Mr. Stephen Heiner Has Decided To Resign His Membership In The Rotary Effective Immediately
Good for Mr. Stephen Heiner here is the complete letter explaining his resignition from the Rotary Club of Overland Park
On membership in the Rotary
Dear friends
Some days ago it was put to me by someone on AQ who was concerned for my welfare (albeit, he demonstrated it in a rather clumsy way) that membership in Rotary was dangerous.
Now, clearly, if I knew that, I wouldn't have advertised that I was in Rotary, or been so active in my club, up to and including running my club's blog.
So, instead of what others might do, I did what I might do, which was contact John to see what he knew about it, and then I immediately sent an email out to 5 trusted friends, one of them a priest, and of course, Bishop Williamson. Here are the responses I received:
***
Penal laws are to be interpreted strictly, and even though the Rotary and the Lions have a masonic flair and were considered as fishing organizations for the FM, and therefore looked upon with suspicion by the clergy in Spain, their members do not fall into the excommunication of the FM.
Lions and Rotary were forbidden by law in Spain until the death of Generalisimo Franco...
I would stay out of them.
***
Probably true technically, but how binding it is under the current circumstances I guess would be extremely questionable.
For serious answers you'd have to research in an old Catholic library for canon law digest articles or commentaries on the acts of the respective curial office.
***
I should like to quote from the very eminent Fr. E. Cahill. It is taken from his book"Freemasonry and the Anti-Christian Movement".
"The Rotary International organization may be given as another example of White Masonry. Although its professed object is 'to encourage and foster high ethical standards in business and the professions,'and to make the the ideal of service the basis of all enterprise, the Code of Morals which it puts forward is purely naturalistic; and in some countries at least Rotary has exhibited a strong anti-Christian bias. Hence the Cardinal-Archbishop of Toledo and the Spanish hierarchy have forbidden to their people all participation in it. Again, the Holy See in a decision issued Feb. 4th, 1929, has declared that it is undesirable (non expedire) for Bishops or other ecclesiastical superiors to allow the priests subject to them to become members of Rotary or to take part in its meetings.
The Osservatore Romano in an authorised article enumerates three main reasons for the decision of the Congregation, viz: The Masonic origin of Rotary, its proved hostility to the Church and its moral code, 'which in almost every particular resembles that of Freemasonry'"pg150-1
Fr. Cahill also lists in Appendix III " a list of 18 'Profane Associations'. :
#4Pan-European Union--A step towards the World Republic.In 1925, the Grand Lodge of Vienna sent a manifesto to Masonry throughout the world seeking advice as to how best to aid this organization...The Rotary Club of Vienna also supports it, as might be expected from the fact that many Viennese Rotarians are leading members of the Masonic Lodges.-pg 237
In short then, NO Catholic gentleman should join any group whether it is named in a condemnation or not, that is inimical to the Catholic Faith! Toward the end of Humanum Genus, Leo XIII states "Wherefore, not without cause do We use this occasion to state again what We have stated elsewhere, namely, that the Third Order of St. Francis, whose discipline We a little while ago prudently mitigated, should be studiously promoted and sustained...be of great influence in suppressing the contagion of wicked societies."
***
I've certainly heard of the ipso facto excommunicate status of anyone joining a Freemasonic organisation, and that the Pope alone can restore someone so excommunicate back into the Church. The question is whether Rotary International is a Freemasonic organisation. I do not know the answer to this question. Did the Church ever produce a definitive list of organisations that are encompassed by the "Freemasonry excommunication"? I'd be interested to know, and see the list if it exists.
When looking at the Church's reasons for condemning Freemasonry, one of the reasons seems to be the oaths that members are required to take. Is any oath required to become a member of Rotary International?
Just looking at Rotary International's official website, they do seem to promote Freemasonic ideals such as secularism, indifferentism in religion, and false internationalism. For these reasons I would have discouraged you from joining and would not join them myself. But I don't know if that alone is enough for me to censure you for belonging.
***
I am no expert, but it has always been my understanding that Rotary
was a Masonic sect.
Chesterton has some scathing things to say about them.
***
So, in sum, I believe that ideas have consequences, and I am perfectly capable of admitting when I am wrong. So, after acknowledging my ignorance about Rotary, now that I know, I have decided to resign immediately. It being a Friday, it will probably take effect on the 1st of February.
I am sorry if my ignorance about this caused anyone genuine scandal. I am also sorry for those - RCI and JCP - who used this as an opportunity to attack me without ever taking the time to send a simple email to me.
Thanks for bringing this to my attention, though I would give a word of advice to officious truth-tellers: have the decency to contact the person first before you attack them in public. Everyone is reachable by email - if I don't reply, at least you can say, "Hey, I tried to contact him." When you don't do that little thing, it makes you look like a wanna-be "gotcha" reporter. And no one likes that, no matter how right you are.
