Thoughts on joining Catholic and Non-Catholic Organizations

Recently, some readers asked me the following:

I read your blog and decided to reply. What are your thoughts/feelings/opinions on other Catholic fraternals, such as The Catholic Order of Foresters, the American Slovenian Catholic Union and or the Polish National Alliance? Also, what are your thoughts on non-Sectarian fraternals such as The Independent Order of Foresters and the Woodmen of the World? Please respond at your earliest opportunity, as your ideas matter greatly to me.

I am humbled that you value my opinion.

So, here are my quick thoughts...

• It is good that men and women join Catholic groups, provided that they are faithful to the teachings of the Church, conduct charitable works, etc. Groups such as The Knights of Columbus, The Holy Name Society, Catholic War Veterans, Sodality, Knights of Peter Claver can all be good. Of course, these groups are made up of men and women -- humans -- who fail and will do so, usually not out of malicious intent. It is important that when we see this, we attempt to bring them back into the fold.
• Non-sectarian groups can also be good provided that they do not go against Catholic teaching. Some may be loosely affiliated with the Catholic Church due to sponsorship, such as Boy Scouts. Others may have no connection such as Toastmasters, the American Red Cross, Hot Rod Racing or various professional associations.

I belong to both types of groups: Catholic and non-sectarian. The non-sectarian because of my profession (a way of meeting others, learning the latest news/trends, etc.) or because I enjoy it. As long as the non-sectarian stays non-sectarian, I remain a member. If they become sectarian and support causes/ideas that are against my belief, I usually drop membership at time of renewal.

I don't know if this helps or not.

Thanks for reading.