Freemasonry is decidedly anti-Catholic and membership by Catholics is not allowed by the Church so how could a pope be a member.
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Well, not exactly. Freemasonry is not anti-Catholic and accepts Catholics for membership. However, it is true that the Catholic Church still frowns on Freemasonary.
Since the Papal Bull issued by Pope Clement XII in 1738, Catholics have (in theory at least), been prohibited from becoming Freemasons. So it's very unlikely that Pope Benedict is a Mason.
Benedict does not make secret Masonic gestures.
No, the Freemasons keep their meetings secret.
Catholic AnswerNo, don't be ridiculous, the Illuminati was a secret society which was formed during the Enlightenment by protestant Deists. It was destroyed nine years after it was formed.
It seems kind of cool to be in a secret society and have secret rituals and stuff. That is a good reason.
Those 2 groups are different. But both are known groups.
James Garfield was a freemason. I do not know if he belonged to other societies.
freemason
By the very secret tenets of that society, it's unlikely whether that will ever be known conclusively.
J P. Hart has written: 'The freemason; or, the secret of the lodge room'
Simply put, no matter what you read or here, the answer is NO. There is no record of his having joined any Masonic Lodge under his real name, ANYWHERE. No one who is a Freemason fears answering or not answering any questions about the fraternity, as there are really no secrets, except the information that identifies one mason to another. This information that should be regarded more as "members only" rather then "secret". Masonic ritual can be found on line, masons are readily identifiable, it is not a secret society, no matter what you are told.
the CIA ( Catholic Inteligence Agency)
He was chosen in a secret election between cardinals called a conclave.