_________________
Stephen Heiner
truerestoration.blogspot.com
On membership in the Rotary
Dear friends
Some days ago it was put to me by someone on AQ who was concerned for my welfare (albeit, he demonstrated it in a rather clumsy way) that membership in Rotary was dangerous.
Now, clearly, if I knew that, I wouldn't have advertised that I was in Rotary, or been so active in my club, up to and including running my club's blog.
So, instead of what others might do, I did what I might do, which was contact John to see what he knew about it, and then I immediately sent an email out to 5 trusted friends, one of them a priest, and of course, Bishop Williamson. Here are the responses I received:
***
Penal laws are to be interpreted strictly, and even though the Rotary and the Lions have a masonic flair and were considered as fishing organizations for the FM, and therefore looked upon with suspicion by the clergy in Spain, their members do not fall into the excommunication of the FM.
Lions and Rotary were forbidden by law in Spain until the death of Generalisimo Franco...
I would stay out of them.
***
Probably true technically, but how binding it is under the current circumstances I guess would be extremely questionable.
For serious answers you'd have to research in an old Catholic library for canon law digest articles or commentaries on the acts of the respective curial office.
***
I should like to quote from the very eminent Fr. E. Cahill. It is taken from his book"Freemasonry and the Anti-Christian Movement".
"The Rotary International organization may be given as another example of White Masonry. Although its professed object is 'to encourage and foster high ethical standards in business and the professions,'and to make the the ideal of service the basis of all enterprise, the Code of Morals which it puts forward is purely naturalistic; and in some countries at least Rotary has exhibited a strong anti-Christian bias. Hence the Cardinal-Archbishop of Toledo and the Spanish hierarchy have forbidden to their people all participation in it. Again, the Holy See in a decision issued Feb. 4th, 1929, has declared that it is undesirable (non expedire) for Bishops or other ecclesiastical superiors to allow the priests subject to them to become members of Rotary or to take part in its meetings.
The Osservatore Romano in an authorised article enumerates three main reasons for the decision of the Congregation, viz: The Masonic origin of Rotary, its proved hostility to the Church and its moral code, 'which in almost every particular resembles that of Freemasonry'"pg150-1
Fr. Cahill also lists in Appendix III " a list of 18 'Profane Associations'. :
#4Pan-European Union--A step towards the World Republic.In 1925, the Grand Lodge of Vienna sent a manifesto to Masonry throughout the world seeking advice as to how best to aid this organization...The Rotary Club of Vienna also supports it, as might be expected from the fact that many Viennese Rotarians are leading members of the Masonic Lodges.-pg 237
In short then, NO Catholic gentleman should join any group whether it is named in a condemnation or not, that is inimical to the Catholic Faith! Toward the end of Humanum Genus, Leo XIII states "Wherefore, not without cause do We use this occasion to state again what We have stated elsewhere, namely, that the Third Order of St. Francis, whose discipline We a little while ago prudently mitigated, should be studiously promoted and sustained...be of great influence in suppressing the contagion of wicked societies."
***
I've certainly heard of the ipso facto excommunicate status of anyone joining a Freemasonic organisation, and that the Pope alone can restore someone so excommunicate back into the Church. The question is whether Rotary International is a Freemasonic organisation. I do not know the answer to this question. Did the Church ever produce a definitive list of organisations that are encompassed by the "Freemasonry excommunication"? I'd be interested to know, and see the list if it exists.
When looking at the Church's reasons for condemning Freemasonry, one of the reasons seems to be the oaths that members are required to take. Is any oath required to become a member of Rotary International?
Just looking at Rotary International's official website, they do seem to promote Freemasonic ideals such as secularism, indifferentism in religion, and false internationalism. For these reasons I would have discouraged you from joining and would not join them myself. But I don't know if that alone is enough for me to censure you for belonging.
***
I am no expert, but it has always been my understanding that Rotary
was a Masonic sect.
Chesterton has some scathing things to say about them.
***
So, in sum, I believe that ideas have consequences, and I am perfectly capable of admitting when I am wrong. So, after acknowledging my ignorance about Rotary, now that I know, I have decided to resign immediately. It being a Friday, it will probably take effect on the 1st of February.
I am sorry if my ignorance about this caused anyone genuine scandal. I am also sorry for those - RCI and JCP - who used this as an opportunity to attack me without ever taking the time to send a simple email to me.
Thanks for bringing this to my attention, though I would give a word of advice to officious truth-tellers: have the decency to contact the person first before you attack them in public. Everyone is reachable by email - if I don't reply, at least you can say, "Hey, I tried to contact him." When you don't do that little thing, it makes you look like a wanna-be "gotcha" reporter. And no one likes that, no matter how right you are.
_________________
Stephen Heiner
truerestoration.blogspot.com
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