Michael Brooks
The Catenian Association, founded in 1908 in Manchester, is a Roman Catholic lay society with around 8,000 members worldwide. Members, known as brothers, meet at least once a month to foster and develop social bonds among themselves and their families. They are hand-picked from the Catholic community and must be sponsored by a current member. The Catenians have been compared to Freemasons due to their secrecy, oaths of allegiance, and use of special insignia. Freemasons, officially called Freemasonry, are known for their anti-Catholic sentiments and rituals. They have a history of accepting non-masons and now serve as a place for discussing ethics and morality. Freemasonry includes temples, altars, vestments, worship services, initiation rites, and a moral code, which are also elements of the Catholic religion. The Catholic Church has imposed the penalty of excommunication on Catholics who become Freemasons.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Catenians, Catenian Association, Chums Benevolent Association |
| Members | Catholic laymen, "brothers" |
| Membership | Hand-picked from the Catholic community, applicants must be sponsored by a member |
| Membership numbers | 8,000-11,500 |
| Membership secrecy | Yes |
| Membership oath | Yes, an oath of allegiance to their "brothers" |
| Membership ceremonies | Secret, held in hotels or golf clubs |
| Insignia | Maltese cross, ceremonial collar, pendants, sashes |
| Meetings | Monthly, in local units called "Circles" |
| Purpose | To foster and develop social bonds among members and their families, to help develop their faith and build lasting friendships |
| History | Founded in Manchester in 1908, through the initiative of Bishop Louis Charles Casartelli, Bishop of Salford, to encourage Catholic professional and business men to associate for mutual self-help |
| Catholic Church stance | The Catholic Church has imposed the penalty of excommunication on Catholics who become Freemasons |
| Masonic comparison | The Catenian Association is quick to quash any parallels between the activities of its members and those of Freemasons |
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What You'll Learn
- The Catenian Association is a secretive Catholic organisation
- Freemasonry is a religion with its own temples, altars, and worship
- Freemasonry is historically anti-Catholic.
- The Catholic Church has imposed excommunication on Catholics who become Freemasons
- The Catenians are involved in charitable initiatives
The Catenian Association is a secretive Catholic organisation
The Catenian Association, also known as the Catenians, is a Roman Catholic lay society with around 8,000 members worldwide, although a 1999 report by the UK's Home Affairs Committee estimated the number to be 11,500. The organisation was founded in 1908 in Manchester, England, as the Chums Benevolent Association, and changed to its current name in 1910. The Catenians are an international brotherhood of Catholic men who meet socially to develop their faith, foster friendships, and provide support for each other and their families.
The Catenian Association has been described as a secretive organisation, with parallels drawn between its activities and those of Freemasons or Masons. The Masons, or Freemasonry, is a parallel religion to Christianity with its own temples, altars, prayers, vestments, worship services, and initiation and burial rites. Freemasonry has historically been opposed to the Catholic Church, with its rituals and oaths deemed contrary to Catholic teachings. The Catholic Church has imposed the penalty of excommunication on Catholics who become Freemasons.
The Catenian Association's membership list is kept confidential, and new recruits are required to take an oath of allegiance to their "brothers" at secret ceremonies held outside of their usual meeting places. These ceremonies are held in hotels or golf clubs, where members wear special insignia, including a Maltese cross, pendants, sashes, and a ceremonial collar denoting their "circle" or local unit.
The secretive nature of the Catenian Association has raised concerns among UK Home Office ministers, particularly regarding the potential influence of members in the police and judiciary on the course of justice. However, the Catenian Association denies any parallels with Freemasonry and emphasises its commitment to Catholic values and support for vulnerable individuals, including children, youth, and adults within the Catholic community.
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Freemasonry is a religion with its own temples, altars, and worship
The Catenians, or the Catenian Association, is a Roman Catholic lay society with members in several English-speaking countries. Founded in 1908 in Manchester, it is an international brotherhood of Catholic men and their families who meet to develop their faith and form lasting friendships.
Freemasonry, on the other hand, is a society that has been described as a "religion unto itself". It has its own temples, altars, worship services, vestments, feast days, initiation and burial rites, and a hierarchy of leadership. Freemasonry has always been religious in character, but it subscribes to no particular orthodoxy. It requires its members to believe in a God and its meetings begin and end with prayer. Masonic rituals also retain many elements and symbols of Christianity, such as the Biblical story of the building of King Solomon's Temple.
Freemasonry includes its own moral code, with teachings that enjoin morality, charity, and obedience to the law of the land. It has two patron saints, St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist, whose feast days are closely associated with the summer and winter solstices. Masonic rituals include initiation rites, where the candidate expresses a desire to seek "light", and is assured that he will receive spiritual instruction that he could not in another Church.
While Freemasonry is not a substitute for religion, it does include religious elements. It has been described as a "beautiful system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols". The use of the name of Jesus is forbidden within the lodge, as Masonry involves non-Christians. However, the rituals do include references to Christian religious iconography, such as St. John the Baptist and the Bible as one of the "three great lights" of Masonry.
In conclusion, Freemasonry shares some similarities with religion, including its own temples, altars, and worship. However, it does not adhere to a specific religious orthodoxy, and people of various faiths are welcomed as members.
