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Several popes before Leo XIII had addressed the problems that they associated with Freemasonry and said that the principles of that secret society were incompatible with the teachings of the Church. Previous papal pronouncements on Freemasonry include:

Pope Clement XII – In eminenti apostolatus, a papal bull in 1738

Pope Benedict XIV – Providas Romanorum, an Apostolic constitution in 1751

Pope Pius VII – Ecclesiam a Jesu Christo, an Apostolic constitution in 1821

Pope Leo XII – Quo graviora (1826), an Apostolic constitution

Pope Pius VIII – Traditi humilitati, an encyclical in 1829

Pope Gregory XVI – Mirari vos, an encyclical in 1832

Pope Pius IX – Qui pluribus, an encyclical in 1846

Leo XIII's denunciation of Freemasonry in Humanum genus can be seen as a call for Roman Catholics to oppose it, especially in the context of his examination of socialism (Quod apostolici muneris), his defence of Christian marriage (Arcanum), and his ideas about the role of government (Diuturnum). Because of the secrecy in Freemasonry, it was believed by the Holy See to have enormous disciplinary control over its members, which Leo viewed as enslavement.[6] By this definition, although individual Masons may be decent people, those same individuals would be led to commit evil acts through their participation in Freemasonry.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanum_genus