MSA Issues Hurricane Helene Disaster Appeals for Grand Lodges of Florida, North, and South Carolina, As Hurricane Milton Heads For Florida

by Christopher Hodapp

The Masonic Service Association of North America has officially issued Disaster Relief Appeals for the grand lodges of Florida, North, and South Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene two weeks ago. MSA Administrator Craig Davis, PGM, has posted the following information on the MSANA website:

South Carolina Hurricane Helene Disaster Relief Appeal

Grand Master Steven D. Hames has requested the Masonic Service Association of North America (MSA) to issue this Disaster Relief Appeal. The situation in South Carolina is quite dire. The brothers in South Carolina after being hit by the storm Helene have suffered a great deal of loss of property. Power continues to be in the outage and repair phase in areas of the upstate where the families have lost their entire supply of fresh food. Grocery stores have lost all food that needed to be refrigerated. Homes have been destroyed and or damaged where they cannot be occupied until repaired or replaced.

The brothers South Carolina are now using their own energy to help the citizens of their communities try and recover while trying to recover from their personal loss. 

Florida Hurricane Helene Disaster Relief Appeal

Grand Master Donald W. Cowart has requested the Masonic Service Association of North America (MSA) to issue this Disaster Relief Appeal. Following the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the Grand Lodge has many lodges that could not afford the insurance outlay of funds. Now alas they are in need of assistance. 

North Carolina Hurricane Helene Disaster Relief Appeal

Grand Master Bobby Rideout has requested the Masonic Service Association of North America (MSA) to issue this Disaster Relief Appeal. The situation in North Carolina is quite dire. Whole 
communities have been washed away in floods and landslides.

PLEASE NOTE: Check with your own grand lodge to see if they are collecting donations as part of an MSA Appeal, just to prevent confusion as to whom is donating to what.

When remitting funds directly to MSA, please mark donations specifically to "Florida, North, OR South Carolina Disaster Appeal." They are 3 separate funds, so you need to specify which one you are donating to.

To donate directly to the MSA Appeals by mail, make checks payable to MSA Disaster Relief Fund and send them to:

Masonic Service Association
813 1st Ave SE, Suite 357
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402

(NOTE: MSA is no longer in Maryland – this is the correct address!) 

MSA is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. 

You can also donate online HERE.

The Masonic Service Association is arguably the best and most effective way to provide financial assistance to Masons in the stricken areas. MSA is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. That is important to remember, especially if you, your company, or foundation are making a large donation and are in need of a tax deduction in return. The charitable arm of the Masonic Service Association was specifically established for the purpose of raising tax deductible donations, and to effectively distribute and account for the funds provided to Masons who receive assistance. Your entire donation will be sent to the affected jurisdiction. MSA deducts nothing for administrative expenses or expenses of any kind. Meaning if you donate $100.00, all $100.00 gets to the specific grand lodge issuing the appeal.

As of October 7th,  the current death toll across the 6 states hit by the Category 5 hurricane has reached at least 230, and continues to rise as officials and volunteers race to recover bodies and remove as much debris as possible. 

If the destruction from Helene hasn't been terrible enough, time is of the essence. Hurricane Milton has just increased in intensity to a Category 5 hurricane as of Tuesday morning. It's headed for landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast, almost exactly where Helene came ashore, and workers are desperately attempting to clear wreckage from the first storm. The fear is that the debris will become deadly projectiles as this second storm slams into Florida.

UPDATES: Hurricane Helene Hits Six States

The 600-mile path of Hurricane Helene (Image: New York Times)

by Christopher HodappS
UPDATE TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2024: Over the last several days, the Masonic Service Association has issued separate Disaster Appeals on behalf of the grand lodges in Florida, North, and South Carolina. CLICK HERE to see that story.

UPDATE: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2024: Added appeal from North Carolina Masonic Foundation seeking donations. 

The path of destruction and devastation over the weekend from Hurricane Helene stretched 600 miles across six states. Thousands are without homes in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee, while deaths from the storm continue to rise – as many as 130 are reported dead as of 10:30 Monday night, according to the Associated Press.

Scores of communities all along the storm's path have been wiped out, and images from small, hard-to-reach Appalachian towns in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee look apocalyptic in scope. 

The Masonic Service Association has not yet issued any official disaster relief announcements for grand lodges in the affected states, but I will update this post as news specifically involving Masons and lodges in the hurricane areas become available.

Please send information to me directly at hodapp@aol.com .

