From the Quarries

This week’s video … For over three centuries, the Catholic Church and Freemasonry have been locked in one of history’s most enduring conflicts. From Pope Clement XII’s first condemnation in In Eminenti (1738), through Pope Leo XIII’s sweeping attack in Humanum Genus (1884), to the sensational Taxil Hoax and the modern rulings of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, this video traces the theology, politics, and myths that have defined the relationship between Rome and the Lodge.

We’ll explore dramatic case studies of Masonic persecution—from the torture of Tommaso Crudeli in Florence, to the anti-Masonic crackdowns of the Papal States, the execution of José Rizal in the Philippines, the bloody Cristero War in Mexico, and Franco’s Spain. Alongside these are the scandals and hoaxes that fueled conspiracy theories and shaped public imagination.

Drawing on primary papal documents, Masonic constitutions, and leading scholarly research, this video provides both sides of the story: the Catholic claim of irreconcilability, and the Masonic defense of liberty, tolerance, and fraternity.

✦ What You’ll Learn:

– Why the Catholic Church declared Freemasonry “irreconcilable” with the faith

– How papal bulls and canon law shaped centuries of hostility

– The global impact of anti-Masonic campaigns in Europe, Latin America, and Asia

– The bizarre story of the Taxil Hoax and its lasting influence

– How Freemasonry has responded to accusations of secrecy, relativism, and conspiracy

– Contemporary developments in Vatican pronouncements on Freemasonry