Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!shadooby!samsung!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!apple!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: dyer@spdcc.com (Steve Dyer) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Freemasonry and religion. Message-ID: Date: 7 Jan 90 02:09:57 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: S.P. Dyer Computer Consulting, Cambridge MA Lines: 70 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article jhpb@lancia.garage.att.com writes: >You are probably referring to the 1983 changes in the Code of Canon Law. >Someone joining the Masons used to incur an excommunication by that >fact. The excommunication was changed in 1983. It is now for secret societies >that plot against the Church. Perhaps Steve Dyer could post the exact >wording of the canon. [This is deja vu all over again. I can't help feel that I posted something on this a few weeks or months ago. --SD] What is interesting is not so much the canon, which is concise to a fault, but the accompanying commentary in my edition. There was obviously some disagreement among the bishops on the fate of the Masons. Some of this may reflect the completely secularized fraternal nature of some branches of Masonry, notably in North America. Ah, episcopal intrigue... Canon 1374 -- One who joins an association which plots against the Church is to be punished with a just penalty; one who promotes or moderates such an association, however, is to be punished with an interdict. From the commentary: Status: RO "...A relatively recent official development should be duly noted. During the revision process [of the Code] a number of bishops, especially the German bishops. argued that the anti-ecclesial stance of the Masons was still a relevant consideration even though for the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and other conferences this was not a major issue. The former argued for an explicit condemnation of the Masons in the revised Code; however, both the Secretariat of the Code Commission and the October 1981 plenarium refused to incorporate such a provision in the revised Code since apparently the problem was not perceived to be a universal one warranting such a provision. Somewhat surprisingly, on the eve of the revised Code's taking effect, the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith [i.e., Ratzinger--SD] published a declaration indicating that Catholics joining the Masons are involved in serious sin and are to be barred from the Eucharist. This judgement was presumably based on the irreconcilability of Masonic principles and Catholic doctrine. The declaration also precludes a contrary judgement by local ecclesiastical authorities that would mitigate the force of the Congregation's judgement. This posture seems somewhat contrary to earlier 1974 and 1981 Congregation pronouncements that seemed to be open to a recognition of the differences in various Masonic associations even if they opposed formal pronouncements of the conferences of bishops on the general nature of such associations. "It is still a bit too soon to clarify fully the implications of this issue. However. in dealing with practical questions that may arise, it seems prudent to recall the traditional principles regarding a strict interpretation of penal law (cc. 18; 1321-1330)[*]. Such prudence seems appropriate as well regarding the practical judgement of the serious sinfulness of Masonic affiliation in a given set of circumstances; the traditional principles of moral theology seem pertinent in this context. Furthermore, it seems wise to make every effort to clarify the precise nature of the Masonic associations in different parts of the world in order to assist church authorities in making prudent determinations on membership in such groups." [*] Canon 18 states: "Laws which establish a penalty or restrict the free exercise of rights or which contain an exception to the law are subject to a strict interpretation." [i.e., not broad; the _minimum_ that their application can honestly cover.--SD] The commentary here seems more than a little arch. -- Steve Dyer dyer@ursa-major.spdcc.com aka {ima,harvard,rayssd,linus,m2c}!spdcc!dyer dyer@arktouros.mit.edu, dyer@hstbme.mit.edu