https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-...nts/hf_l-xiii_enc_18840420_humanum-genus.html HUMANUM GENUS ENCYCLICAL OF POPE LEO XIII ON FREEMASONRY 4. The Roman Pontiffs Our predecessors, in their incessant watchfulness over the safety of the Christian people, were prompt in detecting the presence and the purpose of this capital enemy immediately it sprang into the light instead of hiding as a dark conspiracy; and , moreover, they took occasion with true foresight to give, as it were on their guard, and not allow themselves to be caught by the devices and snares laid out to deceive them. 5. The first warning of the danger was given by Clement XII in the year 1738,(3) and his constitution was confirmed and renewed by Benedict XIV(4) Pius VII followed the same path;(5) and Leo XII, by his apostolic constitution, Quo Graviora,(6) put together the acts and decrees of former Pontiffs on this subject, and ratified and confirmed them forever. In the same sense spoke Pius VIII,(7) Gregory XVI,(8) and, many times over, Pius IX.(9) 6. For as soon as the constitution and the spirit of the masonic sect were clearly discovered by manifest signs of its actions, by the investigation of its causes, by publication of its laws, and of its rites and commentaries, with the addition often of the personal testimony of those who were in the secret, this apostolic see denounced the sect of the Freemasons, and publicly declared its constitution, as contrary to law and right, to be pernicious no less to Christiandom than to the State; and it forbade any one to enter the society, under the penalties which the Church is wont to inflict upon exceptionally guilty persons. The sectaries, indignant at this, thinking to elude or to weaken the force of these decrees, partly by contempt of them, and partly by calumny, accused the sovereign Pontiffs who had passed them either of exceeding the bounds of moderation in their decrees or of decreeing what was not just. This was the manner in which they endeavoured to elude the authority and the weight of the apostolic constitutions of Clement XII and Benedict XIV, as well as of Pius VII and Pius IX.(10) Yet, in the very society itself, there were to be found men who unwillingly acknowledged that the Roman Pontiffs had acted within their right, according to the Catholic doctrine and discipline. The Pontiffs received the same assent, and in strong terms, from many princes and heads of governments, who made it their business either to delate the masonic society to the apostolic see, or of their own accord by special enactments to brand it as pernicious, as, for example, in Holland, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Bavaria, Savoy, and other parts of Italy. 7. But, what is of highest importance, the course of events has demonstrated the prudence of Our predecessors. For their provident and paternal solicitude had not always and every where the result desired; and this, either because of the simulation and cunning of some who were active agents in the mischief, or else of the thoughtless levity of the rest who ought, in their own interest, to have given to the matter their diligent attention. In consequence, the sect of Freemasons grew with a rapidity beyond conception in the course of a century and a half, until it came to be able, by means of fraud or of audacity, to gain such entrance into every rank of the State as to seem to be almost its ruling power. This swift and formidable advance has brought upon the Church, upon the power of princes, upon the public well-being, precisely that grievous harm which Our predecessors had long before foreseen. Such a condition has been reached that henceforth there will be grave reason to fear, not indeed for the Church - for her foundation is much too firm to be overturned by the effort of men - but for those States in which prevails the power, either of the sect of which we are speaking or of other sects not dissimilar which lend themselves to it as disciples and subordinates. 8. For these reasons We no sooner came to the helm of the Church than We clearly saw and felt it to be Our duty to use Our authority to the very utmost against so vast an evil. We have several times already, as occasion served, attacked certain chief points of teaching which showed in a special manner the perverse influence of Masonic opinions. Thus, in Our encyclical letter, Quod Apostolici Muneris, We endeavoured to refute the monstrous doctrines of the socialists and communists; afterwards, in another beginning "Arcanum," We took pains to defend and explain the true and genuine idea of domestic life, of which marriage is the spring and origin; and again, in that which begins ''Diuturnum,"(11) We described the ideal of political government conformed to the principles of Christian wisdom, which is marvellously in harmony, on the one hand, with the natural order of things, and, in the other, with the well-being of both sovereign princes and of nations. It is now Our intention, following the example of Our predecessors, directly to treat of the masonic society itself, of its whole teaching, of its aims, and of its manner of thinking and acting, in order to bring more and more into the light its power for evil, and to do what We can to arrest the contagion of this fatal plague.
I am curious why Pope Leo XIII has not been canonized. Is his cause even being considered? His pontificate is filled with holy achievements. And excellent prophetic warnings.
Maybe his visions were unpalatable for some of those with power and influence in such matters who were to follow him. Especially since the visions have turned out to be so true. As the example of Judas shows, it can be very difficult indeed to avoid what's laid out for one. For myself, I'd be far quicker to call on the help of Pope Leo than to pray to Pope Saint Paul VI. And they'll probably canonise Pope Francis in record time!
It's a mystery to us outsiders what goes on in the Vatican. I dare say it's a mystery to a lot of people in the Vatican itself. Often all we can do is make big guesses. Pope Leo was, I would say the first of the Modern Popes and he was quite revolutionary in so many ways. By Revolutionary I mean in a good way. Most revoultionary of all in his Social Teaching, for instance Rerum Novarum. You can't swing a pendulum one way without it swinging another. Many in the highest quarters of the Church did not approve and so he made enemies. In the same way as Pope St John Paul2 made many enemies. A second thing concerning him concerns miracles. Two miracles must be declared before a person is declared a saint. I don't think this has happened yet with Pope Leo: https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-isnt-pope-leo-xiii-a-candidate-for-sainthood/337043/13 https://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/the-difficulty-of-canonizing-popes
Pope Leo XIII is one of my favourite popes. There are very few books about him in English. HH, I honestly thought that we now have intercommunion with the Greek Orthodox. A little research online tells me that the RCC will admit a Gk Orthodox person to receive communion but not vice versa.
I appreciate your answer. That's a bit different than saying the Orthodox are in communion with Rome, imho.
I think many of the Orthodox are much closer to Catholic Truth than the kind of people poor oul' Padraig has had to endure this past week.
I am no 'fan' of Charles but I am confident that he is not a freemason. According to what I have read, various family members encouraged him to adopt 'the craft' but he declined. If he were a freemason, the Lodge would have been delighted to have announced it as they have with other members of the royal family.
King Charles is not a Freemason. However Edward Duke of Kent, is grand master of the British masons, the most powerful mason in our country. His wife Katharine converted to Catholicism some years ago in very sad circumstances. She is an elegant and gracious lady, a great beauty in her time and a good musician. She turned her back on the trappings of royal life a while ago and she and her husband lead separate lives. I gather the Duke wanted a divorce but the Queen wouldn’t allow it.
I was among the crowd when they married in York in 1961 and was aware of all this information you provide except the claim that the Duke ever requested a divorce from Katherine. Royals have been divorcing frequently for many years, I wonder why the Queen would have denied this one. Where did you 'gather' this from?
Steve I googled the Duke to get my facts straight and the article mentioned it. The divorce thing is a rumour and appeared in one of those quickie question and answers that come up alongside weblinks. Maybe it isn’t true
I never thought members of the royal family were immortal, but I always thought they had "iron health," so this misfortune of the king caused me some strangeness.
He is old enough, 75 and it is cancer from the Prostrate which is common at his age Several of his family died of cancer . He will probably live, they caught it very early
