(This post was originally published on 31st March 2025)

If one were to research ‘a little’ about Socialism and a Socialist ideal, one quickly learns that a Socialist is someone who is (1) an Egalitarian – that is, a person who advocates or supports the principle of ‘equality’ for all people & (2) a highly Utopian dreamer – that is, having ideologies desiring a state in which and where, everything is perfect.

The perfect song that embodies such a ‘society’ or ‘state of life’ is the song ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon (who was part of the 60s rock-pop group The Beatles), with lyrics having phrases such as,

“Imagine no possessions”, “Imagine no countries” (open borders), “Imagine there’s no heaven”, “…No hell below us”, “…A brotherhood of man”, and “…You may say I’m a dreamer”.

 It is important for readers to know and understand that such themes of ‘man-centeredness’, ‘brotherhood of man’, ‘human fraternity’, or other such ‘collaborative’ humanistic sounding endeavours in bringing about a state of peace, equality, harmony, etc. are not only Socialist in nature, but also, deeply rooted and connected in Freemasonry, one of the principal enemies of Catholicism traditionally, being condemned by several Popes since the 18th or 19th century. Pope Leo XIII in his encyclical ‘Humanum Genus’ says:

“this change and overthrow is deliberately planned and put forward by many associations of communists and socialists; and to their undertakings the sect of Freemasons is not hostile, but greatly favours their designs, and holds in common with them their chief opinions.” (click here – refer paragraph 27),

Therefore Pope Leo XIII saw Freemasonry on an equal footing with Socialism where it’s destructive ideals were concerned. Freemasonry, is a heretical religion, having as its ‘God’, a vague and ambiguous ‘being’ known as ‘the Grand or Supreme Architect; at higher initiation degrees or levels of Freemasonry, it is claimed that Lucifer is God; Freemasonry is a global organization with millions of members worldwide having a history of promoting the “brotherhood of man” (click here – keyword to look for is ‘the brotherhood of mankind’). Many historic personalities and leaders were part of Freemasonry, with American leaders such as George Washington, Roosevelt & Truman, the great inventor Benjamin Franklin, actor Clark Gable, Philosophers such as Voltaire, etc. being part of the order. One of the latest high-profile figures to be inducted to Freemasonry as a Master Mason was none other than the American ex-President Joe Biden (click here), who is long known to be a ‘friend’ and an ally of Pope Francis. However, most Catholics will be surprised to note that recent Vatican documents have Freemasonic-Socialist themes running through them.

The Vatican and the Freemasonic idea of ‘Human Fraternity’

Take for example the 2019 Abu Dhabi declaration document on ‘Human Fraternity: For World Peace and Living Together’ (click here). The introduction contains the following quote which describes the initiative as:

“It is a document that invites all persons who have faith in God and faith in human fraternity to unite and work together so that it may serve as a guide for future generations to advance a culture of mutual respect in the awareness of the great divine grace that makes all human beings brothers and sisters.”

If one compares the description of Freemasonry as per the Freemasonic Grand Lodge of Ohio (click here), with the above quote from the Vatican document of the Abu Dhabi declaration, it is easy to see the ‘similarities’ in the words (and the context as well – refer the table below).

The Vatican Abu Dhabi declaration document was praised by none other than the Freemasonic Grand Orient lodge in Italy:

“The document on ‘Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together’ is ‘innovative’ and a ‘slow-release drug’ that could herald a ‘new era’ and represent a “turning point for a new civilization,”

writes Pierluigi Cascioli, a journalist with Nuovo Hiram the quarterly magazine of the masonic Grand Orient lodge in Italy (click here).

 Although they had a few objections such as the statement that the “diversity of religions” is “willed by God”, they were appreciative of such ‘initiatives’ by Pope Francis.

One can also similarly refer to the 2020 document titled: ‘Fratelli Tutti: On Fraternity and Social Friendship’ (click here) or the 2023 ‘Declaration on Human Fraternity’ (click here) which has a similar thread of ‘fraternity’ running through it. Note that these ‘John Lennon-isque’ initiatives related to ‘Human Fraternity’, largely have no mention of Christ or Catholicism in their text, and appeal to ‘Man’ as the being able to offer such altruistic and humanistic ‘fraternity’. After Fratelli Tutti’s publication, the initiative was welcomed by another Freemasonic arm, the Masonic Lodge of Spain, which stated it was:

“the latest encyclical” of Pope Francis in which he “embraces the Universal Fraternity, the great principle of Modern Freemasonry.” (click here and refer to the section titled ‘Freemasons’)

This was also highlighted and indicated by LifeSite News previously (click here).