FLORIDA

Gulf Beach Lodge 291 before the hurricane

Gulf Beach Lodge 291 in Madeira, Florida, near St. Petersburg, sustained extensive flood damage from the hurricane's unprecedented storm surge.

A photo on Facebook of the lodge's front door shows the flood rose to about 4-feet, and water damage to the secretary's office, kitchen, and dining room is extensive. Worshipful Master Bobby Burkett reports they will be meeting at Northside Lodge 283 until they are able to repair or rebuild their building.

NORTH CAROLINA

Western North Carolina has been badly hit by the storm, and images from Chimney Rock and Lake Lure near Asheville show almost unfathomable destruction. Entire towns have been swept away. The Grand Lodge of North Carolina's Masonic Foundation is accepting donations online specifically to help, aid, and assist Masons and their families in their state. The NCMF will be matching donations up to $25,000, so your money will go twice as far. When you go to their website at https://mfnc.org/ a pop-up window will open with information and a link to donate (or CLICK HERE if the popup doesn't work on your browser.)

SOUTH CAROLINA

MW Steven D. Hames, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge AF&AM of South Carolina has issued a blanket dispensation to all lodges in his jurisdiction permitting Worshipful Masters wide latitude to cancel or reschedule all meetings, including regular stated meetings. 

Slate: 'What if the Solution to Men’s Loneliness Is… Freemasonry?'

Illustration by Logan Guo for Slate

by Christopher Hodapp

There's been no dearth of reports over the last few years about what many sociologists and psychologists are calling an 'epidemic of loneliness' among men under 40 or so. Several emails this weekend alerted me to an article on Slate – 'What if the Solution to Men’s Loneliness Is … Freemasonry? What makes a guy decide to join a really old fraternal order in 2024', by Allegra Rosenberg. It's a refreshingly evenhanded exploration by a non-Mason of what Freemasonry has to offer to men in today's society. 

Instead of talking to a grand master, or one or two of us regulars in the go-to lineup of high-visibility usual suspects who often get interviewed for these kinds of stories, Rosenberg put out an appeal for responses in the very active Reddit r/freemasonry community. She was especially interested in hearing from men under 40, and this article is the result. 

Apart from flubbing the date of the English grand lodge's founding as 1710 instead of 1717, I daresay that this would be a decent article for grand lodges to link to in their social media as information from a dispassionate third party as to why young men would be interested in our fraternity. If your membership committee is hunting contemporary motivations for joining, give this a read.

It features responses from many brethren as to their personal reasons for joining the fraternity, and one thing glaringly missing from previous generations is mention of dad, grandad or other relative who had been a Mason. This may be the first cohort of men since 1717 that is seeking out a lodge independent of a family tradition. Nor will you find a single reference to George Washington, or any other famous Freemasons. 

Whether you regard that as sad or not, it's the reality we have to deal with today.

Grand Master Morrow of Grand Lodge of Scotland Abruptly Resigns

by Christopher Hodapp

The Grand Master Mason of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, RW D. Joseph J. Morrow, resigned unexpectedly on Wednesday, according to a message circulated to lodge secretaries and posted on their website.  

According to messages on Redditt, GM Morrow is currently traveling abroad. The message gave no explanation beyond "personal reasons" for his abrupt departure.

From the official announcement:

The Grand Master Mason, Brother Dr Joseph J. Morrow, has resigned, for personal reasons.

We would like to thank him most sincerely for his great work and outstanding service within Freemasonry throughout many years and wish him well for the future.

Dr Morrow, currently on holiday abroad, has decided to withdraw from all of his commitments to The Scottish Craft.

In the interim, Immediate Past Grand Master, Brother W. Ramsay McGhee, will preside over the forthcoming Regular Communication of Grand Lodge on Thursday 31st October 2024. This will also include the nomination and election of Grand Office-bearers for the coming year.

Despite these changes, Grand Lodge will ensure our support for Freemasons at home and overseas will continue as normal. 

Immediate Past Grand Master, W. Ramsay McGhee

 

Endangered Masonic Halls: Author Will Moore To Speak in Indianapolis October 15

Photo: Indiana Landmarks

by Christopher Hodapp

On Tuesday, October 15th, Indiana Landmarks will be presenting a program, Understanding Masonic Temples, featuring guest speaker Will D. Moore, author of the 2006 book Masonic Temples: Freemasonry, Ritual Architecture and Masculine Archetypes.

