ODD FELLOWSHIP, RELIGION AND THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

By Louie Blake Saile Sarmiento

Author; Master of Arts in Industrial/Organizational Psychology; Juris Doctor

AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT

Religious and political intolerance and bigotry were very common in England until the end of the 18^th century. When the monarchy and the churches still held absolute power and influence, any group or person who possessed a new way of thinking was at once branded as blasphemous, heretic, a cult follower, a witch, or even a devil-worshiper. In fact there was a time when churches condemned their followers from intermingling with those professing other religious beliefs.^[i] There was a time when a Catholic was prohibited from marrying a Protestant or a Muslim, vice-versa. Those who were found guilty of going against their commands were subjected to torture or were persecuted to death and, in many cases, burned at the stake. 

Thousands of people across Europe, mainly women, were charged with witchcraft and were burned for petty reasons. William Tyndale was burned at the stake for his criticisms against the King and for translating the Bible into the English language.

Friendly societies and fraternal organizations faced similar opposition from the monarchy and the church during their formative years. During the 18^th century, it was still possible for one to be burned at the stake if one held ideas dissimilar from those of the established religions. In fact, the last person burned at the stake died in 1781 and the Anti-Witchcraft Law was only repealed in 1951.^[ii]

The Age of Enlightenment was a time when religious fanaticism, violent executions by the church, and power abuse by the ruling class were beginning to be publicly criticized by intellectuals. A new way of thinking based on reason over superstition emerged. New ideas such as democracy, working men’s freedom and right to vote, fair wages, access to education, and religious tolerance began to awaken the minds of the common people.^[iii] It was during this era that the American Revolution, the French Revolution and subsequent European wars ensued and were greeted with great approval by many Englishmen of radical learning.

Believing that the earth rotated around the Sun, Galileo faced Roman Catholic Inquisition.

Several freethinkers, radicals, and social reformers of that era who opposed the superstition, prejudice, and abuses of State power allegedly established or held membership in so-called secret societies or clubs that were believed to be revolutionary in nature and were becoming a threat to monarchical governments. In France, for example, left-wing revolutionary political movements called Jacobin Clubs spread beginning the year 1789.^[iv] Adam Weishaupt, a freethinker and promoter of religious equality, founded the Bavarian Illuminati in 1776. This society aimed at bringing men of wisdom into politics to create a society based on the teachings of ancient philosophers as well as newer thinkers.

Early Odd Fellows during the 1780's included John Wilkes and Sir George Savile, who were advocates of civil liberties and Catholic emancipation.

When the authorities learned of their existence, they outlawed them. For instance, the Illuminati and several other similar societies were banned in Bavaria.^[v] Comte Cangliostro, whose real name was Joseph Balsamo, played an important role in the political intrigues that resulted in the French Revolution. Balsamo was believed to be the founder of two secret societies, the Asiatic Brethren and Knights of the Light and was believed to be a member of the Illuminati and Freemasons.^[vi] Jacobite clubs, the Illuminati, and the French Freemasons were accused of conspiracy resulting in the French Revolution.^[vii] These incidents in neighboring countries made the English authorities fear that similar societies and clubs were planning a revolutionary plot against the government.

SECULARISM

Many of us now live in a secular country where the state is neutral in matters of religion and people are free to choose their church without fear of government persecution. But a lot of the freedoms we now enjoy - such freedom of religion, religious tolerance, equality, right to vote, and democratic processes - were once secretly practiced inside the Lodge rooms of so-called secret societies or fraternal orders at a time when the monarchy and the Church held absolute control over religious and political opinions.

Fraternal orders such as Odd Fellowship and Freemasonry have long promoted religious and political tolerance within their Lodge rooms. Their membership consisted of people representing different religious denominations and political backgrounds. Their Lodge rooms were and still are considered neutral grounds where religious and political debates are discouraged during meetings and official events. This is mainly for the purpose of preventing disharmony and conflict between members. However, secular organizations were not widely acceptable when these fraternal orders started, and their religious neutrality was seen as going against the one absolutist religion that the Church espoused. Primarily because Odd Fellowship was open to anyone regardless of religious affiliation and because of its similarities with Freemasonry, it met opposition from the clergy especially of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Odd Fellows Lodge is a neutral ground where people from different nationalities, races, religions, political affiliations and socio-economic backgrounds can meet as equals and as brothers.