The documents mentioned above also reek of Humanism, which is defined by the American Humanist Association as:

“Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism or other supernatural beliefs, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good”,

and is all about “being Good without God” (click here). Note the use of the words ‘progressive’ (indicating an evolving moral compass) and ‘philosophy’ (indicating the disinclination for dogma) above. Also note the relativistic intention above, of leading ‘ethical lives’ without reference to a single, fixed, immutable, and objective standard of truth, or an objective ‘being’, therefore allowing for the relativistic practice of situation ethics based on the ‘discernment’ of individual or collective ‘conscience(s)’; a ‘feeling’ based moral theology; something that is regrettably seen pushed to a great extent these days in many of the statements and documents reflected in Catholic discourse and in many official Vatican documents. Never mind that most, if not all Humanists, are largely Atheists and/or Hard Agnostics. Never mind that Humanistic beliefs and creed, as outlined in the Humanist Manifesto contain aspects that are clearly contradictory to Catholic and basic Christian dogmas and beliefs, such as

1. Religious Humanists regard the universe as self-existing and not created,
2. Humanism believes that man is a part of nature and that he has emerged as a result of a continuous process – referring to Darwinian evolution,
3. Humanism only believes in life in the here and now, and therefore does away with the beliefs in heaven, hell or the supernatural altogether &,
4. The goal of Humanism is a free and universal society in which people voluntarily and intelligently cooperate for the common good.

Humanists demand a shared life in a shared world. Humanism is therefore a ‘religion’ (in one sense) where ‘man’ is the only authority; underscoring the philosophy of ‘man-centredness’ or ‘human fraternity’ similarly shared with Freemasonry.

It is plainly easy to see all these themes (and more) in documents and statements to the media repeatedly being espoused by the Vatican today, especially in the pontificate of Pope Francis. These documents (named above) also having strong overtones of ‘Religious Indifferentism’ and the promotion of ‘Religious Equality’, which is further indicative of espousing a false Gospel.

However, coming back to the subject of Freemasonry, there are also reports of the Vatican and Freemasons ‘collaborating’ together (click here & here), with one of the more controversial Cardinals of the Vatican (Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmiero) calling for a continued ‘dialogue’ with the Freemasons (click here). In a typically ‘Modernist’ move, the Vatican reiterated its ban of Catholics becoming Freemasons by claiming it to be a ‘grave sin’ immediately after the meeting (click here). I say ‘Modernist move’ above, as one of the hallmarks of a Neo-Modernism (New Modernism) is to, with one hand, emphasise Catholic dogma or teachings/beliefs that are held as immutable or unchangeable, and then on the other hand, allow for ambiguous or vague deviations, such as was allowed in context with the ‘blessings’ for same sex couples, in the Vatican encyclical titled Fiducia Supplicans, that I previously also exposed (click here). As warned and advised by Pope Saint Pius X, these are traits by which the Modernist and Neo Modernist will expose themselves sufficiently, as he writes:

“…In their books you find some things which might well be expressed by a Catholic, but in the next page you find other things which might have been dictated by a rationalist. When they write history they make no mention of the divinity of Christ, but when they are in the pulpit they profess it clearly; again, when they write history they pay no heed to the Fathers and the Councils, but when they catechise the people, they cite them respectfully.” (paragraph 18, Pascendi Domenici Gregis)

Call it what you want, but these are all hallmarks of double-speak, or a Pharisee-like incongruity between speech and action, or speaking with a ‘forked tongue’.

What does this all therefore mean about the Vatican and Catholicism?

One of the widely circulated ‘rumours’ is that the Second Vatican Council itself was ‘infiltrated’ by Freemasonic influences. From Cardinal Jean Villot to Archbishop Annibale Bugnini, there have been ‘allegations’ doing the rounds, of Freemasonry within the walls of the Vatican. These allegations have remained just that. However, as we have progressed over the last 60 years since the close of the Second Vatican Council, and as we have now entered the Bergoglian phase of a ‘Fraternal’ and ‘Synodal church’, one can only speculate if these so called ‘conspiracy theories’ had more to it than the average Catholic will ever evidently know about.

Does this mean that Pope Francis is a Freemason?

Does it mean that the Vatican is permeated and saturated with Freemasons?

How does the Abu Dhabi document and other such Vatican documents that contain such ‘Freemasonic’, ‘Socialistic’, and ‘Humanistic’ themes, affect Catholic dogmas and teachings?

Has the Catholic Church changed its course since Pope Francis took office?

These are useful questions that one needs to ask and answer by, and for themselves. What I can only add is that the timeless teaching of the Church is still intact and our faith must continue to reside in the Catholic Church that Christ established regardless of such anomalies; those that will hopefully become a footnote in the history of the many heresies and scandals that have rocked the Catholic Church since its existence.

As always, pray for the Pope and the clergy, and pray for The Holy Roman Catholic Church. Now more than ever, pray the Rosary. May Michael the Archangel defend us in battle, through the grace of the Most Holy Trinity, and through the intercession of Mary our Mother, Saint Joseph, and all the Saints and Angels in heaven.

Ave Maria