Last month, Indiana Landmarks released its annual listing of the Ten Most Endangered Buildings in Indiana — historic structures in our state on the brink of extinction that are too historically, architecturally, and culturally important to lose without a fight. Plenty of states have these sorts of historic preservation organizations that do what they can to call attention to the plight of neglected buildings with the hope of rescuing them. Sadly, individual Masonic temples often make these lists as our membership shrinks and our once magnificent buildings slip away. For the second year in a row, the Indiana list includes the entire category of Masonic and fraternal temples, in general.

One especially endangered hall this year is the Prince Hall Masonic Temple at 22nd Street and Central Avenue in Indianapolis (photo above), originally built by Oriental Lodge 500 of the Grand Lodge F&AM of Indiana. I wrote about this temple back in 2017, and it remains a true gem of fraternal architecture. Prince Hall Masons bought it from Oriental Lodge in 1983, and it became home to several lodges, Eastern Star chapters, and appendant groups. But 40 years after they took ownership, the cost of operating, maintaining and preserving the place has taken its toll on their treasury. Gentrification of the surrounding neighborhood has made area property values soar, and as architecturally and culturally valuable as this temple may be, it’s highly probable that the land it sits on is far more valuable than the building itself. And its listing on the National Register of Historic Places won’t save it, especially since the present Temple Association is publicly saying they want to sell it and build a new, smaller, more modern lodge hall.

In connection with Indiana Landmarks’ listing fraternal meeting places again this year, the organization will be hosting Will Moore’s presentation, an illustrated talk on the history of Masonic architecture and fraternal practices. For the increasing percentage of our population who have no understanding, knowledge, or familiarity of just what 'fraternal groups' are and how important they've been in America, Will's talk will be a crash course in the subject.

If you are here in central Indiana, the event will be held at the Indiana Landmarks Center auditorium at 1201 N. Central Avenue in Indianapolis (which is itself a magnificently restored and repurposed Romanesque Methodist church building). There is no charge for attending. 

If you’re not in our immediate vicinity, it will also be broadcast as free a Zoom program.

From the website:

As we consider the endangered status of these community landmarks, William Moore, associate professor at Boston University, presents an illustrated talk on Masonic architectural spaces and fraternal practices including those of Blue Lodge Freemasonry, the Knights Templar, the Scottish Rite, and the Mystic Shrine.

An interdisciplinary American Studies scholar, William D. Moore holds a joint appointment at Boston University in the Department of History of Art & Architecture and the American & New England Studies Program, specializing in material culture, the built environment, and cultural history. Among other publications, he is the author of Masonic Temples: Freemasonry, Ritual Architecture, and Masculine Archetypes (University of Tennessee Press, 2006) and, earlier in his career, served as the director of the Livingston Masonic Library & Museum at the Masonic Grand Lodge of New York in New York City.

Sponsored by the Cornelius O’Brien Lecture Series Concerning Historic Preservation. Free and open to the public.

Reserve your spot to attend in person or online by using the form below, visiting MasonicTemplesTalk.eventbrite.com, or by calling 317-639-4534 or 800-450-4534. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with program from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Indiana Landmarks Center (which is accessible to all) or online via Zoom.

Esotericism In Freemasonry 2024 Conference in Seattle: Sept 27-29

by Christopher Hodapp

The 4th Esotericism In Freemasonry 2024 Conference will be held the weekend of September 27-29 at Occidental Lodge in the Ballard Masonic Center in Seattle, Washington, featuring a lineup of some of the top contemporary writers and researchers in Western esotericism, comparative religion, and much more. 

An increasing number of men coming to Freemasonry are thirsting for esoteric knowledge that goes far beyond the usual Blue Lodge fare of Masonic education. Expressing interest in 'esotericism' covers a LOT of territory, and there are plenty of bunny holes one can fall into without being suitably grounded and prepared. Esoteric topics are complex, and in fairness, not every Mason or every Masonic lodge has the desire, patience, or enough collective knowledge to truly delve into centuries of historic, philosophic, religious, mathematic, symbolic, and alchemical threads that influenced 'modern' Freemasonry by the 1700s. The conference provides an opportunity to gather with like-minded brethren and explore some of these topics.

Once again, this event is being partially organized by my friend, WB Troy Spreeuw from Vancouver, host of the Mystic Tye podcast.

The weekend program:

• Friday evening will start with a mediation session, followed by entertainment and a pub meetup. Everyone welcome.
• Saturday will feature keynote speaker Brother Ike Baker of the Arcanum Podcast, presentations by Dr. Nathan Schick, and more to be announced. There will also be a panel discussion about Masonic buildings. The evening will end with a VIP dinner and pub meetup. Everyone welcome.
• Sunday 29th there will be two practical workshops led by Br. P.D. Newman and Jaime Paul Lamb. This will be for Master Masons only.

