The heads of the Belgium's six major freemason lodges have condemned Pope Francis’ comments during his recent visit to Belgium.
The Grand Masters of the Grand Orient, the Grand Lodge, Human Rights, the Women’s Grand Lodge, and the Lithos lodges federation issued a joint statement calling the Pope’s remarks “an unacceptable attack on our country’s democratic institutions and its governing laws.”
They described it as “a brutal interference of a religious authority in the affairs of the Belgian state.”
“Freemasons have defended women’s right to control their own bodies for decades,” Patrick Cauwert, Daniel Menschaert, Pat Jacops, Celestina Arrigo, and Jan Vanherck, heads of the respective lodges, stated. They criticised the Pope for labelling Belgium’s partial legalisation of abortion as ‘murderous’ and condemning medical professionals who perform abortions within the legal framework as ‘hitmen’.
The lodges also expressed outrage over the Pope’s justification for initiating beatification proceedings for King Baudouin, based on his refusal to approve the partial decriminalisation of abortion in 1990.
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They argued that the King placed his religious beliefs above his duties as head of state and that the Pope’s statements undermine Belgium’s democratic institutions.
They asserted that anyone not covered by immunity who attacked their institutions in this manner would face legal consequences.
The lodges welcomed reactions from the Catholic community and initiatives announced by Prime Minister Alexander De Croo on Thursday.
