Brazilian Bishop Speaks In Masonic Lodge

Bishop Gilberto Pastana de Oliveira, 61, of Crato, Brazil, delivered on March 14 a speech at the Masonic Lodge of Juazeiro do Norte.

De Oliveira said that the Church and Freemasonry can have fraternal relations since - according to him - most of the freemasons "are Christians".

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued in 1983 a Declaration on Masonic Associations stating that "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."

And, "The faithful who enrol in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion."

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