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.