Double Eagle Con 2021 in Chicago This Saturday 12/18

by Christopher Hodapp

My apologies for the dearth of postings recently. We are currently embarked on our annual extended Airstream sojourn to Southern California for the Christmas holidays and I only just saw this announcement:

This coming Saturday, December 18th, the Scottish Rite Valley of Chicago will be hosting Double Eagle Con 2021, a one day Masonic education symposium. Nine outstanding guest speakers will be presenting during this one-day event at the Valley's beautiful cathedral in Bloomingdale, Illinois.

From the symposium's signup page HERE:

Over the course of one day, we will have nine of the most prolific men in Freemasonry. Never before has a group of speakers been assembled who’ve molded our awareness of Freemasonry in such significant ways. These men have made their indelible mark on not only our fraternity as a whole but also the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. This education day will be packed with presentations, fellowship, and more.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Michael R. Poll, 32˚, KYCH is Secretary of the Louisiana Lodge of Research and Full Member of the Texas Lodge of Research. A New York Times Bestselling writer and publisher, he is a prolific writer, editor, and publisher of Masonic and esoteric books.

Josef Wäges, 32° is a member of the Blue Friars, member of Plano Lodge #768, Fate Lodge #802, the Dallas Valley of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry (Southern Jurisdiction), Fellow of the Grand College of Rites, Fellow of the Philalethés, full member of the Texas Lodge of Research, Michigan Lodge of Research and life member of the Missouri Lodge of Research.

Roberto M. Sanchez, 32˚, KCCH is a member of several Grand Jurisdictions, including the Grand Lodge of the State of Mexico where he holds the title and distinction as Past Grand Master, as well as serving as the Grand Ambassador of International Relations. Roberto has given lectures on Masonry all over the United States, Latin America, Canada, and Europe. He is also the original Curator, Historian, and Librarian for the Houston Masonic Library Museum as well as serving on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee. He is the author of The True Masonic Experience, A Guide to the Ceremonial, and several other books.

Steven L. Harrison, 33°, FMLOR is a Past Master and Fellow of the Missouri Lodge of Research. He has contributed to several Masonic publications including his work as a regular contributor to the respected Midnight Freemasons blog. Steve has authored three books on Freemasonry.

Chuck Dunning, 32˚, KCCH is an advocate, facilitator, trainer, and consultant in contemplative practice, with more than thirty years in the professional fields of higher education and mental health, as well as in Masonry and other currents in the Western esoteric traditions.

S. Brent Morris, 33˚, Ph.D. spent seventeen years as managing editor of the Scottish Rite Journal of the Supreme Council, SJ after twenty-five years as a mathematician with the National Security Agency. He has taught at Duke, Johns Hopkins, and George Washington Universities. He was editor of The Freestate Freemason and is a recipient of the Warren S. Seipp Award from the Grand Lodge of Maryland and the Philip C. Tucker Medal from the Grand Lodge of Vermont.

Robert G. Davis, 33˚, GC is the author of four books, including The Mason’s Words, outlining the history and evolution of the American Masonic ritual; Understanding Manhood in America, focusing on the fraternal quest for the ideals of masculinity; The Journey of the Elu to Enlightenment, providing a contemporary interpretation of the degrees of the Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite; and In Search of Light, a course of hieroglyphic and symbolic moral instruction for the Symbolic Lodge.

Darin A. Lahners, 32˚ is the current Secretary of the Illini High Twelve Club No. 768 in Champaign – Urbana (IL). He is also currently serving the Grand Lodge of the State of Illinois as District Education Officer for the 7th Eastern District.

Jeffrey Croteau is the Director of Library & Archives for the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library in Lexington, Massachusetts.

TICKETS ARE $120 THROUGH EVENTBRITE HERE.

The Scottish Rite Cathedral is located at 383 E. Lake Street in Bloomingdale, Illinois 60108. 

Includes continental breakfast, lunch & dinner.

Breakfast/check-in start at 7am.

Speakers start at 8 am.

Members Only. Business attire is recommended.

No refunds will be issued for cancellations within 48 hours prior of event.

If you have any questions, please contact a Scottish Rite team member at (800) 774-3467 or email Reservations@ScottishRiteChicago.org.

