AFRICA/GHANA - A debate in Parliament revives the question of the incompatibility between the Catholic faith and membership in Freemasonry

Accra (Agenzia Fides) – Since the end of January, various statements have been made by bodies of the Catholic Church in Ghana, aimed at reaffirming the incompatibility between the Catholic faith and membership in Freemasonry. The issue arose during the parliamentary hearings for the appointment of the Minister of Youth Development and Emancipation, George Opare Addo. During the debate, minority leader, Afenyo-Markin, asked if Opare Addo was a Freemason, to which he responded by openly acknowledging his membership in Freemasonry.
The admission generated mixed reactions, and the Archdiocese of Accra reiterated, in a note issued on January 26, that Catholics cannot associate with Freemasonry. In response, Afenyo-Markin, who professes the Catholic faith, indicated that he had not received official communication from the Church regarding his membership in Masonic organizations.
"My Archbishop Palmer-Buckle (Archbishop of Cape Coast) has not written any letter to me," Afenyo-Markin said in an interview on January 29. "I have been seeing letters flying around, but nobody has written to me personally," the leader of the parliamentary opposition said. The Ghana Bishops' Conference intervened in the matter through a statement released to the press on January 31, in which it reaffirmed the official position of the Church on the incompatibility between the Catholic faith and Freemasonry. Referring to the teachings of various pontiffs – since the Bull of Clement XII, dated April 28, 1738 – to the provisions of the Code of Canon Law and to the declarations of the then Congregation (later Dicastery) for the Doctrine of the Faith, the note reminds “the faithful that, according to the doctrine of the Church, membership in Masonic organizations is a grave matter that can lead to spiritual harm. Those who may be involved in such associations are strongly encouraged to reconsider their membership to live fully in the light of the Gospel.”
“The position of the Catholic Church with regard to Freemasonry is that it is a religion in its own right, with doctrines that are irreconcilable with Christian doctrines.
Freemasonry also promotes a form of universalism that ignores the unique role of Jesus in the salvation of mankind. In many cases also, it offers a syncretistic view of religion that undermines the exclusive claims of the Christian faith.”
In reaction to these statements, a senior Masonic dignitary, John Edusei, Assistant Provincial Grand Master of the North of the Grand Lodge of Ghana, responded to these latest statements. Edusei, who also professes to be a Catholic, recalls the official statements of the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), which read: “Freemasonry is not a religion, nor is it a substitute for religion. There is no separate Masonic god, and there is no separate proper name for a deity in Freemasonry.” To avoid confusion between Freemasonry and Catholic orders of chivalry, the Knights of St. John International and Ladies' Auxiliary of Ghana have issued a clarifying note. In it, they emphasize that it is "a renowned Catholic association that operates under the auspices of the under the auspices of the Catholic Church worldwide and that firmly maintains the position of the Church against Catholics' membership of the Freemasonry." (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 5/2/2025)

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