Vatican Reaffirms Ban on Catholics Joining Masonic Lodges
The Vatican has confirmed that Catholics are still forbidden from joining Masonic lodges, reaffirming the incompatibility between the Catholic faith and Freemasonry. In response to a question from a Filipino Bishop, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, with the approval of Pope Francis, emphasized the prohibition and suggested a coordinated strategy involving the Bishops' Conference of the Philippines. The Vatican's stance is based on the irreconcilability between Catholic doctrine and Freemasonry, as stated in a 1983 declaration.