Vatican reaffirms 'grave sin' of Freemasonry, says Catholics cannot join the world's largest secret society

The Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) has reaffirmed the Catholic Church's teachings that laity or clerics participating in Freemasonry are in "a state of grave sin."

The DDF released the Nov. 13 document to the public with the signatures of Pope Francis and the DDF Prefect Cardinal Victor Fernández, urging the faithful not to participate in or affiliate with Freemasonry groups.

"On the doctrinal level, it should be remembered that active membership in Freemasonry by a member of the faithful is forbidden because of the irreconcilability between Catholic doctrine and Freemasonry," the document reads, citing the 1983 "Declaration on Masonic Associations" by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who would go on to become Pope Benedict XVI.

Freemasonry was rendered an excommunicable offense in 1738 by Pope Clement XII, who called the secret society "depraved and perverted."

https://www.foxnews.com/faith-values/vatican-reaffirms-grave-sin-freemasonry-catholics-cannot-join-worlds-largest-secret-society