A fundamental principle of Odd Fellowship is toleration of all religions. It professes to be predominantly a system of toleration in religion and politics. But Odd Fellowship is not a religion and a lodge is not a church. A lodge does not aim to usurp the place of the church. Members meet in the lodge room not to worship but only for purposes of “mutual counsel, the relief of distress, and the elevation of human character.”^[viii] In fact, a number of priests and ministers actually joined during the early development of the Odd Fellows in England. In 1842, a Leeds priest lent the Odd Fellows the church and joined the Society the next day.^[ix] In 1850, a priest in Preston told the members of an Odd Fellows Lodge that the “principles and practices of your Order are such that a Minister of the Gospel may entirely approve.”^[x] A Bishop of Winchester said that he valued being initiated as a member of the Odd Fellows and described the initiation ceremony as “a symbol of something greater.”^[xi] But some opposition to the Order also was expressed, as when a priest refused that an Odd Fellows Lodge perform the funeral rites for a departed member, and some Roman Catholic churches refused to perform the last rites over the grave of a deceased Odd Fellow.^[xii] Neverthless, there was no strict hostility from the Roman Catholic Church toward the Odd Fellows.

During the mid-19^th century, however, the Catholic Bishops of North America became alarmed with the growth of fraternal orders and other secular organizations. In 1893, authorities from the Roman Catholic Church sent a letter to the Sovereign Grand Lodge requesting access to the initiation rituals of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The purpose was for the church to decide whether Catholics might be allowed for admission to membership.^[xiii] This was brushed aside by the Odd Fellows leadership; Grand Sire C.T. Campbell said in his report in 1893 that, “the position Odd Fellowship occupies renders it unnecessary for us to seek the recognition of any particular sect or party, though we will be pleased, at all times, to have the support of all good men, of whatever race or creed, who reverence God and seek advancement of humanity.”^[xiv] Subsequently in 1894, the Catholic Bishops of North America secured a letter from the Holy See which said that Bishops of America should endeavor to keep their believers away from the Odd Fellows.^[xv] About that time, Cardinal Mariano Rampolla del Tindaro advised that the instructions be applied in a flexible manner to the Odd Fellows. But the ban, if it was really a ban, applied only to North America.^[xvi]

In August of 1958, a Swiss Odd Fellow named Clewitz had discussions for over a period of four days with a Jesuit priest in a monastery in Switzerland. These discussions were broadcast via radio. Clewitz asked the Jesuit Father where the prohibition regarding joining Odd Fellows could be found. The priest answered that no such prohibition existed in Europe.^[xvii] A Carmelite priest was also asked and he answered that he was unaware of any prohibition against Odd Fellowship and that it was only Freemasonry that was expressly prohibited.^[xviii] There has been no Papal Bull against Odd Fellowship. In 1964, a Committee was organized in Europe, which met with the Ecumenical Council in Rome to iron out the misunderstanding between Odd Fellowship and the Catholic Church.^[xix] The Committee consisted of Odd Fellows Latin specialists Prof. Dr. Paul Pachlatka and Dr. Gustav Meyer, along with two prominent Catholics who are members of the IOOF. They initiated discussions with the Roman Catholic Church. The Committee held a meeting with Dr. Ebneter, Director of the Apologetic Institute of the Roman Catholic Young Men’s Association at Zurich. The Committee showed Dr. Ebneter the Lodge Hall of Kyburg Lodge No.14 of the IOOF in the City of Winterthur and explained to him the stations of the officers, the opening and closing of the lodge, the symbols, and what the Odd Fellows understood as the worldwide laws to practice friendship, love, and truth.^[xx] After the conference, the two parties agreed that there was nothing in the Odd Fellows rituals that was in conflict with those of the Roman Catholics. Dr. Ebneter shared that he was surprised that the Odd Fellows were involved in many worldwide humanitarian works.^[xxi]

As soon as the controversy declined and religious leaders began to accept secular organizations, more priests, bishops, and rabbis of different religious sects became members and some even held leadership positions in the Odd Fellows. By 1965, the Odd Fellows in Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland had several Roman Catholic members already.^[xxii] In 1973, Reverend Monsignor Titian Miani became the first Roman Catholic priest to become a member of the IOOF in the United States when he joined Scio Lodge No.102 in Linden, California.^[xxiii] Reverend Leo Dennis Burns became the first Roman Catholic priest to serve as Grand Master of the IOOF Grand Lodge of Ontario in 1992 and became Sovereign Grand Chaplain of the Sovereign Grand Lodge.