Take note: Speakers and presentations on Friday and Saturday are open to the general public, while Sunday's will be restricted to Master Masons only.

Tickets are free for Friday night; $50 for speakers and panels on Saturday plus $175 for the VIP dinner; $50 for Sunday's Masonic sessions.

In order to purchase tickets, you need to visit the conference website HERE and click the RSVP button.

For blog entries from some of the event's speakers, CLICK HERE.

San Antonio Scottish Rite Forms Partnership With City's Philharmonic Orchestra To Preserve Cathedral

Article and photos by Christopher Hodapp

On Saturday, September 7th, the San Antonio (Texas) Philharmonic Orchestra and the San Antonio Valley of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite (SJ) announced the formation of a new 501(c)3 partnership to preserve and modernize the city's beautiful downtown Scottish Rite Cathedral. Under the terms of the agreement, the two organizations will share ownership of the 100-year-old Cathedral, providing the orchestra with a magnificent (and permanent) new home, and the Scottish Rite the opportunity to raise sorely needed money for improving and preserving their landmark Cathedral.

The two organizations took the opportunity to announce their fundraising goal of $50 million.

 

According to the Valley's website:

Several Masonic lodges, the Scottish Rite Masonic Bodies, all major York Rite Masonic Bodies, the Grotto, Eastern Star; Job's Daughters, Order of Rainbow for Girls, the Order of DeMolay, and other associated Masonic fraternal organizations meet in the Cathedral. The magnificent auditorium is acclaimed by experts as one of the most acoustically perfect rooms of its size in the world. Constructed as a Greek amphitheater it produces the effect of an open-air theater, the ceiling being equipped with twinkling stars and blazing planets, creating the atmosphere of a clear summer sky. The proscenium, or opening to the stage, is 60 feet wide and 32 feet high. The auditorium seats 2,062.

I had the opportunity to tour the Cathedral many years ago, and this announcement is an outstanding case of Masons thinking outside of our narrow little boxes when it comes to protecting these irreplaceable temples. All too often Masons get overwhelmed by maintenance costs of these massive buildings, supported by an ever-shrinking membership base. Time after time, they deteriorate while their trustees throw their hands up in despair. We don't seem to believe that the communities around us might see value in preserving them and making them into venues enjoyed by the public.

Janesville, Wisconsin Masonic Center Damaged by Multiple Gunshots

Photo: Janesville News Report

by Christopher Hodapp

Shots were fired at the Masonic Center in Janesville, Wisconsin at about 2:30 AM on the morning of Sunday August 25th. Bullets were found by police after they struck multiple windows. No injuries were reported, and no suspects have been named at this time.

Photo: WKOW-TV 27

According to the Channel 3000 website:

On Aug. 25, at 2:47 a.m., the JPD said officers were dispatched to the intersection of East Milwaukee St. and North Sumac Drive after receiving a shots fired complaint. The person who reported the complaint heard multiple sets of rounds being fired approximately 15 minutes before calling dispatch.

The JPD said officers found bullet holes in multiple windows at the Masonic Center. Bullets were also recovered that struck the Masonic Temple. No one was injured, and no arrests have been made at this time.

The JPD said the reporting person saw someone near the intersection of Sumac and Milwaukee described as a male, unknown race, approximately 6 feet tall, with a thin build. The subject was wearing a dark long-sleeved top and dark-colored pants.

This investigation is ongoing. If anyone has information on this incident, they are encouraged to call the Janesville Police Department at (608)755-3100, the Rock County Communications Center at (608)757-2244, Crime Stoppers at (608)756-3636, or submit a tip on their smartphone using the P3 app. Callers can remain anonymous.

The Janesville Masonic Center on Milwaukee Street was opened in 1966 and is home to Janesville-Western Star Lodge No. 55, three York Rite bodies, Eastern Star Chapter 69, and Job's Daughters Bethel 21. It is also shared with a local American Legion Post. From the looks of their Facebook page, the Center is extremely active.

California Masonic Symposium: 'Fringe Freemasonry and the Mysteries That Bind Us'

by Christopher Hodapp

The California Masonic Symposium is hosted annually by the Grand Lodge of California. This year's event will be held next Wednesday, August 28th and will feature presentations on some of the most mysterious and esoteric Masonic-related rites and organizations that are often referred to as “fringe Masonry.” Many have borrowed styles, substance, symbolism, and practices from the Masonic fraternity, but while "fringe" may sound derogatory at first blush, the label isn't meant to be pejorative. 

