"Catholics Remain Prohibited from Joining Freemasonry, Vatican Doctrine Office Reiterates"

The Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) has released a document reaffirming that Catholics are prohibited from becoming Freemasons. The document, signed by Pope Francis and DDF Prefect Cardinal Victor Fernández, was issued in response to a bishop's concern about the increasing number of Catholics in the Philippines participating in Freemasonry. The Vatican calls for a coordinated strategy among bishops to promote catechesis on the irreconcilability between Catholicism and Freemasonry. The document clarifies that these measures also apply to clerics enrolled in Freemasonry and invites bishops to make public statements on the Church's teaching. The Catholic Church's prohibition on Freemasonry dates back to 1738, and the Filipino bishops' conference has consistently maintained the Church's position on the unacceptability of Masonry.