Freemasonic Papacy??

Hey everyone, Im a noob here, but ive been reading the posts here for the past few weeks and have found some very interesting information concerning masonry (both pro and con, btw good job MasonicLight ) and ive heard both here and from friends, that there have been several popes that have been freemasons. Just wondering if thats an accurate statement and if so which ones? I would greatly appreciate any info on the matter. Thanks everyone

Ive heard that Pope Pious X and Pope John the XXIII were both freemasons. I may be wrong but thats what ive heard By the way, very interesting post, hope my 2 cents helped.

A Freemason Pope is an oxymoron.

But seriously most 18th and 19th century popes were very against masonry. They would repeatedly publish encyclicals denouncing Masonry as satanic and wicked. Some Catholics that joined Freemasonry were excommunicated just to drive the point home.

Disciple_of_Truth, Pope Pious IX is probably who you are thinking of, and he was a Mason yes. But, he formally left the fraternity sometime prior to his election as pope.

[edit on 7-9-2006 by rotarychris7]

Im aware of the RCC's attitude towards our fraternity, thats why i thought it was interesting thread, i wish there were more people out there who would think for themselves instead of letting others do it for them thanks for the correction, i wasnt sure about either of them.

Originally posted by rotarychris7

Disciple_of_Truth, Pope Pious IX is probably who you are thinking of, and he was a Mason yes. But, he formally left the fraternity sometime prior to his election as pope.

Actually, he was still a mason when he was elected pope. Upon hearing that a Mason had been elected to the papacy, Garibaldi brought charges of unmasonic conduct against him, and he was found guilty. Pope Pius IX's expulsion certificate was signed by King Victor Emmanuel, dated March 27, 1873.

Truth: often stranger than fiction.

are not many catholics also closet FM ?

www.cathinsight.com...

In this connection, Henry C. Clausen, 33rd Degree, Sovereign Grand Commander of Scottish Rite Masonry of the Southern Jurisdiction makes the following remarks in his book, Clausen's Commentaries On Morals and Dogma (1974):

".. . . Many of our friends who are members [of the Catholic Church] reject as foreign to America the medieval fulminations against our Fraternity, realize how very much we have in common, accept the standards of American democracy, recognize we have a pluralistic system in a new and permanent form of relationship between religion and government, and call upon their church leaders to stop attacks upon Masonry and upon Masonic ceremonies. . ..

"Actually, a start, at least, has been made right in the Vatican. There have been discussions for liberalization of the restrictive provisions of canon laws. It has been said that since the codification of the canonic laws in the Codes Juris Canonici, the papal Bulls and Briefs are only the expressions of personal opinions."

*note im not catholic, so im not taking a side on who is / isnt the "true" pope. these are the only articles i could find about xxiii and paul vi being FM. I recommend just reading "The Keys of This Blood" by Malachi martin instead.

www.truecatholic.org...
www.tldm.org... (claims the 3rd fatima doc had a forgery made to detract from it )
www.truecatholic.org...

Originally posted by NuTroll

*note im not catholic, so im not taking a side on who is / isnt the "true" pope. these are the only articles i could find about xxiii and paul vi being FM.

Neither were Freemasons. That charge stems from the far right wing who seceded from the Church due to John XIII and Paul VI's "liberalism". John XIII encouraged ecumenical dialogue and religious tolerance. To his unltra-conservative opponents, showing religious tolerance was proof positive that he was a Mason.