Joe Biden’s recent affiliation with the Freemasons could result in his excommunication from the Catholic Church.
Former President Joe Biden, a Catholic, has joined a predominantly African-American Masonic lodge as a Master Mason. The Catholic Church prohibits its members from joining the fraternal order, potentially leading to excommunication.
Biden was initiated into the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge in South Carolina on Sunday, the day before leaving office. A statement released by the lodge confirmed that Grand Master Victor C. Major bestowed upon Biden a Master Mason membership with full honors.
“Freemasonry is a brotherhood dedicated to personal growth, service to others, and the pursuit of knowledge and truth,” the lodge declared, asserting that Biden’s values align with their principles.
Freemasonry, originating in the 15th century and flourishing in Britain from the early 1700s, became a widespread fraternity across Europe and the US, encompassing diverse individuals from philosophers and religious dissidents to business and political elites. A notable number of US presidents, including George Washington, were Freemasons.
Prince Hall Masonry, a historically Black branch of Freemasonry, was established in 1775 by a freed slave in Boston.
While Biden hasn’t publicly commented on his membership, it creates a conflict with his Catholic beliefs.
The Vatican’s prohibition of Catholic involvement in Freemasonry, dating back to 1738, was reaffirmed in 1983 with a ban on organizations deemed antagonistic to the Church. Although not explicitly naming Freemasonry, the decree maintained excommunication as a possible penalty.
“Catholics who join Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and cannot receive Holy Communion,” stated Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the future Pope.
Biden’s political stances have occasionally clashed with his religious beliefs. In 2021, a US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ document initially considered barring Biden from Communion due to his pro-choice views. However, following Pope Francis’s declaration that Biden is a “good Catholic” and should receive Communion, the document was revised to emphasize the special responsibility of Catholic politicians to uphold Church teachings.