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Young Catholics in Ghana Cautioned against Enticing Invitations to Join Freemasonry

Ghana National Catholic Youth Council (GHANCYC)

Catholic youths in Ghana have been urged to embrace their “true purpose in Christ” and to reject the growing trend in the West African country to entice young people to join Freemasonry.

In a statement on Wednesday, January 29, the Ghana National Catholic Youth Council (GHANCYC) urged the youths in the West African nation to remain steadfast in their faith and to avoid seeking identity and fulfillment in secular organizations and “fraternal societies”.

The council found it regrettable that young people are bowing to societal pressure and secular influences to join societies that offer enticing invitations, promising success, enlightenment, and fraternity.

Among these deceptive organizations, GHANCYC members said Freemasonry “stands out as a group that appears to promote moral values, brotherhood, and service to society.”

“Instead of seeking identity and fulfillment in organizations and fraternal societies like Freemasonry, Catholic youth should find their true purpose in Christ,” GHANCYC members said, adding that the Church already provides a true sense of fraternity, service, and enlightenment through societies such as the Legion of Mary.

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Urging the youths to prioritize Christ over the world, Ghana’s youth council said, “Catholic youth must remain vigilant and not be deceived by worldly organizations and fraternal societies that appear beneficial but contradict the Christian faith.”

“Let us, as Catholic youth, reject Freemasonry and all that leads us away from Christ,” the council said, and added, “Instead, let us commit ourselves to the truth of the Gospel and the mission of the Church.”

The youth’s leadership in Ghana goes on to highlight the Church’s stance on Freemasonry saying about Canon 1374, “The Catholic Church has repeatedly and unequivocally condemned Freemasonry”.

The youth council said that based on the teachings of the Church,“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.”

Making reference Popes who have decried Freemasonry in the past, Ghana’s national youths council described membership to the association as a grave sin, reiterating Archbishop John Bonaventure Kwofie’s message against Catholics joining Freemasonry.

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The youth leaders weighed in on the hidden dangers of Freemasonry including the ability to present itself as “a charitable and philosophical society” while promoting beliefs that conflict with the Catholic doctrine.

Freemasonry, the youth leadership said, acknowledges a “Great Architect of the Universe”, allowing members of “different religions to participate while diminishing the centrality of Christ.”

“This relativistic approach contradicts the Catholic teaching that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation and the Catholic belief in the Trinity, leading members into religious indifference-the idea that all religions are equal paths to God,” Ghana’s leadership said.

The council further noted that Freemasonry also requires members to take secret oaths, a practice that they said contradicts Jesus' teaching in the Gospel of Matthew, “Let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No' be 'No.' Anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”

The youth council also highlighted opposition to the Church's authority as another hidden danger of engaging in Freemasonry, saying, “Historically, Freemasonry has promoted ideologies that undermine the Catholic Church.”

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The council explained, “Many Masonic lodges have supported secularism, relativism, and moral permissiveness-values opposed to the Gospel. By joining, a Catholic implicitly aligns with an organization whose principles contradict Church teachings.”

In the statement, Ghana’s youth leadership listed the loss of communion with the Church among the reasons why Catholics should avoid joining Freemasonry. They said that in joining freemasonry, Catholics cannot receive Holy Communion.

Joining Freemasonry also leads to “spiritual corruption”, the youth leaders said, explaining that “Masonic teachings can subtly lead one away from Christ, replacing authentic faith with moral relativism.”

The council further outlined false promises of success associated with Freemasonry as another reason to reject the organization, saying, “Many are deceived into thinking Freemasonry guarantees power and wealth, but true success comes from faithfulness to God.”

Ghana’s youth leadership further highlighted some Masonic rituals and teachings within Freemasonry which “have esoteric and occult elements,” thereby contradicting Catholic teachings and biblical teachings from the book of Deuteronomy.

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Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.