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PROGRESSIVIST DOCUMENT OF THE WEEK
In Memoriam: Italian Freemasonry Honors
Pope Bergoglio
Pope Bergoglio
On April 22, 2025, one day after the death of Pope Francis, the Grand Lodge of Italy posted an official eulogy on its site honoring the late Argentine Pontiff. The praise could not have been more effusive, celebrating the man whose work coincided so well with the Masonic aims: “Our
Fraternity wishes to pay homage to the vision of Pope Francis, whose work is marked by a profound resonance with the principles of Freemasonry.”
The effusive praise continues:
For more than two centuries, the Church has consistently condemned Freemasonry in encyclicals, decrees, apostolic letters, and disciplinary documents. Clement XII, Pius VIII, Gregory XVI, Pius IX, Leo XIII, St. Pius X, Benedict XV, Pius XI and Pius XII all warned of the radical incompatibility between the Catholic Faith and Masonic principles. And now, in 2025, the Grand Lodge celebrates a Pope as one of its own. Without need for further explanation, we can see that the Conciliar Church is better fitted to Freemasonry than Catholicism…
Below, see our translation in blue of the official posting on the Italian Grand Lodge (original emphasis); for the reader's convenience we reproduce the photocopy of the original text after the blue text.
The effusive praise continues:
- For Fratelli tutti, which the Grand Lodge considers a manifesto celebrating the Masonic trio of Freedom, Equality and Fraternity, the infamous slogan of the French Revolution;
- For his vision that resonates so fully with “the principles of Freemasonry;
- For his work for inclusiveness, tolerance, freedom of thought, the “same plan pursued by the Grand Lodge of Italy.”
- For his spirit of doubt, questioning, and openness to dialogue.
For more than two centuries, the Church has consistently condemned Freemasonry in encyclicals, decrees, apostolic letters, and disciplinary documents. Clement XII, Pius VIII, Gregory XVI, Pius IX, Leo XIII, St. Pius X, Benedict XV, Pius XI and Pius XII all warned of the radical incompatibility between the Catholic Faith and Masonic principles. And now, in 2025, the Grand Lodge celebrates a Pope as one of its own. Without need for further explanation, we can see that the Conciliar Church is better fitted to Freemasonry than Catholicism…
Below, see our translation in blue of the official posting on the Italian Grand Lodge (original emphasis); for the reader's convenience we reproduce the photocopy of the original text after the blue text.
Francis the Pope of the ‘Least Ones’
Rome, April 22, 2025
The Grand Lodge of Italy of the Ancient, Free, Accepted Masons joins in the universal mourning for the passing of Pope Francis, a pastor who, with his teaching and his life, embodied the values of fraternity, humility and the search for a planetary humanism. Coming from the "end of the world," Jorge Maria Bergoglio knew how to change the Church, bringing to present day history the revolutionary teaching of St. Francis of Assisi .
In this moment of mourning, our Communion wants to pay homage to the vision of Pope Francis, whose work is characterized by a profound resonance with the principles of Freemasonry: the centrality of the person, respect for the dignity of each individual, the construction of a community of solidarity, the pursuit of the common good. His encyclical Fratelli tutti represents a manifesto. Liberty, Equality and Fraternity is the triple value asset of Freemasonry. Overcoming divisions, ideologies, only one thinking in order to recognize the richness of differences and build a humanity united in diversity, this is what Francis ardently wanted, the same plan pursued by the Grand Lodge of Italy.
Pope Francis knew how to combine faith and reason, complementary dimensions of human experience, by renewing the Anselmian [St. Anselm of Caterbury] principle of “credo ut intelligam” [I believe so that I may understand]. A faith capable of questioning, of welcoming doubt and dialogue, which we also find in the Masonic initiatory method, founded on a path free from dogmas, substantiated by the incessant search for truth.
The pontificate of Francis has placed the least ones at the center, together with the care of the planet and an ethic of development based on human dignity. This too can be found in the Masonic construction of the “Inner Temple,” based on tolerance, solidarity and resistance against hatred and ignorance, and finds a profound correspondence in the pastoral work of Bergoglio, who with his “gentle revolution,” has shown that humility and dialogue are instruments of authentic strength. In the wake of the “Francis Economy” and the vision of a “common home,” Freemasonry supports the commitment to a sustainable, fair and supportive future.
In this time of grave criticality, the Grand Lodge of Italy finds itself [united] in the appeal of Pope Francis for a “planetary conscience,” which recognizes humanity as a community of destiny. We honor his memory by continuing to work for an ethic of limits, respect for others and the construction of a Temple founded on solidarity, freedom of thought and universal fraternity.
Luciano Romoli
Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Italy of the ALAM
Rome, 22 April 2025
Comunicato della Gran Loggia d’Italia degli ALAM in memoria di Papa Francesco
The Grand Lodge of Italy of the Ancient, Free, Accepted Masons joins in the universal mourning for the passing of Pope Francis, a pastor who, with his teaching and his life, embodied the values of fraternity, humility and the search for a planetary humanism. Coming from the "end of the world," Jorge Maria Bergoglio knew how to change the Church, bringing to present day history the revolutionary teaching of St. Francis of Assisi .
In this moment of mourning, our Communion wants to pay homage to the vision of Pope Francis, whose work is characterized by a profound resonance with the principles of Freemasonry: the centrality of the person, respect for the dignity of each individual, the construction of a community of solidarity, the pursuit of the common good. His encyclical Fratelli tutti represents a manifesto. Liberty, Equality and Fraternity is the triple value asset of Freemasonry. Overcoming divisions, ideologies, only one thinking in order to recognize the richness of differences and build a humanity united in diversity, this is what Francis ardently wanted, the same plan pursued by the Grand Lodge of Italy.
Pope Francis knew how to combine faith and reason, complementary dimensions of human experience, by renewing the Anselmian [St. Anselm of Caterbury] principle of “credo ut intelligam” [I believe so that I may understand]. A faith capable of questioning, of welcoming doubt and dialogue, which we also find in the Masonic initiatory method, founded on a path free from dogmas, substantiated by the incessant search for truth.
The pontificate of Francis has placed the least ones at the center, together with the care of the planet and an ethic of development based on human dignity. This too can be found in the Masonic construction of the “Inner Temple,” based on tolerance, solidarity and resistance against hatred and ignorance, and finds a profound correspondence in the pastoral work of Bergoglio, who with his “gentle revolution,” has shown that humility and dialogue are instruments of authentic strength. In the wake of the “Francis Economy” and the vision of a “common home,” Freemasonry supports the commitment to a sustainable, fair and supportive future.
In this time of grave criticality, the Grand Lodge of Italy finds itself [united] in the appeal of Pope Francis for a “planetary conscience,” which recognizes humanity as a community of destiny. We honor his memory by continuing to work for an ethic of limits, respect for others and the construction of a Temple founded on solidarity, freedom of thought and universal fraternity.
Luciano Romoli
Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Italy of the ALAM
Rome, 22 April 2025
Comunicato della Gran Loggia d’Italia degli ALAM in memoria di Papa Francesco
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