As the Symposium's website explains:

According to the online site CasueIQ there are 3,361 fraternal organizations in the State of California, employing 16,194 people, and earning more than $18 billion dollars in revenue each year. Freemasonry is one of the oldest in the world. With the collected mix of fraternal orders it makes us contemplate the questions: Out of all the fraternal orders, how many were influenced by the Freemasons? And what aspects of Freemasonry were borrowed by these orders? Why did they feel a need to branch off and create their own bodies? These are the questions that will be explored in the 2024 Grand Lodge of California Symposium:Fringe Masonry: Exploring the Mysteries that Bind Us 

The interest in “Fringe Masonry” has grown in recent years as Brothers have turned their attention, once again, towards the esoteric. Yet, the term itself may be alien to many regular Freemasons. Writing in Ars Quatuor Coronatorumin 1972, Ellic Howe states that Fringe Masonry is “not irregular Masonry because those who promoted the rites did not initiate Masons, i.e. confer the three Craft degrees or the Holy Royal Arch degree. Hence they did not encroach upon Grand Lodge’s and Grand Chapter’s exclusive preserve.”

Simply stated, these orders did not bother the Grand Lodge because they did not mock or rewrite the blue lodge degrees; this is probably the reason they were left alone – they were not a threat to blue lodge Masonry. 

Nevertheless, Howe’s description is too broad. Fringe Masonic Rites and Orders are not those (such as the Order of the Temple or the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite) that are recognized by regular Grand Lodges. Rather, active Fringe Masonic organizations are those that exist outside of the world of regular Masonry but that often rub up against it (often claiming to be, in some sense, Masonic). Such organizations have included the Rite(s) of Memphis and Misraim, the Swedenborgian Rite, the Ancient Order of Zuzimites and the Egyptian Rite of Freemasonry to the Asiatic Brethren, that claim, in one way or another, to connect to regular Freemasonry. 

Other orders include, but are not limited to: The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and the Builders of the Adytum (B.O.T.A), an order influenced by Masonic principles and the Tarot, and Aleister Crowley’s Ordo Templi Orientis, in which he tried to create rituals acceptable to regular Freemasons. 

Historically, the members of these organizations have taken a serious interest in spirituality and, as Howe says of Fringe Masons in England during the late 19th century, many were “identified with occultism.” 

The Fringe Masonry of that place and time was composed of “a small and amorphous group of men, most of whom knew one another,” says Howe. Nevertheless, Memphis and Misraim, the Swedenborgian Rite, the Zuzimites, and many other Rites and Orders of the 19th century, represent a continuation of the explosion of “Masonic” and quasi-Masonic Rites and rituals of the preceding century. 

Extremely popular during their day, some of these rites and orders were absorbed into regular Freemasonry (the Rite of Perfection forming the basis of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, for example), while others collapsed and disappeared or were absorbed into later Fringe Masonic Rites. 

During our symposium we will notice certain themes or the names of individuals reappearing. Some of these themes (such as Kabbalah, alchemy, and Rosicrucianism) also appear in the degrees of Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite (most obviously in the alchemical- and Rosicrucian-influenced Rose Croix degrees). 

 Our aim is not to endorse individual esoteric orders, magical practices or fringe Masonry, as such; rather, in keeping with previous symposiums, it is to be part of the current cultural zeitgeist, in pursuit of a deeper understanding of our complex world.  

PLEASE NOTE: This year's symposium will be held online, and there will be no in-person program. The Symposium will begin Wednesday, August 28th at 7:00PM Pacific Time (10:00PM Eastern), and is expected to last approximately 90 minutes. 

The program will be moderated by Gabriel G. Mariscal, Senior Grand Steward of the Grand Lodge of California. He is currently a member of the Grand Lodge Leadership and Development Committee, which serves as the think tank of the Grand Lodge and creates content for the leadership retreats. He is also a member of the Grand Lodge Masonic Education Committee. He is the chairman of the Public Education Advisory Committee of Sacramento for the California Masonic Foundation.

Speakers will include:

• Angel Millar, editor-in-chief of the Fraternal Review publication and author of Three Stages of Initiatic Spirituality: Craftsman, Warrior, Magician; as well as The Crescent and the Compass: Islam, Freemasonry, Esotericism and Revolution in the Modern Age.
• Jaime Paul Lamb, author of Myth, Magick & Masonry: Occult Perspectives in Freemasonry (2018), Approaching the Middle Chamber: The Seven Liberal Arts in Freemasonry and the Western Esoteric Tradition (2020), and The Archetypal Temple and Other Writings on Masonic Esotericism (2021).
• Joe Martinez, Grand Orator of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia and co-host of the Masonic Roundtable podcast.