Brother Rev. Leo D. Burns, a Roman Catholic Priest, served as Sovereign Grand Chaplain of The Sovereign Grand Lodge I.O.O.F.

 

Eventually, in 1974, it was clarified that Catholics were not forbidden to join Odd Fellows Lodges and that the Odd Fellows did not fall under the ban regarding Freemasonry. That affiliation with the Odd Fellows was not punishable by ex-communication. In the changing spiritual context of the times, the Catholic Church has left its prejudicial attitude in the past, was seeking cooperation with men of goodwill, and has taken the stand that there is no justification for any ban.

It was deemed unjustified to impose a clerical ban on a Catholic regarding membership, or to cast doubt on his loyalty to his faith because of his membership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Several bishops opined that if a Catholic is interested in joining the Odd Fellows, he will not be excommunicated nor have to fear any other disadvantages as far as the church is concerned, so long as he continues to perform his religious duties as a Catholic.^[xxiv] Canon 1374 of the Code of Canon Law of 1983 forbids Catholics from joining societies which plot against the Church. By definition, Odd Fellowship does not fall under such prohibition. As an institution, it respects all recognized religions, and encourages its members to faithfully support the religion of their choice. It conforms to “law, religion, and sound morality, and does not permit anything contrary to the allegiance we owe to our country, or the duty we owe to ourselves.”^[xxv] Membership requires “no sacrifice of your opinions, no change in your relations to the state and no loosening of the obligations, which you owe to the laws and institutions under which you live.”^[xxvi] To become a member, one must “be grateful to his or her creator, faithful to his or her country, and fraternal to his or her fellowmen”.^[xxvii]

In 1991, statements were gathered from ordained ministers, rabbis, and religious leaders with reference to their membership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Those denominations represented included Baptist, Christian, Episcopalian, Jewish, Latter Day Saints, Roman Catholic, United Church of Canada, and United Methodist. Within the ranks of Odd Fellowship are no doubt other denominations.

Roman Catholic priest Reverend Leo D. Burns, C.S.B., of the Cathedral Boys High School in Hamilton, Ontario, shared that “The beautiful thing about Odd Fellowship is that brother and sister respects the personal beliefs of each other and yet the three links of Odd Fellowship bind us together into a close-knit family despite our varying backgrounds, as the practice of Friendship, Love, and Truth is the aim and goal of every religion.” Jewish Rabbi David Schnitzler of New York opined that “While not a religious Order, our fraternity encompasses the noble ideals set forth in the Holy Bible and is harmonious with the Jewish religion.” Latter Day Saints Elder Jim Kotyk mentioned that he “experienced great growth from participation in the Order and have learned to appreciate the many noble men and women in the Fraternity who have set great examples in their quest to make this world a better place to live.” Reverend Cela Fugate of the First Christian Church of Iowa attested that “As an ordained minister of the Christian Church, I have always worked and enjoyed my Rebekah Lodge and its beautiful degree work.” Episcopalian minister Reverend Charles Worrell of the Southern Episcopal Church of Nashville, Tennessee, and Past Sovereign Grand Master of the IOOF, believes that “Odd Fellowship encompasses those high and noble teachings which make us better men…while not a religious organization, a respect for everyone’s religion proves it to be composed of individuals of a faith.”

These statements were printed in a brochure that has been issued especially to areas where certain religious denominations have demonstrated some objection to church members being members of the Odd Fellows, mainly because of lack of knowledge or misunderstanding of the nature of the organization.^[xxviii] At present, membership is represented by various religious denominations from Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, and others.

THE ALL-SEEING-EYE

On top of the Santo Tomas de Villanueva Roman Catholic Church in Pardo, Cebu, Philippines, is an All-seeing-eye with twelve stars around it symbolizing the eye of God watching through the twelve tribes of Israel. 

The All-seeing-eye, or the Eye of Providence, symbolizes the omniscient eye of God who continually watches over our thoughts and actions. This is not a symbol exclusively used by the Freemasons or the Illuminati, but was widely and generally used by many churches and ancient societies stretching back hundreds of years ago. In fact, the ancient Egyptians, Assyrians, Jews, and Christians have used the eye as a symbol of their God. Among Christians, the Holy Scriptures provide, “The eye of the Lord is in every place, beholding the evil and good” (Prov. XV.3) and “The Eye of the Lord runs to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him” (2 Chron. XVI 9).

