I met a lady the other day who, I found out, was a member of the Eastern Star. She is also a Catholic. Are Catholics permitted to join the Eastern Star? My father was a freemason and my mother a member of the Eastern Star - and my father on more than one occasion made it clear that Catholics were not allowed to join. Neither parent would talk much about it. That's really my only source of information, and both my parents have since passed on. Googling provided mixed messages. I, myself, am a Catholic, having converted nearly two years ago.

-- Dee (dee@none.sorry), October 24, 2004

Answers

Bump to New Answers to invite comment.

-- (bump@bump.bump), October 24, 2004.

Dee, it is true that Catholics are strictly forbidden by the Church to be Freemasons. If "Eastern Star" is a formal affiliate of Freemasonry, then Catholics are forbidden to be members.

I know of one case of a Catholic bishop explicitly warning his flock that they are forbidden to be Eastern Star members, under pain of excommunication if they persist in their membership. You can read what Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz of Lincoln, Nebraska, wrote in 1996 at http://www.ewtn.com/library/BISHOPS/BRUSKWTZ.HTM.

-- Gramps (Helping@Jim.com), October 25, 2004.

http://www.ewtn.com/expert/expertfaqframe.asp gives the Church's position on Freemasonry.

There was some confusion in the early 1980s when Catholics were told that they may join organizations that are not in opposition to the Church, and a lot of Catholics joined thinking that there was no conflict. Freemasonry in the U.S. is largely more benign than in Europe. But, there are major THEOLOGICAL reasons why a Catholic would not want to join.

The Eastern Star is just the women's arm of Freemasonry.

God bless,

-- john placette (jplacette@catholic.org), October 26, 2004.

Thank you, Gramps. Thank you, John. Good information and links.

-- Dee (Dee@none.sorry), October 28, 2004.