- Most Catholics have no idea how common Freemasonry is. In Europe it was an openly aggressive, violent force but was forced to be subtle and only show a benign face in public in Colonial America. Several of the Founding Fathers were Masons. George Washington was a Master Mason. It's part of the American fabric.
Most American Masons have no idea that the brotherhood is anything but a civic, fraternal organization that will allow them to contribute to the community, get a job and provide for their families if anything should happen to them. I've read and heard that the guys don't get the full story unless they reach a high rank.
The Mason next door did not join after meeting a tall, dark figure at a crossroads one midnight. He probably walked into the lodge with his dad, his uncles or his boss. My grandfather and Rocky's grandfather's were Masons. Both were kind, gentle men who were active in their Baptist churches and among the first to step up if a community member needed help. When Masons' take their vows, probably most have no idea of what they are saying.
I read that Masonic vows curse the mason and his descendants to the fourth generation but I never thought much about it until I dug deeper into my genealogy hobby. My uncle joined the Masons when he was 19 but in his twenties, something he's never discussed caused him to stop attending meetings or take any active part. He told my mother that once a man joins he can't really leave and she didn't press him for more detail.
My uncle's first born son was born with a serious defect and the poor baby did not live the whole day. My uncle and his wife tried again and my cousin was born and is fine. That cousin's first born was born without a brain and died quickly. His second child is fine. My mother's first born died immediately. Two years later she had me. I've never had a successful pregnancy. Looking at that I wondered if some sort of genetic defect runs in my maternal line.
The good news is that if you are a Catholic Mason or Eastern Star you can go to confession, repent and be done with it. If you are a Masonic descendant and have noticed that a particular tragedy keeps cropping up in your family tree, know this: your grandpa may have messed up but you and your family don't have to live with it. See a good priest and ask his advice. - Lately I've been feeling not exactly nervous but aware that something really unpleasant is going on in my area. I live a small city that is older than the nation. We used to have one or two murders a year, car accidents, drunks and mostly white collar crimes. Now suddenly young men are roaming apartment parking lots stealing air bags or the whole car. We've had two car-jackings this year and several cars stolen at gas stations. Last week there was a robbery and abduction. This week a victim was robbed by four men while walking on the public street. What happened to my quiet, placid town? I think it has to do with the number of breadwinners who have lost their jobs as a result of the lockdowns. They or their sons are going slowly crazy.
- Fr. Harrison Egwuenu, a kidnapped priest of the Catholic diocese of Warri in Nigeria has been released!
Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner.
- Yesterday was the Feast of the Annunciation. On two different sites I saw someone in the comment section chime in to remind us all that March 25th was the day Frodo took the Ring to Mt. Doom. Both individuals reminded us that Lord of the Rings is an important Catholic book and you'll see the Gospel if you read it right. I just shook my head and thought, "Will you guys give it a rest?" People were talking about the Angel Gabriel coming to address the Virgin Mary and a fanboy harps about a work of fiction that most of us picked up once when we were kids and forgot about until the movies came out. Come on!