THIS ARTICLE IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK:

Sarmiento, Louie Blake S. Odd Fellows: Rediscovering More Than 200 Years of History, Traditions, and Community Service (L. Sarmiento & The Sovereign Grand Lodge I.O.O.F, 2019).

NEW BOOK IN PROGRESS

TITLE: Sarmiento, Louie Blake S. The Encyclopedia of Philippine Fraternities and Sororities (Still in progress).

PUBLISHED BOOKS WRITTEN BY THE AUTHOR:

TITLE: Sarmiento, Louie Blake S. Odd Fellows: Rediscovering More Than 200 Years of History, Traditions, and Community Service (KDP Amazon, 2019).

TITLE: Sarmiento, Louie Blake S. Odd Fellows Manual: Modern Guide to the Origin, History, Rituals, Symbols and Organization of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (KDP Amazon, 2020).

TITLE: Sarmiento, Louie Blake S. Ancient Rites of Odd Fellowship: Revisiting the Revised Ritual of the Order of Patriotic Odd Fellows, 1797 (KDP Amazon, 2020).

TITLE: Sarmiento, Louie Blake S. Odd Fellows Encampment: Brief History and Introduction to the Degrees, Symbols, Teachings and Organization of Patriarchal Odd Fellowship (KDP Amazon, 2020).

About the Author

Louie Blake Saile Sarmiento finished his Associate in Health Science Education in 2007; Bachelor of Science in Psychology with Certificate in Human Resource Management and Certificate in Women’s Studies in 2010; Master of Arts in Industrial/Organizational Psychology in 2013; and Juris Doctor (law) degree in 2020.

 

He is instrumental in re-establishing Odd Fellowship in the Philippines. He is a Past Grand and Past District Deputy Sovereign Grand Master of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is credited for connecting thousands of members from various countries when he created and managed the first social media groups and pages of the “Independent Order of Odd Fellows” and "Odd Fellows International" from 2009-2019. He is also credited for writing and creating most of the modern literature and infographics about Odd Fellowship on the internet at a time when the organization had almost zero presence online, including the first YouTube videos and the wikipedia entries about the Odd Fellows. Because of his contributions, he was appointed as Public Relations Coordinator and member of both the Communications Committee and the Revitalization Committee of the Sovereign Grand Lodge from 2012-2015. He spent more than six years visiting hundreds of Lodges and several Grand Lodges across the United States and Canada to read hundreds of journals, records and books; observe Grand Lodge sessions and meetings; and conduct interviews to be able to write books about the Odd Fellows.

 

He is an advocate for the preservation of historical fraternal organizations, service clubs and civic associations. He is a member of all branches of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF), including the Rebekah Lodge, Encampment and Patriarchs Militant. He is also affiliated with the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows (GUOOF); Ancient Mystic Order of Samaritans (AMOS); Noble Order of Muscovites (Muscovites); International Order of DeMolay (IOD); International Order of Free Gardeners (IOFG); Universal Druid Order (UDO); Ordo Supremus Militaris Templi Hierosolymitani (OSMTH); Knights of Rizal (KOR); The Fraternal Order of Eagles - Philippine Eagles (TFOE-PE); and Tau Gamma Phi or Triskelion Grand Fraternity (TGP). As a hobby, he writes articles and collects books and artifacts related to fraternal organizations, service clubs and other civic associations.

BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE ON AMAZON, CLICK LINKS BELOW:

1. Odd Fellows Rediscovering More than 200 Years of History, Traditions and Community Service (Odd Fellows history and its relationship with world history)

Full color: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1733851208

Black and White: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1733851224

E-book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08Q8DKFJZ

 

2. Odd Fellows Manual: Modern Guide to the Origin, History, Rituals, Symbols and Organization of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (brief history, organizational structure, and generally-accepted internal rules and principles)

Full color: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1733851259

Black and white: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1733851283

 

3. Ancient Rites of Odd Fellowship: Revisiting the Revised Rituals of the Order of Patriotic Odd Fellows, 1797

Black and white: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1733851232

E-book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KHDG17S

 

4. Odd Fellows Encampment: A Brief History and Introduction to Patriarchal Odd Fellowship

Full color: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1733851275

E-book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LZQQDWM

 

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^[i] Compiled by various authors, A History of the Holy Catholic Inquisition (Philadelphia: Perkins, Marvin and Co, 1835).

