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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Is Freemasonry bringing condemnation to our marriage?	Jeanne	Monday, July 22, 2013
Question: My husband and I are in a heated disaggreement over his membership in the Freemasons. Our local priest allowed him to join the Church after RCIA last year in spite of not renouncing his membership in the Freemasons. In spite of my efforts to stay in a state of grace, our marriage is dogged with hostility and bitterness, coming to a head this summer when he told me he will never renounce the Masons. I had been hoping over the past year that he was leaning toward giving it up. Now I have heard him proclaim he will not leave it and I do not know how to live this way. Meanwhile, he continues to receive Communion, even though I have explained to him that it is a terrible thing to do when he is in serious sin. He says that I am trying to control him by insisting he leave his Masonic group. Am I wrong to believe that he is bringing condemnation to our household?
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), CCL, LTh, DD, LNDC Dear Jeanne: I am so sorry that this is happening to you. If I were the bishop of the priest who allowed your husband to come into the Church refusing to renounce Freemasonry he would have been fired from pastoral duties on the spot and suspended until he was re-educated and repented. What this priest did was a grave sin and will have to stand before God for the mess and suffering he has caused. As for your husband: Until your husband renounces Freemasonry and resigns from the organization he is prohibited from receiving the Sacraments. He is already in a state of grave sin, which threatens his eternal salvation. If he receives the Eucharist he will be committed one of the worse grave sins a man can do -- to receive the Eucharist unworthily, to commit sacrilege against our Lord. St. Paul said that people get sick and even die from doing that. If your husband wishes to remain a Mason at least ought to have the integrity to not receive the Eucharist. To continue to receive the Eucharist is cowardice of the worse kind, committing sacrilege, spitting in God's face and not caring. Does he really want to go to hell? Given the irrationality of his response that you outline, I suspect that he is probably under demonic bondage. You can pray for him, such as the Prayer for a Wayward Spouse, and also the Hedge Prayer for Protection of the Household, and other prayers located in our Prayer Catalog, linked below. Your husband cannot be the spiritual leader of your home or marriage. He cannot be the spiritual protector of your home or marriage. He is, in effect, an intruder into your home that refuses to do the right thing and thereby causes condemnation upon himself (not you), and great instability of your household. You husband, at the very least, is bringing demonic attention to your household. This does not mean that you cannot remain in a state of grace. His actions do not affect your salvation. His actions, however, does effect your suffering. Lift up your suffering to God for the salvation of your husband. Here is the declaration of the Church that clarifies this issue. This is not my opinion, nor yours, it is the declaration and legislation of the Church to which all Catholics must obey upon pain of sin and exclusion from the Sacraments. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith published a declaration on Nov. 26, 1983, shortly before the present Code of Canon Law came into effect. This declaration, signed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, states: "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 enroll 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." This should settle the issue. This is not you trying to control him. This is Church teaching. If he chooses not to obey then he needs to have the integrity to not receive communion. If he is a coward in this, then his soul is in grave danger. You must remain Faithful. Do not let his cowardice destroy your faith. If you feel that you are under spiritual danger, then it is possible to separate from your husband. You will still be married, of course, but no longer under the danger of this man allowing demons into your home. This is a last resort, however, to be considered only if you feel you are in serious spiritual or emotional danger. Any such separation can be secured under State law is necessary. In the meantime, pray for him some of the prayers in our Catalog. We will certainly be in prayer for him and you. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.

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Posted By

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Is Freemasonry bringing condemnation to our marriage?

Jeanne

Monday, July 22, 2013

Question:

My husband and I are in a heated disaggreement over his membership in the Freemasons. Our local priest allowed him to join the Church after RCIA last year in spite of not renouncing his membership in the Freemasons. In spite of my efforts to stay in a state of grace, our marriage is dogged with hostility and bitterness, coming to a head this summer when he told me he will never renounce the Masons. I had been hoping over the past year that he was leaning toward giving it up. Now I have heard him proclaim he will not leave it and I do not know how to live this way. Meanwhile, he continues to receive Communion, even though I have explained to him that it is a terrible thing to do when he is in serious sin. He says that I am trying to control him by insisting he leave his Masonic group. Am I wrong to believe that he is bringing condemnation to our household?

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), CCL, LTh, DD, LNDC

Dear Jeanne:

I am so sorry that this is happening to you. If I were the bishop of the priest who allowed your husband to come into the Church refusing to renounce Freemasonry he would have been fired from pastoral duties on the spot and suspended until he was re-educated and repented.

What this priest did was a grave sin and will have to stand before God for the mess and suffering he has caused.

As for your husband: Until your husband renounces Freemasonry and resigns from the organization he is prohibited from receiving the Sacraments. He is already in a state of grave sin, which threatens his eternal salvation. If he receives the Eucharist he will be committed one of the worse grave sins a man can do -- to receive the Eucharist unworthily, to commit sacrilege against our Lord. St. Paul said that people get sick and even die from doing that.

If your husband wishes to remain a Mason at least ought to have the integrity to not receive the Eucharist. To continue to receive the Eucharist is cowardice of the worse kind, committing sacrilege, spitting in God's face and not caring. Does he really want to go to hell?

Given the irrationality of his response that you outline, I suspect that he is probably under demonic bondage. You can pray for him, such as the Prayer for a Wayward Spouse, and also the Hedge Prayer for Protection of the Household, and other prayers located in our Prayer Catalog, linked below.

Your husband cannot be the spiritual leader of your home or marriage. He cannot be the spiritual protector of your home or marriage. He is, in effect, an intruder into your home that refuses to do the right thing and thereby causes condemnation upon himself (not you), and great instability of your household.

You husband, at the very least, is bringing demonic attention to your household. This does not mean that you cannot remain in a state of grace. His actions do not affect your salvation. His actions, however, does effect your suffering. Lift up your suffering to God for the salvation of your husband.

Here is the declaration of the Church that clarifies this issue. This is not my opinion, nor yours, it is the declaration and legislation of the Church to which all Catholics must obey upon pain of sin and exclusion from the Sacraments.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith published a declaration on Nov. 26, 1983, shortly before the present Code of Canon Law came into effect. This declaration, signed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, states:

"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 enroll 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."

This should settle the issue. This is not you trying to control him. This is Church teaching. If he chooses not to obey then he needs to have the integrity to not receive communion. If he is a coward in this, then his soul is in grave danger.

You must remain Faithful. Do not let his cowardice destroy your faith. If you feel that you are under spiritual danger, then it is possible to separate from your husband. You will still be married, of course, but no longer under the danger of this man allowing demons into your home. This is a last resort, however, to be considered only if you feel you are in serious spiritual or emotional danger. Any such separation can be secured under State law is necessary.

In the meantime, pray for him some of the prayers in our Catalog.

We will certainly be in prayer for him and you.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.