Permanent Dialogue Opened Between Catholic Church and Freemasons

On Friday February 16th, 2024 Freemason Grandmaster Stefano Bisi met with Catholic leaders including the Archbishop of Milan Mario Delphini, Monsignor Francesco Stagliano and Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio in a historic, closed-door seminar to address the Catholic Church and Freemasonry

Grandmaster Bisi delivered a report on the topic of "Freemasonry Between Ratzinger and Bergoglio" opening up a discussion to;

"Reconcile Masonic values with Catholic ones."

While the relationship between the Church and the Lodge remained frosty under Pope John Paul II and his successor Pope Benedict, it has seemingly thawed under the pontificate of Pope Francis, who has been openly praised by Masonic leaders since his election.

Why is this a Problem?

The Church has prohibited Catholics from joining Masonic Lodges since 1738. Since then, no less than eleven popes have condemned Freemasonry's principals as being incompatible with Catholic Doctrine.

Pope Leo the XIII denounced the Masonic Lodge In his 1884 encyclical Humanum Genus as a "a deceitful and crafty enemy."

He went on to emphasize that the ultimate aim of Freemasonry is the 'destruction of Christendom' and to bring about a world order 'founded on laws drawn out of the entrails of Naturalism, which "denies that anything has been taught by God" and "allow(s) no dogma of religion or truth which cannot be understood by human intelligence, nor any teacher who ought to be believed by reason of authority."

Have Masonic Principles Infiltrated the Church?

The short answer is, yes.

Pope Francis has pushed the boundaries of the Catholic Church by abusing the concept of "progressive" doctrine developed by St. John Henry Newman which recognizes that our understanding of matters of faith deepens over time.

In Francis' version of Development of Doctrine terms like"evolution" and "change" are being used in an open push for radical reform.

Whether these changes represent a deliberate infiltration of Masonic values into the Church, or happen to coincide with them is difficult to discern.

Freemasonry is a secret society and membership by Catholics is not formally allowed.

If high-ranking members of the curia are in fact involved in Freemasonry it remains allegation and rumor, but would be hard to prove.

Purportedly, a secret Masonic document known as the Alta Vendita fell into the hands of Pope Gregory XVI that revealed Freemasonry's plans to weaken the Catholic Church through "infiltration" and to use the Church's structure as an instrument of 'renewal', 'progress' and 'enlightenment' to further many of its own principals and goals."

These goals include the replacement of doctrinal and moral principles with a "brotherhood of man" and a universal religion that is not concerned with theological distinctions.

Decade of Reform

While not meant to be an exhaustive list, what follows are only a few examples of how Pope Francis has reshaped the Church, pushing the boundaries of Catholic practice to open the door to Modernism, which is the capital of Freemasonry.

Religious Indifferentism

In February 2019, the Pope signed the Abu Dhabi Declaration with the head of Egypt's al-Azhar Mosque which states that "diversity of religions is willed by God".

This level of religious indifferentism is Masonic in principle as it emphasizes a "brotherhood of man" as opposed to universal brotherhood in Christ.

"Outside the Christian Faith no other religion can be a true and God-willed way, since this is the explicit will of God, that all people believe in his Son: 'This is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life'" (John 6:40)

-Bishop Athanasius Schneider

Naturalism

Evidence of Naturalism in the Church today includes the push for 'ecological' over moral conversion in Pope's Francis' encyclical Laudato Si . By promoting climate change action over the Church's mission to save souls, the natural world is being traded as a place of transcendence rather than the Catholic Church.

But the Naturalists and Freemasons, having no faith in those things which we have learned by the revelation of God, deny that our first parents sinned, and consequently think that free will is not at all weakened and inclined to evil. On the contrary, exaggerating rather the power and the excellence of Nature, and placing therein alone the principle and rule of justice."

-Pope Leo III

Rationalism

Rationalism is the theory that human reason is the primary source of knowledge and spiritual truth. The error of this philosophy is that instead of complementing true faith, reason is privileged over faith.

In Pope Francis' post-synodal exhortation on the care of families, Amoris Laetitia we see an emphasis on the role of conscience in moral decision making and a move away from "following rules" to practicing "discernment". Pope Francis views individual conscience as the final arbiter of truth, going so far as to suggest that an individual can come to the conclusion God wills them to stay in a sinful situation;

“Yet conscience can do more than recognize that a given situation does not correspond objectively to the overall demands of the Gospel. It can also recognize with sincerity and honesty what for now is the most generous response which can be given to God, and come to see with a certain moral security that it is what God himself is asking amid the concrete complexity of one’s limits, while yet not fully the objective ideal." Amoris Laetitia no. 303

Globalism

According to Freemasonry expert Alberto Barcena, Freemasonry emerged in 1717 as a fraternity identified with cosmopolitan ideals including Universal Brotherhood, tolerance and benevolence in a quest to establish a New World Order they can lead with a single government and economic control, while spreading their progressive creed throughout the world.

On January 15th, Pope Francis sent a video message to the World Economic Forum - a group dangerously bent on establishing a global world order outlined in leader Klaus Schwab's book The Great Reset, as part of their annual meeting.

In his message he spoke of,

"an evident need for international political action that, through the adoption of coordinated measures, can effectively pursue the goals of global peace and authentic development."

To underscore the Pope's message, Cardinal Peter Turkson attended the event in person urging world leaders to adopt Pope Francis' vision for a new economic order.

More Change Likely

While the Church retains its official ban on Catholics becoming Freemasons, there have been concerning doctrinal trends under the pontificate of Pope Francis endorsing naturalism, religious indifferentism and the promotion of globalism; all in stark contrast to the Church's teachings and central role and mission of evangelization and salvation.

With the recent call by Archbishop Francesco Coccopalmerio for 'Permanent' dialogue with Freemasons, how far the 'infiltration' can go within the Catholic Church remains to be seen.