There is no charge to view the Symposium, but you must register in order to get access to the program online. To register, CLICK HERE.

Embattled Grand Master Mario Urquía Carreño of the GL of Cuba Is Forced To Resign

Mario Urquía (left) and the Grand Masonic Temple of Cuba (right)

Image © Collage Facebook/Mario Urquía - CiberCuba

by Christopher Hodapp

Mario Alberto Urquía Carreño, the embattled Grand Master of the Gran Logio de Cuba (Grand Lodge of Cuba), has resigned following months of controversy and scandal. His resignation was officially tendered Sunday, August 18th after a contentious confrontation with representatives from more than 100 lodges on the island.

Carreño had already been removed from his office and expelled by the fraternity earlier this year in the wake of the disappearance of US$19,000 from the National Masonic Asylum's accounts, one of the principal charities of this grand lodge. He subsequently took his case before the Cuban Ministry of Justice, which decided to overrule the constitution and organizational authority of the grand lodge itself and ordered him reinstated. This unprecedented interference by the Cuban regime's judiciary also nullified the appointment of Juan Alberto Kessel Linares as Grand Master, as the Freemasons had overwhelmingly voted to do several months ago.

The resulting uproar by hundreds of Cuban Masons intensified and the story began to appear in the media over the summer. Carreño reacted against the protesters by arresting the charters of at least four Cuban lodges for failing to acknowledge his reinstatement, which only served to throw oil on the fire. When the story began to get independent media attention, the State Security officials of the Cuban Communist Party found it couldn't control the message any longer, and Carreño was compelled to call a special meeting last Sunday. 

From Mario Urquía Steps Down as Cuba's Grand Master After Months of Controversy by Emma Garcia:

The Masons gathered in the theater of the Grand Lodge building, where an anonymous source consulted by the cited media described that Urquía intended to manipulate the attendees. However, the Masons present did not allow it, and the unanimous phrase heard was “hand it over and leave.”

One of the meeting's witnesses recounted that tensions escalated to the point where Urquía left the theater but was followed by the Masons to the eleventh floor, where his office is located.

Under the pressure of those present, the Grand Master agreed to meet with a representation of them. During two hours, the terms of his departure were negotiated, although the details of those conversations remain secret.

Finally, Mario Urquía agreed to resign, and Deputy Grand Master Maykel Filema was appointed in his place. Filema will have the task of calling for elections in the next High Chamber session, scheduled for September.

Urquía's resignation is seen as a victory by the Masons. The problems began with the mysterious theft of $19,000 from the Grand Master's office, an event that culminated in his expulsion from the Order.

Despite this, the Cuban Ministry of Justice, in an act of interference permitted by the country's laws, did not recognize the expulsion and reinstated Urquía in his position in less than three months. This led to a massive protest by Masons outside the Grand Master's office on July 23 and caused dozens of lodges to rebel.

In recent days, Mario Urquía spoke in a video explaining that the stolen money belonged to the National Masonic Asylum and addressed the accusations against him, including those of treason and theft. Urquía Carreño categorically denied being responsible for the theft and clarified that the police document he signed, committing to return the money, did not imply an admission of guilt.

He explained that the delay in returning the sum was due to the need to comply with Cuban laws, which require the reimbursement to be made in Cuban pesos (CUP), resulting in a considerable loss due to the disparity with the dollar's value in the informal market.

The Grand Master also questioned the initial communiqué issued by the National Masonic Asylum's Board, calling it “incriminatory.” He emphasized that he had already made a deposit of 270,000 CUP, equivalent to $1,000, as a sign of his commitment to return the funds. Despite his intention to remain in the position, Mario Urquía ultimately had to yield to the pressure to resign.

“Before allowing the existing division to further harm the Institution and increase the attacks through social media, which would further denigrate the Grand Lodge of Cuba by its enemies, this Grand Master resigns for the good of the Institution,” Urquía Carreño stated in an official communiqué, as reported by the independent media outlet Cubanet.

[snip]

Regarding the reasons for his resignation, Urquía Carreño indicated that there is “an incompatibility in criteria for the correct application and interpretation of our laws” within the Masonic institution, leading to “divided opinions in our Lodges regarding the correct procedures.”

He further lamented that “hatred and insults have erupted among brothers, forgetting that we swore to defend each other, present or absent. The institutional situation today shows a dire division. Some Masons' actions indicate a growing danger of confrontations, and we will not allow this to happen; misunderstanding has subjected our brothers.”

