Declaration concerning status of Catholics becoming Freemasons
The "Declaration concerning status of Catholics becoming Freemasons" is a February 1981 declaration by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith under Cardinal Franjo Šeper which restated the Catholic Church's prohibition against Catholics becoming Freemasons. It contains three points of "confirmation and clarification" about "erroneous and tendentious interpretations" of a leaked 1974 private clarification, on interpretation of 1917 Code of Canon Law canon 2335, from the to episcopal conferences: The confusion arose from a leaked 1974 private clarification written to some episcopal conferences, which was interpreted by some within the Church  and within Freemasonry as permitting Catholics to join Masonic lodges so long as the lodge did not directly plot against the church. The letter had become public and had "given rise to erroneous and tendentious interpretations." The 1974 private clarification stated that: The 1981 declaration preceded the 1983 "Declaration on Masonic Associations" issued by the under Joseph Ratzinger as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.