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Freemasonry is historically anti-Catholic.
Freemasonry's rituals are also inimical to Catholicism. During the initiation rite, the candidate expresses a desire to seek "light," and he is assured he will receive the light of spiritual instruction that he could not receive in another Church. Since Masonry involves non-Christians, the use of the name of Jesus is forbidden within the lodge. Freemasonry also borrows from the history and traditions of cultic groups such as Druids, Mithars, Egyptian priesthood, Rosicrucians, and others to weave its own history.
Freemasonry has traditionally considered royalty and the papacy as its enemies. When one reaches the 30th degree in the masonic hierarchy, called the Kadosh, the person crushes with their foot the papal tiara and the royal crown, and swears to free mankind "from the bondage of despotism and the thraldom of spiritual tyranny." In the United States, one of the leaders of Freemasonry, General Albert Pike (d. 1891) referred to the papacy as "a deadly, treacherous enemy."
The Catholic Church's Code of Canon Law drawn up in 1918 provided for the automatic excommunication of Catholics "who enroll in the Masonic sect or in secret societies conspiring against the Church or the legitimate authorities." Pope Leo XIII wrote that his primary objection to Masonry was naturalism, and he accused Masonry of pantheism, rationalism, and naturalism.
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The Catholic Church has imposed excommunication on Catholics who become Freemasons
The Catenian Association, also known as the Catenians, is a Roman Catholic lay society with around 8,000 members, known as "brothers", spread across several English-speaking countries. Founded in Manchester in 1908, the Catenians is a brotherhood that meets to foster and develop social bonds among members and their families. The organisation has been described as a "Catholic fellowship for members of the professions".
The Catholic Church has historically imposed excommunication on Catholics who become Freemasons. Freemasonry is seen as a kind of religion unto itself, with temples, altars, vestments, worship services, feast days, and initiation and burial rites. The practice of Freemasonry involves taking oaths, which is considered a religious act in Catholicism, and its rituals are considered inimical to the faith.
The Catholic Church first prohibited Catholics from joining Masonic organisations in 1738, with at least eleven popes since then reiterating the incompatibility of Catholic doctrines and Freemasonry. From 1738 until 1983, Catholics who publicly associated with Masonic organisations were automatically excommunicated. The 1917 Code of Canon Law, in effect from May 1918 to November 1983, included canon 2335, which explicitly stated that Catholics associated with Masonry were excommunicated.
However, the 1983 Code of Canon Law did not explicitly mention Freemasonry or Masonic associations, which led to some confusion about whether the ban on Catholics joining Masonic organisations was still in place. The 1983 Code of Canon Law, canon 1374, states that a Catholic "who joins an association that plots against the Church is to be punished with a just penalty". While the Catholic Church no longer automatically excommunicates Catholics who join the Freemasons, membership is still prohibited as Masonic principles and rituals are considered irreconcilable with Catholic doctrines.
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The Catenians are involved in charitable initiatives
The Catenians, or the Catenian Association, is a Roman Catholic lay society with around 8,000 members, known as "brothers", spread across several English-speaking countries. It was founded in 1908 in Manchester, England, as the Chums Benevolent Association, and adopted its current name in 1910.
The Catenians are indeed involved in charitable initiatives, with a focus on supporting Catholic entities and individuals, particularly children, youth, and vulnerable adults. They have established Catenian Safeguarding Guidelines that align with Catholic Safeguarding Standards, aiming to promote the safety and well-being of those they serve.
One of their notable charitable endeavours is the Catholic Industrialists' Conference, launched in 1937. Operating under the Catholic Social Guild, the Catenians played a crucial role in organising this semi-annual gathering to promote Catholic social teachings. The initiative sought to put into practice the directives of Pope Pius XI, encouraging Catholic employers and merchants to actively live out their faith in the industrial and commercial spheres.
Additionally, the Catenians support educational initiatives, such as competitions organised in various regions of the UK, with winners invited to a National Final held in Manchester. They also have a history of fundraising for Catholic causes, such as supporting St. Edmund's College, Cambridge University, in establishing a Catholic chaplaincy.
The Catenians have been described as fostering a culture of mutual support and care within their community, committed to their faith, their families, those in need, and each other. They provide a framework for their members to live their personal and business lives according to Catholic ideals, emphasising that every person matters.
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Frequently asked questions
The Catenian Association is a Roman Catholic lay society with around 8,000 members (known as "brothers") in a number of English-speaking countries. Catenian men and their families meet socially to help develop their faith and build lasting friendships.
Freemasonry, or the Masons, are a group with origins that are hard to pinpoint. They are a parallel religion to Christianity and considered a rival to the Catholic Church. They have temples and altars, prayers, a moral code, worship, vestments, feast days, a hierarchy, initiation and burial rites.
No. The Catenians are quick to quash any parallels between the activities of its members and those of Freemasons. The Catenians are committed to their Catholic faith and strive to live their personal and business lives in accordance with Catholic ideals.
Both the Catenians and Freemasons are secretive organisations. The Catenians' membership list is a closely guarded secret and new recruits are required to take an oath of allegiance to their "brothers". Freemasonry also involves secret signs, symbols and gestures and blood oaths.
