This item may explain things: Masons did not exclude membership of Catholics 
Papal ban of Freemasonry - 
Wikipedia<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_ban_of_Freemasonry#:>

Len

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From: James McKane<mailto:[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, 9 February 2021 9:50 PM
To: CoTyroneIreland.com Mailing 
List<mailto:[email protected]>
Cc: Jean Crozier<mailto:[email protected]>; Len 
Swindley<mailto:[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [CoTyroneMailingList] Re: CoTyroneList Digest, Vol 754, Issue 1

Thanks for the detailed clarification, Len. My father was a Mason for most of 
his life. As a result, I was always of the impression Masons were Protestant 
and Catholics were Knights of Columbus. I was unaware the Masonic Order was 
non-denominational.

Jim


Jim McKane
Kitchener, Ontario

May you always Have Love to Share,
Health to Spare, and Friends who Care..


On Tue, Feb 9, 2021 at 5:44 AM Len Swindley via CoTyroneList 
<[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>
 wrote:
Thank you indeed Jean.

The following article may provide some answers to your questions:

RECORDS OF THE FREEMASONS IN IRELAND – C. C. Horton, [then] Archivist to the 
Freemasons of Ireland
FAMILIA: Ulster Genealogical Review (Ulster Genealogical & Historical Guide, 
Belfast) 1986 p65-9
……….When we come to examine the social background of the members we often have 
to rely on non-Masonic sources for clues. However, the main criteria for 
membership remains the same today as it did 250 years ago. The Order is only 
open to men of goodwill, without maim or defect, who believe in God and who are 
over the age of twenty-one.
The Masonic Order has never barred any prospective member from its ranks on the 
basis of religion. In fact the Order in Ireland was predominantly Catholic 
until after the 1840s when Daniel O’Connell, the Liberator resigned from the 
Order after being informed that membership of the Order and the Roman Catholic 
Church were incompatible. He often defended the order both in his speeches and 
on occasion as a barrister. He described the basis of the order as 
“Philanthropy unconfined by sect, nation, colour or religion”

……... in general the Order comprised of members that we would describe today as 
middle-class with a generous sprinkling of members of the gentry to add 
respectability.

I hope this helps,
Len Swindley






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