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.
