Catholics known to be Freemasons to be denied Holy Communion – Archbishop of Accra directs

The Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, CSSp., has announced that Catholics who are publicly known to be Freemasons will be denied the sacrament of Holy Communion until they renounce their affiliation with the secret society.

The announcement comes in the wake of growing discussions about the compatibility of Freemasonry and Catholicism.

In a January 26 statement, Archbishop Kwofie reiterated the Catholic Church’s stance on the matter saying, “You can’t be a true Catholic and a Freemason at the same time.”

“You can’t be a true Catholic and a Freemason” – Archbishop of Accra declares

The Archbishop has directed that the statement be read at all Masses in the Archdiocese of Accra on Sunday, 2nd February 2025.

He emphasised that priests must make it clear to their congregations that Catholics who publicly identify as Freemasons will be barred from receiving Holy Communion unless they renounce their membership.

He also advised that parishioners whose affiliation with Freemasonry is not publicly known should conscientiously refrain from receiving the sacrament.

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The Archbishop further called upon all Freemasons within the Archdiocese to seek spiritual guidance and direction from their parish priests to address the matter in a way that aligns with Catholic values.

Click to read the January 26 statement below

Catholics known to be Freemasons to be denied Holy Communion – Archbishop of Accra directs