Jorge is a Rotarian

Jorge is a honorary Rotarian since 1999.  In the year 2005 he was named Argentina’s Rotarian of the Year.  The official Rotarian website claims their founder, Paul P. Harris, wasn’t a freemason but many of its first members were.  The pin shown in the photo below is from this same website.  Much of the philosophy of the Freemasons and the Rotarians is similar.  

 

 In 1951 the Vatican issued a degree on Rotary groups which stated:

No Roman Catholic priest, decreed the Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office, may henceforth be a member of Rotary or attend Rotary meetings. Furthermore, laymen, while not forbidden Rotary membership, were exhorted to bear in mind Article 684 of canon law.  Excerpt: "The faithful...must guard against associations which are secret, condemned, seditious, suspect, or which try to escape legitimate church vigilance."

On 14 June 1979 John Paul II addressed at their international convention which was held in Rome, Italy that year and in 2000 the Jubilee Year, he welcomed many Rotarians who were on pilgrimages to the Vatican.  Like his predecessor John Paul II, Jorge isn’t letting a decree stop him from participating in Rotary.

(Photo above is then Cardinal Bergoglio in 2010 with Italian Rotarian Roberto Guia 

as they met to plan a goal of 100,000 new Rotarian orphanages.)