Resumen de Franc-maçonnerie et église catholique.: Motivations politiques des premières condamnations papales
There are two crucial moments in the relations between the Catholic Church and Freemasonry in the 18th Century, namely the condemnations by Clement XII in 1738 and Benedict XIV in 1751. There were obviously political as well as religious reasons for condemning Freemasonry. Rome was merely following the example of other governments who were worried by the atmosphere of secrecy and conspiracy surrounding it. In addition, they did not know exactly what it was or what it involved. However, the immediate reason for Clement XII's condemnation must be sought in Florence, and Benedict XIV's in Naples. In this connection, the voluminous correspondence kept in the Florence and Naples national archives, and in the Vatican's Secret Archives, enables us to follow the development of the two affairs.