For the safety of all attending, COVID restrictions and guidelines will be in place

Chicago Columnist Spotlights Indiana Lodge in the Community

There was a very positive report in the Chicago Post-Tribune on November 1st, written by local columnist Jerry Davich, that highlighted the Brethren of Indiana's Glen Park Lodge 732 and its Master, Izzy De Jesus. Unlike so many typical drive-by treatments of the fraternity by so many reporters who have no idea who and what we are, Davich's was a refreshing, first-person account that demonstrates what Freemasons do, and how and why we are still important to our local communities.

It even made the front page.

What I love about this article is that it illustrates so much of what so many of us have experienced in our own lodges and communities. Note especially the reference to Masonic funerals: this was the very reason I joined the fraternity twenty-one years ago, because of my father-in-law's service. And the lodge's involvement in their town is exemplary.

From 'Psssttt... Masonic Freemasons’ secrets are not as mysterious as you think':

“Cultural folklore and ancient organizations continue to be intrinsically woven into our modern day society. Look no further than the Freemasons, whose enigmatic history dates back to the Middle Ages with mysterious rituals, language, symbols and handshakes.

The well-known yet largely misunderstood fraternity still conjures images of a secret society from centuries ago. What do its members do at meetings? What kind of rituals are performed behind closed doors? Why are antiquated titles still used for leaders?

Outsiders have no clue. Ignorance breeds mystery. Secrets reproduce secrets. Fear creates rumors. This template of shadowy secrecy goes back eons about humankind.

“The brothers of Glen Park Lodge No. 732 have a message for the world – Freemasonry is not a secret society,” said Izzy De Jesus, the lodge’s Worshipful Master. “It is a fraternity of men who take good men and make them better.” Not as puzzling as you thought, huh?

“It is a philanthropy group always looking for opportunities to make a difference in their communities, their countries, and the world,” De Jesus, of Valparaiso, told me...”

“I already had knowledge of Freemasonry since I had some family members involved in the fraternity,” [says Past Master and Secretary Jeff Robb]. “In addition to this, I was well aware that many founding fathers of this great country belonged to this wonderful fraternity, which always piqued my interests further.”

It wasn’t until his uncle’s funeral in 2011 when Robb took a deep dive into the fraternity. He witnessed more than 100 men from all walks of life, donned in white gloves and aprons, honoring his uncle’s life in a Masonic memorial service. Shortly afterward, he petitioned Glen Park Lodge No. 732 - his uncle’s lodge. He was accepted in 2012...”

(So many lodges give little thought to readying and qualifying their members and officers for performing the funeral ritual well, which can happen at any time with no warning or preparation. Yet, the ability to perform the funeral service flawlessly, hopefully from memory, but certainly with emotion and understanding and confidence in front of a grieving room full of strangers is every bit as important as our degree rituals themselves - maybe even more so. So many times in the 21st century it is the first time the majority of the non-Masons in the room have ever encountered the Freemasons in their lives. The funeral ritual is almost like a pre-initiation introduction to all of the mourners and family in that room. And they will remember the service you and your members conducted quite possibly for the rest of their lives. 

Yeah. It's that important.)

“I have met some the nicest people who I can call my brothers since having joined freemasonry,” Robb said. “I know I could call on one of my brothers if I ever needed assistance and they would not hesitate to lend a helping hand.”He cites multiple other reasons for being involved in “the fraternity.”

Fellowship, spending quality time with quality people. Appreciation for its history and mysteries, allowed to participate in the same ceremonies of our nation’s Founding Fathers. And philanthropy, participating in community events to leave the world a better place...

[snip]

As each decade passes in my life, I assume that these type of organizations with ancient histories and outdated titles will fade away, even more so in the 21st century. Yet they remain in existence, obviously serving a need of tribalism in our ever-progressive march toward modernity. This convergence presents what I see as an intriguing juxtaposition of old beliefs and contemporary devices.

“For instance, in the photo [above] accompanying this column, De Jesus proudly poses with his Freemasons ring, rephrasing a ceremonial refrain, “One ring to serve them all.”
[snip]

“[T]he Glen Park Lodge partnered with Thrivent Financial of Valparaiso to help with a Habitat for Humanity project in Portage. The lodge donated the labor of nine of its members, all skilled tradesmen in the fields of carpentry, electrical, and plumbing. Lodge members include Allen Migliorini, Joe Sheets and Tim Williams. [photo]
“I come from a family that is always looking for ways to help others,” De Jesus said. “I wanted to bring that sense of service to the forefront during my term as Worshipful Master of this amazing Lodge.”