^[ii] David B. Barrett, Secret Societies: An unbiased history of our desire for secret knowledge (Philadelphia: Running Press, 2007), 82.  See also Colin Robert Bowling, A New Order of the Ages (Indiana: iUniverse, 2011), 232.

^[iii] Armstrong Starkey, War in the Age of Enlightenment, 1700-1789 (Connecticut: Praeger Publishers, 2003). See also Robert Wokler, Rousseau, the Age of Enlightenment, and Their Legacies (New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2012).

^[iv] Michael Streeter, Behind Closed Doors (London: New Holland Publishers, 2008), 105. For example, “Nicolas de Bonneville, a known radical who played a part in the French Revolution, was member of the Freemasons and allegedly had close links with a prominent member of the Illuminati”. See also Michael L. Kennedy, The Jacobin Clubs in the French Revolution 1793-1795 (New York: Berghahn Books, 2000). He mentioned that the term Jacobin Club popularly applies to all supporters of left-wing revolutionary political movement that had been the most famous political club of the French Revolution.

^[v] Ibid, 101-105.

^[vi] Michael Howard, Secret Societies: Their Influence and Power from Antiquity to Present Day (Vermont: Destiny Books, 2008), 74-78.

^[vii] Michael Streeter, Behind Closed Doors (London: New Holland Publishers, 2008), 91-93. See also Una Birch, Secret Societies: Illuminati, Freemasons and the French Revolution (Florida: Ibis Press, 2007).

[viii] Sovereign Grand Lodge Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Ritual of a Lodge of Odd Fellows of The Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (North Carolina: Sovereign Grand Lodge, I.O.O.F., 2004), 65.

[ix]  Danial Weinbren, The Oddfellows 1810-2010: 200 Years of Making Friends and Helping People (Lancaster: Carnegie Publishing, 2012), 61.

[x] Ibid, 62.

[xi] Ibid, 62.

[xii] Ibid, 61.

[xiii] Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Journal of Proceedings of the Right Worthy Grand Lodge of the United States, and the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, 1893-1894 (Volume XVI) (Baltimore: The Sovereign Grand Lodge of the I.O.O.F., 1895), 13250.

[xiv] Ibid.

[xv] Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Journal of Proceedings of the One Hundred and Forty-Eight Annual Communication of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, 1974 (Volume LXII) (Baltimore: The Sovereign Grand Lodge of the I.O.O.F., 1975), 246.

[xvi] Ibid.

[xvii] Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Journal of Proceedings of the One Hundred and Thirty-Ninth Annual Communication of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, 1965 (Volume LIII). Baltimore: The Sovereign Grand Lodge of the I.O.O.F., 1966), 240.

[xviii] Ibid, 241.

[xix] Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Journal of Proceedings of the One Hundred and Thirty-Eight Annual Communication of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, 1964 (Volume LII) (Baltimore: The Sovereign Grand Lodge of the I.O.O.F., 1965), 64.

[xx] Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Journal of Proceedings of the One Hundred and Thirty-Ninth Annual Communication of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, 1965 (Volume LIII) (Baltimore: The Sovereign Grand Lodge of the I.O.O.F., 1966), 239.

[xxi] Ibid.

[xxii] Ibid.

[xxiii] Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Journal of Proceedings of the One Hundred and Sixty-Seventh Annual Communication of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, 1993 (Volume LXXXI). (Winston-Salem: The Sovereign Grand Lodge of the I.O.O.F., 1994), 51.

[xxiv] Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Journal of Proceedings of the One Hundred and Forty-Eight Annual Communication of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, 1974 (Volume LXII) (Baltimore: The Sovereign Grand Lodge of the I.O.O.F., 1975), 246.

[xxv] Sovereign Grand Lodge Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Ritual of a Lodge of Odd Fellows of The Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (North Carolina: Sovereign Grand Lodge, I.O.O.F., 2004), 56.

[xxvi] Ibid, 65.

[xxvii] Ibid, 65.

[xxviii] Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Journal of Proceedings of the One Hundred and Sixty-Fifth Annual Communication of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, 1991 (Volume LXXVIV) (Winston-Salem: The Sovereign Grand Lodge of the I.O.O.F., 1992), 434.