In Italy, Catholic bishops cancelled the funerals of two Freemasons
Catholic bishops refused to hold funeral services after the Masonic status of the deceased was revealed, citing canonical norms.
In Italy, Catholic bishops cancelled the planned funeral services for two local residents due to their membership in Masonic lodges. The relevant decisions were made by church authorities in Rome and in the Diocese of Ventimiglia-Sanremo on the basis of canon law. This was reported by Life Site News.
The first incident occurred in Rome and involved 88-year-old guitarist and professor Bruno Battisti D’Amario, who passed away on August 5. The musician worked closely with composer Ennio Morricone and performed guitar parts for the soundtracks of famous Italian westerns. His funeral was scheduled for August 7 at the Church of Santa Maria in Montesanto, known as the "Church of Artists."
The Masonic lodge "Grande Oriente d'Italia" (GOI) published an official obituary in which it referred to the deceased as a "master brother." The Masons stated that the musician had founded the Roman lodge named after Giuseppe Leti, written the organisation's official hymn, held leadership positions, and twice headed the regional council of Worshipful Masters in Lazio. Although the lodge later deleted this publication, the information had already attracted public attention.
Church ministers were initially unaware of the guitarist's Masonic status. Priest Fabrizio Maria Gatta initially told journalists that God's mercy transcends human categories; however, after evidence was presented, he passed the information to the rector of the basilica, Bishop Antonio Staglianò.
The hierarch contacted the Vicar General of the Diocese of Rome, Cardinal Baldassarre Reina, who, after consulting with the legal department, prohibited the celebration of a funeral Mass. Bishop Staglianò clarified that the faithful may pray for the repose of the musician's soul at regular liturgies after the burial.
The following day, August 8, a similar case occurred in the town of Camporosso in the Diocese of Ventimiglia-Sanremo. Bishop Antonio Suetta learned from local newspapers and public funeral announcements that the deceased, Mario Tarducci, had been a member of a Masonic lodge and had served as its Worshipful Master.
The ordinary discussed the situation with the parish priest and the relatives of the deceased. Taking into account the Roman precedent and the lack of time to obtain additional clarifications, Bishop Suetta made a similar decision and cancelled the funeral service at the parish church of Saint Mark.
The diocesan administration explicitly cited canon 1184 of the Code of Canon Law. This ecclesiastical norm prescribes that ecclesiastical burial be denied to persons who showed no signs of repentance before death and who were "manifest apostates, heretics, or schismatics," or who committed public sins as a result of which holding their funeral service in a church could cause public scandal among the faithful.
As the Union of Orthodox Journalists reported, a college in the USA is purchasing a Masonic temple in order to create a Catholic shrine.
