In 2015, Pope Francis visited the Philippines—home to one of the largest populations of Catholics in the world. But it is also a country where Freemasonry is widespread. In fact, one of its bishops wrote a letter to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith asking for pastoral guidance on the situation.
The Dicastery's Prefect, Cardinal Victor Fernández, has published the response to the letter. It confirms that Catholics are forbidden from being a part of Freemasonry, as stated in the 2003 guidelines of the Philippine Bishops' Conference and the statement made by Cardinal Ratzinger in 1983, when he was prefect of the Dicastery.
At the pastoral level, the Dicastery suggests organizing catechesis lessons in all parishes to explain why Freemasonry is not compatible with the Catholic faith. It also suggests that the bishop consult the Bishops' Conference of the Philippines and consider releasing a public statement on the matter.
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