The Order of Knights of Pythias

In the Canon Law issued by the Catholic church in 1918 the Masonic ban is broadened to other guilds in the Order of the Quest. Those openly expressed as forbidden were as follows: Socialists, Communist party, Knights of Pythias, Odd Fellows, Sons of Temperance, and “other societies of the same sort”.

To be forgiven the Church declares that the perpetrator must quit the secret order that they are a member of. Oddly enough the church says that in some of these guilds if stopping the payment of dues would cause you a “grave loss” you could continue to pay dues (which this is not biblical in the slightest).

The new Canon Law of 1983 removed the explicit name of Freemasonry from its banned secret society list (along with all others). Instead it is replaced with the vague wording - any “association which plots against the Church”. Since Freemasonry by it’s own admission is a secret society how would confessing Catholics know to stay away from it just reading the Canon Law?

Also the penitently of joining an group that “plots against the Church” is no longer punishable by excommunication, but instead with interdict which is the forbidding of taking communion and other minor things (which according to the bible is not a requirement of salvation).