The fraternity’s next project will be Nov. 9, offering free first responder classes to nonprofit organizations in Valparaiso, where the lodge is now located...”

Every community, large or small, has an opportunity for your lodge to step up to the plate and make a difference. Back in the days when lodges had larger charity funds, more members, and men in their ranks who were more civically active and engaged on their own, it may have been that your lodge expressed its involvement locally by raising money and writing checks. Or maybe 'everybody' knew that the most important, influential or most visible guys in town making a difference were Masons. That's partially how our reputation was established from the 1840s all the way up until maybe 30 years ago. But we stopped being of interest to so many of those influential men today and we can't rely on the glowing reputation of high-profile members to carry the weight for us any more. 

The first step to reintroducing Freemasonry to our communities now is active participation outside of the lodge room. The brethren at Glen Park are doing just that. It takes work and planning and, hardest of all to achieve, active participation coupled with ongoing enthusiasm.  The great news is that people in your community take notice when the Masons step up and get involved - just like this newspaper columnist did.

““Not just a man, a Mason,” is the organization’s historic motto.

“Not just a mystery, a Mason,” should be our modernized interpretation of this ancient fraternity.”

Read the whole article HERE. 


For more about other ways to get your lodge back in to your community's habit and consciousness again, see my post from August:

Make Your Masonic Hall The Center of Your Community — Again

Former Aurora, Illinois Masonic Temple Destroyed By Fire

And another one gone.

The former Aurora, Illinois Masonic Temple was destroyed by fire last night. It has been empty since 2006. The cause of the fire is unknown.

From the NBC affiliate in Chicago:

Crews continued to battle the massive fire into Tuesday morning. Officials said the ceiling caved in on the five-story structure overnight and it remained unknown as of early Tuesday which portions of the building, if any, would be salvageable.

The blaze rendered the temple structurally unstable, Aurora Fire Chief Gary Krienitz said at the scene early Tuesday. Krienitz added that the temple's roof and part of the facade had already collapsed, and that the entire area was blocked off out of fear that the walls could come down as well.

He also said that debris from the blaze hit an electrical line, forcing ComEd to shut off power in the area and causing a small outage.

No injuries were reported in the fire, officials said, but five homes in the area were evacuated. Fire officials said crews will likely remain on the scene all day Tuesday, with the focus on securing the area and getting people back into their homes safely.

The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

The 1921-24 neo-classical landmark in suburban Chicago was originally built by the proud members of Jerusalem Temple Lodge 90, and was designed by architect William Q. Bendus. It had two large lodge rooms that could seat 200, and an unfinished ballroom. 

But in less than 60 years the neighborhood shifted, membership dwindled, and it was fled by the Masons, like so many other giant Masonic temples in and around Chicago. The Aurora Temple became a banquet center in the 1980s, but has been totally abandoned since about 2006. Local attempts at restoration and reuse had been made over the years, but to no avail. 

Now all that remains of the once proud Masonic presence is a burned out shell.

Preserve and protect what we still have, Brethren. We will never build their equals again.

H/T Scott Dueball

UPDATE: A drone flyover video of the burned out temple has been uploaded to Youtube.

Speaking at Spes Novum Lodge in Chicago 6/7

After months of rearranging, canceling, rescheduling and much general mucking about on my part, I am at long last going to be traveling to Chicago and speaking to the brethren of Spes Novum Lodge tomorrow evening - Friday, June 7th. Many thanks to Brother Robert Johnson for his kind invitation.

Granted dispensation in 2017 and chartered by the Grand lodge of Illinois, Spes Novum is a different kind of lodge, one that values education and makes it a centerpiece to all of their meetings. 

With that in mind, I chose to ignore their guideline to speak about charity this month. Because it's June and the Feast of St. John will be sneaking up on us in a couple of weeks, I will instead be exploring the endless range of symbolic concepts to be found jam packed into one of the simplest symbols we find in Masonic ritual: the lowly point within a circle, with its parallel lines.

Why they'd want a Dummy to address them, I can't imagine. Perhaps in deference to my age. 

And that I'm only a tank of gas away.

For more information about visiting Spes Novum Lodge, see their website at www.spesnovum.com and contact their Secretary.