Prior press accounts of this story can be seen at the following links:

Freemasons Protest at Cuba's Grand Lodge, Demand Assembly to Elect New Grand Master
Tuesday, July 23, 2024 by Madison Pena
https://www.cubaheadlines.com/articles/285593

Four Masonic Lodges Suspended for Rejecting Grand Master Mario Urquía
Wednesday, July 31, 2024 by Alex Smith
https://www.cubaheadlines.com/articles/286112

Detained Masonic Leader Ángel Santiesteban-Prats Prior to Official Meeting in Havana
Thursday, August 1, 2024 by Emma Garcia
https://www.cubaheadlines.com/articles/286170

Mario Urquía Steps Down as Cuba's Grand Master After Months of Controversy
Monday, August 19, 2024 by Emma Garcia

https://www.cubaheadlines.com/articles/287095

Virginia's Grand Senior Warden Matthew Szramoski Named As G. Washington Masonic Memorial's New Executive Director

by Christopher Hodapp

The George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association in Alexandria, Virginia has just announced the appointment this week of Matthew Szramoski as its new Executive Director, effective immediately. He replaces Karl V. Hopkins who was appointed following the retirement last August of longtime Executive Director George Seghers.

Brother Szramoski was most recently the Director of Development for the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite Southern Jurisdiction in Washington, D.C. Before that, he was Youth Programs Manager for the National Rifle Association.

In the Masonic world, he is the current Grand Senior Warden of the Grand Lodge AF&AM of Virginia and is Past Master of three Virginia lodges: Yorktown 205, John Blair 187, and Mount Vernon 219. In the York Rite, he is a Past Commander of Old Dominion Commandery 11, a Past High Priest of Uroy Harris Chapter 83 of Royal Arch Masons. He holds the Knight York Cross of Honor, a member of the Knight Masons, and a 33° Scottish Rite Mason (SJ).

Masonic Renewal Committee's Summer ENGAGE Program on Membership: August 22nd

by Christopher Hodapp

UPDATED 7/23/24, 4:25PM: An earlier version of this story gave an incorrect date of this event. It is scheduled for Thursday, August 22nd, 2024 at 8:00PM. My apologies for the error. CH

The Masonic Renewal Committee of the Conference of Grand Masters of Masons in North America will hold its online, summer presentation, ENGAGE24 - Membership: More Than Just A Numbers Game, on Thursday, August 22nd. The program will be given by WB Reed Endersbe, Director of Membership for the Grand Lodge of Minnesota.

Topics will include:

• Relationship Building: The foundation of membership
• Lodge Education: Masonic AND non-Masonic
• Candidate On-boarding: The value of slowing down

The program will be held via ZOOM and will last approximately 30-40 minutes, followed by a 15-20 minute Q&A session. The program will start Thursday, August 22nd at 8:00PM Eastern Time. There's no cost for the program, but you must register beforehand. To register, CLICK HERE.

Kansas Masonic Con This Weekend - July 26-28

by Christopher Hodapp

There's still time to sign up and attend the Kansas Masonic Con this coming weekend, Friday - Sunday, July 26-28, 2024, at Rosedale Lodge 333 in Mission, Kansas (near Kansas City).

Speakers will include:

• Chad Thomas – “Freemasonry: Form vs Function”
• Jon Ruark – “Stoic Resilience in an Age of Uncertainty”
• Nicholas Laine – “The Creation of Enlighteners in Lodge”
• James R. Morgan III – “The Lost Empire: Black Freemasonry in the Old West”
• Duane Marshall – “The Journey of a Mason”
• Chad Kopenski – “The Power of Masonic Myth”
• Lincoln Wilson – “How Much Masonry Do You Want?

Rosedale Lodge 333, Mission, Kansas

There will be a Friday evening 'meet and greet' with the speakers, with the bulk of the program on Saturday, followed by a masquerade festive board Saturday night, and wrapping up with an outing on Sunday. Tickets can be had for each event individually, an all program pass, and for virtual attendees who wish to watch online. 

CLICK HERE for registration and ticket information.

New Book by Chris Ruli: 'Brother Lafayette' Available for Presale

by Christopher Hodapp

It's Bastille Day today, so I think it's appropriate to post this story. Macoy Publishing has announced the pre-sale of Brother Christopher Ruli's newest book, Brother Lafayette: the Marquis de Lafayette's Masonic Travels in America 1824-25 (Macoy, 2024, $24.95) now through September 24th, when it's expected to begin shipping. 

