(LifeSiteNews) — A Catholic priest in the Philippines has been suspended for blessing a Freemason marker.

On September 1, the Order of the Discalced Augustinians (OAD) announced that they had suspended Father Libby Daños after photos of the priest blessing the Freemasonic symbol went viral online. The incident occurred in Ormoc City, Leyte Province, within the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines.

The Freemason marker is a sign or monument signifying the presence of Freemasons in the area.

UCA News reports that a canonical investigation into Daños’s action has been launched, and the priest will not serve in public ministry in the meantime.

Father Luigi Kerschbamer, provincial prior of the OAD, said in a statement:

While Father Daños has indicated that he was initially unaware of the full nature of the ceremony, we acknowledge that this action, regardless of intent, contradicts the clear and consistent teaching of the Catholic Church regarding Freemasonry and has caused scandal among the faithful.

“Father Daños has expressed deep remorse for his action and is cooperating fully with the canonical investigation that has been initiated according to Church law and the OAD constitutions,” he continued. “During this process, he has been temporarily suspended from public ministry to allow for proper discernment and resolution of this matter. We are committed to following established ecclesiastical procedures that ensure both accountability and pastoral care.”

Kerschbamer stressed that the suspension was due to the fact that Freemasonry “is fundamentally incompatible with Catholic doctrine,” noting the Vatican reiterated this teaching in November 2023.

In response to a question by a Filipino bishop, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) had said that Freemasonry in the Philippines “involves not only those who are formally enrolled in Masonic Lodges, but, more generally, a large number of sympathizers and associates who are personally convinced that there is no opposition between membership in the Catholic Church and in Masonic Lodges.”

“The Order of the Discalced Augustinians categorically upholds this teaching and rejects any association with or endorsement of Freemasonic activities,” said Kerschbamer.

“This incident serves as a sobering reminder of our constant need for vigilance in preserving authentic Catholic identity and the importance of thorough preparation before participating in any public ceremony,” he added. “We are implementing enhanced formation programs for all our religious to strengthen their understanding of Church teaching and their ability to recognize situations that may compromise their witness to the Gospel.”

Addressing the supporters and benefactors of his order, he stated, “We do not take this trust lightly, and we pledge to emerge from this challenge with renewed commitment to the integrity that should characterize all who bear the name of Saint Augustine.”

READ: Three reasons Catholic Popes have repeatedly condemned Freemasonry

Many Catholic popes, including Pope Francis, have reiterated the Church’s provision that membership and association with Freemasonry are incompatible with being a Catholic. One reason for this is that Freemasonic lodges have had the expressed intention to destroy the Catholic Church, in particular, the papacy. Moreover, Freemasons deny original sin, redemption, supernatural revelation, and other doctrines of the Catholic faith. The Church has declared that Catholics who are members of Freemasonic lodges are in a state of mortal sin and cannot receive Holy Communion.

Despite the Church’s consistent condemnation of Freemasonry and its blatant contradiction with the Catholic faith, some heterodox Catholics have tried to reconcile the two in recent times. As the DDF mentioned, in the Philippines, there is “a large number of sympathizers and associates who are personally convinced that there is no opposition between membership in the Catholic Church and in Masonic Lodges.”

As Kathy Clubb reported for LifeSiteNews in 2019, evidence points to a number of priests in Australia being actively involved with Freemasonry. According to the former secretary of the Australian bishops’ conference, Father Stephen Hackett, this involvement was even sanctioned by the bishops’ conference.