How does a prelate of the Church become a freemason?

In 1999 a book was published in an anonymous way in Italy entitled Via col vento in Vaticano and which, according to the editor of the French version¹, "would have come from a group of dignitaries of the Vatican 'the Millenia (Les Millénaires)' who would have chosen to break the law of silence". It is a collective writing describing various disorders affecting the Holy See. The chapters are of unequal value and some call for serious reserves. Chapter 18 The smoke of Satan in the Vatican treats of freemasonry and exposes, on four pages of great interest, the process implemented to get prelates to affiliate themselves with the sect.

"There is a true noviciate for the ecclesiastics to incorporate to the Masonic order. There is among the ecclesiastics a certain category of men in whom Masonry sees possible collaborators; these must join together certain gifts: acute intelligence, keen desire to make career, ambition, promptitude to understand and to pretend to understand nothing, generosity in the service, and, if necessary, a beautiful physical imposing presence and a pleasing face. As many excellent qualities which draws the attention of the recruiters.

When a young ecclesiastic answers these criteria (...), there remains only to begin the charge by tickling his self-esteem."

The author insists on the secrecy of the operation, condition of its success:

"The absolute condition is that, in this first phase, the designed candidate remains in the total ignorance of what is being framed around him. The Masonic technique requires a progressive revelation, so that the associate discovers the ends of the secret society only gradually, according to what the superiors consider useful."

The first contact is carried out in a way as natural as possible:

"An invitation in an obliging embassy for a national festival, the unexpected meeting of a person who is said charmed this friendship, a prelate who asks him something who shows himself grateful. Then comes the phase of compliments and flatteries : 'oh, what a treasure, such kindness, such keen intelligence! (...). You would deserve better, you are wasting your time... But why not address each other in a familiar way?² (...) .Then one enters the phase of future prospects : 'I know such a prelate, such a cardinal, such an ambassador or such a minister' (...) I will readily say a word concerning you; I will speak of you as of a man who deserves higher responsibilities (...).

At this stage, the proposer realizes immediately if the interested party has already bit the bait."

The process thus described will continue several years, always in secret.

"Gradually, the promises made take place. The pre-selected candidate notes that they were not vain promises and believes it his duty to be grateful to the friend, whom he regards as his benefactor. During this time, his career progresses as on wheels without encountering any difficulties. Radiant prospects are profiled in front of him for the service of the Church, within which he starts to foresee a position which would suit him very well.

It is precisely at the time when, seized by the fever of ambition and vanity, the unaware prelate has in hand the evidence of his easy rise, which he doesn't yet fully grasp, and when other promotions at higher levels still appear at the horizon, that they arrive at the phase of explanations."

They explain two things to the candidate:

- if he has arrived to such brilliant positions, it is thanks to the discrete support of the Masonic order and of its friends;

- he is free to continue to collaborate with this order, which will ensure the continuation of its advance.

"In this very delicate phase, it is up to the prelate in crisis to decide which choice to take. The desire to continue to climb, the giddiness to know to be introduced into the Masonic chain, the fear of unavoidable revelations in the event of refusal to adhere, or in the contrary, the vacuum he already can feel around him, the fraternal exhortation of some dignitary to go ahead, as himself did formerly: in a word, all that ends up convincing the prelate to follow the way that others started to trace for him, unbeknown to him.

The higher one is placed, the more one is likely to be internally fragile by fear of losing the high positions which he was allowed to reach. An abyss calls another. One seeks to justify oneself for it.

Many prelates, thus compromised, end up yielding and become members of the Masonic apparatus and in the obligation to obey its instructions.

"Thus, once infiltrated in his ecclesiastical milieu, the brave Masonic novice has for first duty to appear credible by keeping his promises and, if necessary, to present under a bad day, like false and hypocrites, the best prelates of the place where he infiltrated himself (...).

Skillfully baited, the new freemason then becomes a pawn in the sphere of activity of the secret lodge and is added to the others who have already made their nest there. His rise can continue from now on without obstacles towards the top with the assistance of the other "brothers"."

Remarkable process founded on secrecy, which can easily last ten years and which can only be implemented by a disciplined, well trained... and patient personnel. It is doubtless used not just in the curia, as well in the secular as in the ecclesiastical world.

Two general remarks can be drawn from the observations which have been made on the Masonic penetration within the curia and on the process used for this purpose.

The presence of freemasons in key positions in the Church explains to a great extent the doctrinal and disciplinary drifts of these last forty years. It is particularly clear in the case of the liturgical reform.

As regards the process that makes Masonic prelates, it is very important to understand it and to make it known, because it obviously loses its effectiveness when it is known.

In conclusion, let us remain alerted on the Masonic question. It is one of the keys of the current crisis, political as well as religious. And, as pope Leon XIII said in the encyclical Humanum genus, it is necessary "to tear off from freemasonry the mask with which it is covered and to show it as it is".

Let us remain alerted and keep the faith in the Church; we know that the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

"The Church is really a supernatural society, really holy - mystical body of Christ, spouse of Christ - of an intact fidelity, in the image of the Virgin Mary. She is throughout every century, without exception, and until the end of the world, Jesus-Christ given and communicated. That and nothing else³."

(From: Action Familiale et Scolaire, No 161, pp.34-37; 31, rue Rennequin, 75 017 Paris-France)

1 . Version entitled Le Vatican mis à nu (Vatican exposed), signed by Les Millénaires, Robert Laffont Press (2000).

2 . 'Se tutoyer', in French.

3 . R.P. Calmel, Short apology for the Everlasting Church, p.93.