry was considered a dangerous organization for the state and the Church was its secrecy:
“We have received public information about the wide spread of certain associations, gatherings, meetings usually called ‘de Liberi Muratori’ or ‘des Francs Maçons’, or otherwise known, in accordance with the various languages in which the people of all religions and all sects, assuming the appearance of natural righteousness, are connected with each another in specified a strict arrangement that, according to the laws and statutes established by them at all impenetrable, they commit themselves under oath to the Bible and under the severest punishments, to keep in the intact mystery everything they do in the darkness and secret.”
There is an excommunication to the ban on belonging to free-mulcanism. late sentimentaliae, i.e. binding legal power and the following automatically at the time of the act (ipso facto). Moreover, the Pope emphasized in him that in specified a situation an act of absolution can be carried out “only himself or the current Roman Bishop, unless at the hr of death.”
Two decades later, Pope Benedict XIV proclaimed the Apostolic Constitution on 28 June 1751, ‘Provides Romanorum Pontificum’, in which he mentioned in item the reasons for the ban and condemnation of free-multure.
Since then, further papal papers have consistently confirmed the Church's negative attitude towards masonry, including:
- "Ecclesiam a Jesu Christo" (1821) Pius VII
- "Qui Graviora" (1825) Leon XII
- "Humanum Genus" (1884) by Leon XIII
- The 1917 Code of Canon Law (Canon 2335)
The 1917 Code of Canon Law explicitly stated:
“The Catholics, who join the Masonic sect comparatively to its akin associations, who fight the Church and with legal civilian authorities, fall into excommunication, reserved to the Holy See.”
Changes in the approach of the Church after the Second Vatican Council
From the 1960s, voices began to appear suggesting the anticipation of softening the church's position towards masonry. The actions of the Archbishop of Vienna, Cardinal Franz König, and Catholic-Masonian dialogues conducted in Germany and Austria were crucial here.
However, the authoritative position of the Church has not changed. fresh entry into force in 1983 Code of Canon Law, where the canon of 1374 replaced the old regulations, but continued to forbid belonging to an organization hostile to the Church.
The day before the entry into force of the fresh Codex Congregation for the Doctrine of religion announced a declaration ‘Quaesitum est’where:
"The negative assessment of the Church of Free-Multure Associations remains unchanged, as their principles have always been considered incompatible with the Church's teachings and so the accession to them remains prohibited. Believers who belong to free-mural associations are in a state of grave sin and cannot enter Holy Communion.”
Can a Catholic be a freelour?
The answer is clear: no.
The Catholic Church recognizes the masonry as incompatible with the Catholic religion and stresses that a individual who is simply a freemural is in a state of grave sin.
The last authoritative declaration of the Dictery of religion of 13 November 2023 reiterated:
“Active membership of the Masonry by the faithful is prohibited.”
Bishop Stanislaw Szczepanowski casting a curse on King Bolesław Boldy, a painting of Julius Knoor from around 1840
