Catholic Church Statement on Freemasonry

I recently found myself involved in a bit of a kerfuffle on Facebook......hard to imagine, right?

There was some discussion of a 18 story tower that is being constructed in Quezon Park in Dumaguete. The person who started the discussion was against the tower for aesthetic reasons ; the tower would overwhelm every structure and landmark in the area. An illustration follows below.

 

With a few exceptions, most commenting (myself included) held a negative view of the proposed tower. My objection comes from the fact that the tower is a "Masonic tower" and thereby shouldn't be constructed in a Catholic community. I wrote:

"The Masons are an anti Catholic group. ...Catholics are forbidden to join the Masons. A Masonic tower is not proper in this Catholic city".

Almost immediately, I was accused of spreading a lie. A man said that the Catholic church allows Catholics to become Freemasons. I knew this man was either misinformed, or lying himself. I took a look at his own Facebook page and it is filled with Masonic symbols. I would not consider him objective.

As proof that the Catholic Church forbids Catholics from joining the Masons, I left a quote, as well as a link to the Vatican websites. The statement on the website reads :

CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH
DECLARATION ON MASONIC ASSOCIATIONS

It has been asked whether there has been any change in the Church’s decision in regard to Masonic associations since the new Code of Canon Law does not mention them expressly, unlike the previous Code.
This Sacred Congregation is in a position to reply that this circumstance in due to an editorial criterion which was followed also in the case of other associations likewise unmentioned inasmuch as they are contained in wider categories.
Therefore the Church’s negative judgment in regard to Masonic association remains unchanged since their principles have always been considered irreconcilable with the doctrine of the Church and therefore membership in them remains forbidden. The faithful who enrol in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion.
It is not within the competence of local ecclesiastical authorities to give a judgment on the nature of Masonic associations which would imply a derogation from what has been decided above, and this in line with the Declaration of this Sacred Congregation issued on 17 February 1981 (cf. AAS 73 1981 pp. 240-241; English language edition of L’Osservatore Romano, 9 March 1981).
In an audience granted to the undersigned Cardinal Prefect, the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II approved and ordered the publication of this Declaration which had been decided in an ordinary meeting of this Sacred Congregation.
Rome, from the Office of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 26 November 1983.

Joseph Card. RATZINGER
Prefect

+ Fr. Jerome Hamer, O.P.
Titular Archbishop of Lorium
Secretary

Anyone doubting my word on this can check the Vatican website themselves.