Knights Templar QUESTION from Steve on October 12, 2002 Hi Bro. Ignatius, Joe
Does the Church have a position on the modern Knights Templar?
I know there was certain ambivalence in the past, but are they regarded as a religious order or an order of chivalry?
I look forward to your judgement.
Steve.
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, OLSM on October 16, 2002 Dear Steve:
There is no Knights Templar in the Catholic Church. The Knights Templar were suppressed many centuries ago. For an article on the Knight Templar see: Knights Templar - Catholic Encyclopedia
After the suppression of the Knights, the group continued on in various forms despite Church condemnation. The Knights eventually became involved with the Freemasons.
But the Knights, like Protestants, have had so many splits from splits from splits that when one mentions the Knights Templar, the question must be asked, Which one?
After all mention of the schisms and heresies of the past, the Knights allegedly became orthodox in religion by the mid-1800's. The Knights requested from Pope Gregory XVI on March 13, 1845, to repeal the condemnation inflicted by Clement V. The Pope required a Profession of faith in the Catholic Church. The Knights refused to do that since many Knights by that time were not Catholic.
Thus, the Knights have no standing in the Catholic Church of any sort. They are not a Catholic group. Any branch of the Knights that is associated with the Masons is even further removed from the Church. The Church officially forbids any Catholic joining any Masonic organization. Any Catholic who does join a Freemason associated group is in sin and barred from receiving the Sacraments.

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