UPDATE 7/23/2024: Chris is also offering to personalize and autograph copies of Brother Lafayette for $27. CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOURS. NOTE: please include signature instructions, with preferred name, in the "add a note to seller" box while at checkout.

This year marks the 200th anniversary of Major General Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette’s triumphant goodwill tour of America between 1824-25. Fewer and fewer Americans these days have been taught about Major General Lafayette and his role in the American Revolution, and even fewer know of just how dedicated he was to the cause of liberty, before he arrived in America, and long after he returned home to France where he was swept up in its own revolution. But in addition to his long career as a military figure, statesman, revolutionary, protector, political prisoner, and so much more, he was also a Freemason.

In 1824, Lafayette visited America at the invitation of President James Monroe, and began traveling the country. The American Revolution’s 50th anniversary was approaching, and Lafayette was the last of George Washington's major generals who was still alive. During his whirlwind goodwill tour, he spoke in many places, including several Masonic lodges. He was treated with much the same sort of awe and adoration that had been reserved for George Washington himself, which never ceased to astonish him. Everywhere Lafayette went, adoring crowds followed him through the streets. Balls, dinners, tours, concerts, parades, and public honors of every kind were arranged to honor him, and what started out to be a three-month trip lasted over a year. It was during that visit that the park north of the White House was renamed to honor him. Literally hundreds of other parks, towns, cities, and counties throughout the United States are named after him. And there were more than a few Masonic lodges chartered in his name.

Lafayette's famed American tour took him to all 24 of the United States at that time – 6,000 miles in all – and in the decades following his visit, it seemed as though every Masonic lodge in the country wanted to claim their members had some kind of meaningful contact with the legendary general and Freemason.

Ironically, despite the high-profile visitations and associations with Freemasons while he was here, just a year later, William Morgan would disappear in Western New York, allegedly murdered by Brother Masons, and the most vehement period of American anti-Masonic persecution would erupt throughout the country.

Now, author and Washington DC Mason Christopher Ruli has done a deep dive into the itineraries, letters, diaries, minute books, and press reports of the time to create a full and definitive account of Brother Lafayette’s Masonic contacts and travels throughout his famed trip. The result is Brother Lafayette: the Marquis de Lafayette's Masonic Travels in America 1824-25, a detailed, fascinating, and eminently absorbing travelogue with a uniquely Masonic focus. 

Similar in nature to Chris' previous Masonic history of the Presidential Mansion in Washington, DC, (The White House & the Freemasons, Macoy, 2023, $29.95-39.95) Chris has meticulously tracked down every known instance of Lafayette visiting Masonic lodges, grand lodges, and individual Freemasons. Through diaries, newspaper accounts, even lodge minute books, he has provided the best documented evidence of Lafayette's interactions with Masons all along the route. And they were considerable in number!

You'll find letters, transcripts of speeches, tributes, toasts, diplomas, songs written for the occasion, descriptions of medals and other gifts given to Lafayette. He was granted honorary memberships in lodges and grand lodges. When the weather turned cold in November 1824, he wintered at Alexandria, Virginia's famed Gadsby's Tavern. In January of 1925, halfway through the trip, he wrote to his friend Thomas Jefferson, "I contemplate to set out for the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, New Orleans, and the western states, upwards of 5,000 miles to be performed in 99 days with only 13 days rest...and 300 miles through a sort of wilderness. We will do the best we can." 

He was 69 years old, and the trip would have been grueling for men half his age.

(Typically for my own state of Indiana, which had only been granted statehood less than 10 years before, our legislature, our governor, and our grand lodge made no effort to issue Lafayette an invitation, and the only reason he set shore here was when his steamboat ran aground—the 19th century version of only stopping at an Indiana truck stop on the way someplace else.)

Macoy's is offering the book for pre-sale now for $24.94, and delivery is expected in September. CLICK HERE TO ORDER.

Just as an added aside, the American Friends of Lafayette have been preparing for celebrating the bicentennial of Lafayette's farewell tour, erecting historical markers, arranging for events all along the 6,000-mile route of his original trip. Festivities will begin August 16, 2024 in New York City and wind up at Mount Vernon in September 2025. If you live or belong to a lodge in an area that Lafayette actually visited, you should consider erecting a permanent historical marker describing the visit. Or if your city or town is already doing so this year, be sure your lodge contacts the local group arranging for the marker and ask if your lodge or grand lodge can take part in the dedication and other festivities.

If you don't know much about Lafayette or can't fathom why he was so adored by Americans at the time, read the excerpt below adapted from my 2005 book, Solomon's Builders: