Custodi di quella fede

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Custodi di quella fede ("Guardian of the Faith") is an encyclical of Pope Leo XIII. With this apostolic circular, on December 8, 1892 , he addressed the Italian people for the first time, not to an episcopate . The encyclical is subtitled on Freemasonry . With the same date and the same subject matter, the Pope addressed the bishops of Italy in the encyclical Inimica vis .

To the Italian people

The Pope deplores the deplorable situation in Italy and a relapse into paganism . The loss of faith and morals is great, and the apostates are so exposed to vice that he, Leo, sees great danger and the moral collapse of the Catholic faith. Whoever wants to join the Freemasons should bear in mind that he will be excluded from communion and the community of Catholic Christians .

Threat from Freemasonry

First of all, Leo XIII. to the encyclicals he wrote, Etsi nos (1882), Humanum genus (1884) and Sapientiae christianae (1890), in which Freemasonry was disapproved. In another letter from Dall'alto dell'Apostolico Seggio (1890) he had also warned of the threat posed by Freemasonry. The satanic intention of the Freemasons is an attack on Catholic morality and violates the holy maxims and the laws of the Gospel . There are also many contradictions in the Freemasonry programs that can be demonstrated in society's law, organized abuse, and other manifestations. Leo accuses Freemasonry of anti-social behavior, which can be represented in the form of discord, corruption and crime. He also recognized that Freemasonry would open the way for socialism and communism and that this could lead to anarchy .

The key message

Paragraph 15 can be understood as a guideline for every Italian Catholic, where he writes:

“ Everyone should avoid confidentiality and friendship with someone who is suspected of belonging to Freemasonry or other groups close to it. Recognize them by their fruits and avoid them. Any contact should be avoided, not only with these wicked free spirits who publicly promote the character of the sect, but also with all those who hide behind the mask of universal tolerance and respect for all religions [...]. "

In conclusion, the Pope calls for a common fight against evil in society, he appeals to men and women not to succumb to the temptations of the Freemasons. These machinations must be counteracted in schools, in organizations, at congresses and especially by the Italian people.

See also

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