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Given by His
Holiness Pope Clement XII
April 28, 1738
CLEMENT, BISHOP,
Servant of the Servants of God to all the faithful, Salutation, and Apostolic
Benediction.
Since the divine clemency has placed Us, Whose merits are not equal to the
task, in the high watch-tower of the Apostolate with the duty of pastoral
care confided to Us, We have turned Our attention, as far as it has been
granted Us from on high, with unceasing care to those things through which
the integrity of Orthodox Religion is kept from errors and vices by preventing
their entry, and by which the dangers of disturbance in the most troubled
times are repelled from the whole Catholic World.
Now it has come to Our ears, and common gossip has made clear, that certain
Societies, Companies, Assemblies, Meetings, Congregations or Conventicles
called in the popular tongue Liberi Muratori or Francs Massons or by other
names according to the various languages, are spreading far and wide and
daily growing in strength; and men of any Religion or sect, satisfied with
the appearance of natural probity, are joined together, according to their
laws and the statutes laid down for them, by a strict and unbreakable bond
which obliges them, both by an oath upon the Holy Bible and by a host of
grievous punishment, to an inviolable silence about all that they do in secret
together. But it is in the nature of crime to betray itself and to show itself
by its attendant clamor. Thus these aforesaid Societies or Conventicles have
caused in the minds of the faithful the greatest suspicion, and all prudent
and upright men have passed the same judgment on them as being depraved and
perverted. For if they were not doing evil they would not have so great a
hatred of the light. Indeed, this rumor has grown to such proportions that
in several countries these societies have been forbidden by the civil authorities
as being against the public security, and for some time past have appeared
to be prudently eliminated.
Therefore, bearing in mind the great harm which is often caused by such Societies
or Conventicles not only to the peace of the temporal state but also to the
well-being of souls, and realizing that they do not hold by either civil
or canonical sanctions; and since We are taught by the divine word that it
is the part of faithful servant and of the master of the Lord's household
to watch day and night lest such men as these break into the household like
thieves, and like foxes seek to destroy the vineyard; in fact, to prevent
the hearts of the simple being perverted, and the innocent secretly wounded
by their arrows, and to block that broad road which could be opened to the
uncorrected commission of sin and for the other just and reasonable motives
known to Us; We therefore, having taken counsel of some of Our Venerable
Brothers among the Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, and also of Our own
accord and with certain knowledge and mature deliberations, with the plenitude
of the Apostolic power do hereby determine and have decreed that these same
Societies, Companies, Assemblies, Meetings, Congregations, or Conventicles
of Liberi Muratori or Francs Massons, or whatever other name they may go
by, are to be condemned and prohibited, and by Our present Constitution,
valid for ever, We do condemn and prohibit them.
Wherefore We command most strictly and in virtue of holy obedience, all the
faithful of whatever state, grade, condition, order, dignity or pre-eminence,
whether clerical or lay, secular or regular, even those who are entitled
to specific and individual mention, that none, under any pretext or for any
reason, shall dare or presume to enter, propagate or support these aforesaid
societies of Liberi Muratori or Francs Massons, or however else they are
called, or to receive them in their houses or dwellings or to hide them,
be enrolled among them, joined to them, be present with them, give power
or permission for them to meet elsewhere, to help them in any way, to give
them in any way advice, encouragement or support either openly or in secret,
directly or indirectly, on their own or through others; nor are they to urge
others or tell them, incite or persuade them to be enrolled in such societies
or to be counted among their number, or to be present or to assist them in
any way; but they must stay completely clear of such Societies, Companies,
Assemblies, Meetings, Congregations or Conventicles, under pain of
excommunication for all the above mentioned people, which is incurred by
the very deed without any declaration being required, and from which no one
can obtain the benefit of absolution, other than at the hour of death, except
through Ourselves or the Roman Pontiff of the time.
Moreover, We desire and command that both Bishops and prelates, and other
local ordinaries, as well as inquisitors for heresy, shall investigate and
proceed against transgressors of whatever state, grade, condition, order
dignity or pre-eminence they may be; and they are to pursue and punish them
with condign penalties as being most suspect of heresy. To each and all of
these We give and grant the free faculty of calling upon the aid of the secular
arm, should the need arise, for investigating and proceeding against those
same transgressors and for pursuing and punishing them with condign penalties.
Given at Rome, at Saint Mary Mayor, in the year 1738 of Our Lord. |
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