The president of the Portuguese Episcopal Conference (CEP), Dom José Policarpo, criticized today in Fátima the “direct influence” of Freemasonry in “political things”, but dismissed the demand that politicians assume themselves as Freemasons.
“As politicians, whether they are Freemasons, Catholics or Sporting, I don't see that this is of great importance,” the cardinal-patriarch told reporters at the end of the CEP Permanent Council meeting.
For this official, “another thing” is whether “Freemasonry, as such, had a direct influence on political things; that's wrong.”
The Patriarch of Lisbon answered questions about the recent controversy regarding the links between Freemasonry, deputies and Portuguese information services.
Asked whether politicians should publicly assume their status as Freemasons, the Cardinal Patriarch said he did not see "why".
“I don't think it's necessary,” he pointed out.
D. José Policarpo observed that “Freemasonry itself, which was conspicuous by the secrecy of its dynamism, is beginning to be forced to come into the light of day”.
“Today Freemasonry is part of society, it has been known for a long time, it has an influence on politics, I just wonder that there are people who are surprised by this”, he said, adding that, for the Church, this is not “a matter of foreground, right now”.
“In a society like our Western societies, everything that is defined as secret, in essence, is somewhat incompatible, today only the private intimacy of people is secret”, he continued.
For the cardinal-patriarch, Freemasonry “is a complex reality”, recalling that it had “canonical origins, it was born within the Church, a kind of fraternity of cathedral builders, hence they call themselves freemasons”.
A movement that had “a mystique” of its own, which disappears when the French Revolution brings a “secular strand”, introducing a “principle of secularism, of rationalism, much in line with what the currents of thought were at that time”.
“The canonical issue of Freemasonry, which is not an issue that we are brandishing every day, has to do with the Masonic theory in relation to religious faith and the existence of God”, said D. José Policarpo.
The Patriarch of Lisbon stressed that “Freemasonry is not an atheist (...), it is the rationalism of faith, that is, they refuse any revealed religion, revelation as a manifestation of mystery, but accept the God who can be recognized by human reason, which is a fair way"
The president of the CEP recalls that, from the Church's point of view, “it is not compatible” to be a Catholic and a Freemason, because “they reject what is the essential of the faith, the acceptance of the Word of God and supernatural revelation”.
The last official document of the Holy See in this matter is the “Declaration on Freemasonry“, signed by the then Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Benedict XVI, on 26 November 1983.
“The negative opinion of the Church regarding the Masonic associations remains unchanged, as their principles have always been considered irreconcilable with the Church's doctrine and, therefore, membership in them remains prohibited”, it reads.
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