The Vatican isn’t known for issuing apologies for past mistakes. After all, it took 700 years for a Pope to absolve them of the phony charges they used to arrest and disband the group. I think the Vatican is reluctant to endorse what it cannot control. There are many Catholics, especially in Latin America, that have been taught to distrust and despise Knights Templar and Freemasonry. The powers that be in the Vatican don’t want to risk alienating the base.
Great points Brewster.
Here is what one Neo-Templar Order called “Scottish Knights templar” who is still seeking Vatican Recognition publishes on their site:
“Our order still seeks reconciliation and acceptance by the Vatican as innocent to the charges of heresy and others. We, as the last legitimate line of Templars, hope to one day achieve this. In 1995-96 this was an understanding given by the Vatican involving freemasonry in order to ever form reconciliation again.”
– Go about 10 Paragraphs down at: http://www.templarusa.org/other-orders.html
