When a Catholic man seeks to join the Knights of Columbus, there is a screening process in which they are asked – among many questions – whether or not they are now or have ever been Freemasons. This is because Freemasonry is incompatible with the Catholic faith, as Pope Francis reiterated in 2023, and thus with the Knights of Columbus as well. The Knights in the Philippines are being called on to oppose Freemasonry.
The call went out from the leader of the Knights of Columbus, Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly, who addressed the Filipino Knights at an August meeting in Manila. There, according to CBCP News, he emphasized that Freemasonry “is fundamentally opposed to our Catholic faith.”
At the event he recalled how the KofC was initially founded by Blessed Fr. Michael McGivney in part as a way to help young Catholics of the 19th century avoid Freemasonry. He said:
“Now, in the 21st century, we can lead again,” Kelly said. “If we give young Filipino men a place to grow in faith and fraternity, they’ll avoid the Freemasons. We need to show them that they can find what they’re looking for in the Knights of Columbus.”
Kelly went on to explain that the Order’s “Cor” (heart) initiative aims to strengthen Catholic men as missionary disciples through prayer, formation, and fraternity. He noted that “In the Philippines, Cor can help address a growing challenge.”
The Church has long warned the faithful that Freemasonry is incompatible with the Catholic faith, and reiterated this point as recently as 2023. The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, in a document signed by the Prefect, Cardinal Victor Fernandéz, and approved by Pope Francis, wrote of Freemasonry:
“Active membership in Freemasonry by a member of the faithful is prohibited, because of the irreconcilability between Catholic doctrine and Freemasonry (cf. the 1983 Declaration of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on Masonic Associations), and the Guidelines published by the Bishops’ Conference in 2003.”
Trafficking
Before concluding the meeting, Kelly also called on the Knights to take an active role in the opposition of human trafficking. To this end, Knights in Cebu have launched a program to help spot the signs of human trafficking and sound the alarm.
“No human being should ever be bought or sold,” Kelly said. “As Knights, we fulfill Father McGivney’s founding vision of protecting the most vulnerable, especially women and children.”
