Prefect, the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II approved and ordered the publication of this Declaration which had been decided in an ordinary meeting of this Sacred Congregation. Legal status The relevance of the declaration under canon law is unclear. Canon law allows for a process by which provisions of the code are interpreted authoritatively. It has been argued, however, that the declaration cannot be regarded as an authoritative interpretation of canon 2335, prohibiting membership in organizations which plot against the Church, since it does not make reference to it. Letter to US bishops In the Letter to U.S. Bishops Concerning Masonry dated April 19, 1985, Cardinal Bernard Law affirmed Ratzinger's proclamation and reiterated the ban on all forms of freemasonry. See also Papal ban of Freemasonry Humanum genus References Notes Sources "Declaratio de associationibus massonici", Acta Apostolicae Sedis 76 (1984) 300. (From EV, No. 553, pp. 482–87) Declaration on Masonic Associations, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Holy See Canon Law, A Text and Commentary. T. Lincoln Bouscaren, S.J.; Adam C. Ellis, S.J.; Francis N. Korth, S.J.. Fourth Revised Edition, The Bruce Publishing Company, Milwaukee: 1963 [Imprimatur: + William E. Cousins, Archbishop of Milwaukee] LoCCN: 63-22295. Clarification Concerning Status of Catholics Becoming Freemasons https://web.archive.org/web/20080223135713/https://www.vatican.va/archive/cdc/index.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20060924182559/http://www.catholiculture.net/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=5285 Catholicism and Freemasonry Documents of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Works by Pope Benedict XVI 1983 documents 1983 in Christianity