Quaesitum est

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Quaesitum est is a declaration by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith forbidding Catholics from joining Masonic organizations. It was issued in 1983 by the prefect of the congregation, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, who became Pope Benedict XVI on April 19, 2005. Cardinal Ratzinger states that the removal of language singling out freemasonry in the 1983 Code of Canon Law was due to an "editorial criterion" that one canon refer to all groups considered anti-catholic by the Holy See rather than separate canons for each group, and not a reversal of previous canon law specifically forbidding membership in or promotion of Masonic groups.

[edit] Changes in canon law regarding freemasonry

The 1917 Code of Canon Law forbids Catholics, under the penalty of excommunication, to enroll in Masonic or other similar associations.

Can 2335: Affiliation With Masonic or Similar Societies. Those who join a Masonic sect or other societies of the same sort, which plot against the Church or against legitimate civil authority, incur ipso facto an excommunication simply reserved to the Holy See.

The 1983 Code of Canon Law removes direct mention of Masonic associations. Catholics who join a group "which plots against the Church" can be punished, while officers of such a group can be punished with an interdict.

Can. 1374: A person who joins an association which plots against the Church is to be punished with a just penalty; one who promotes or takes office in such an association is to be punished with an interdict.

[edit] Is the 1917 code different than the 1983 code?

In 1917 Masonry is mentioned but in 1983 it is not. Since the new canon law did not specifically mention Masonry any issues or questions about Roman Catholics with Masonic associations was clarified by the document Quaesitum est which can be summarized by the statement that "...the Church’s negative judgment in regard to Masonic association remains unchanged since their principles have always been considered irreconcilable with the doctrine of the Church and therefore membership in them remains forbidden."