Fall 2026 Pennsylvania Academy of Masonic Knowledge October 24th

by Christopher Hodapp

The Fall 2026 Symposium of the Pennsylvania Academy of Masonic Knowledge will be held next Saturday, Oct. 24th, in the Freemasons Cultural Center at the Masonic Village at Elizabethtown.

My friend and Brother Roger S. VanGorden, Past Grand Master of Indiana, will present  “Masonic Renaissance: Kinda Like the Borgias.” Roger is currently the Active member for Indiana of the Scottish Rite Supreme Council NMJ, and the President of the Masonic Renewal Committee of the Conference of Grand Masters. If you've never heard Roger speak before, you're in for a thought-provoking, inspiring treat.

(I can honestly say that, Masonically, Roger made me what I am today. So blame him.)

Stephen Doan, Past Grand Master of California, will present “That House Not Made with Hands.” Stephen is an attorney and an  international authority on Masonic jurisprudence. Back in 1975, at the age of 24, he was elected as one of California's youngest Worshipful Masters. His influence and leadership helped remake the Grand Lodge of California into a thriving, professionally-run organization that stands as an example for the rest of the Masonic world.

Registration will open at 8:30 a.m., with the program beginning at 9 a.m. A lunch (for a requested contribution of $20) will be served at noon, and the program will be completed by 2 p.m. All Masons (including Entered Apprentices and Fellow Crafts), their significant others and their guests are welcome to attend. Dress is business formal (jacket and tie for men, dress or business suit for ladies).

Pre-register at PaMasonicAcademy.org. If you pre-register and subsequently determine that you will be unable to attend, please have the Masonic courtesy to cancel your reservation by emailing amksecretary@pagrandlodge.org.

Can't be there in person? A live stream of the symposium will be available on the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania YouTube channel.

My Brazilian Trip Was Cancelled By the A.I. Robots

by Christopher Hodapp

I was supposed to be in Belo Horizonte, Brazil right about now, addressing the Conferência Brasileira de Estudos de Maçonaria (Brazilian Conference of Masonic Studies). But I'm not there, thanks to American Airlines.

If you fly on American and haven't experienced its automated AI rebooking system Aura, don't worry. You will. 

I was supposed to fly out Thursday at 7:00pm, which means leaving the house at 4:00pm. At 3:00, I began getting conflicting automated emails telling me my Indy to Miami flight was running too late to make my 50 minute Miami connection to São Paulo, and I got automatically rebooked Friday through JFK to arrive A DAY LATE, almost at the end of the conference. 

Then, 30 minutes later, it changed its mind again and booked me through DFW Friday. 

An hour later, the AI bot changed its mind once more, and it re-booked me on FRIDAY'S Indy-Miami flight, once again with the same short 50 minute connection. For an international connection, that's cutting it way too close.

I tried calling customer service to try and arrange flying to Miami any way I could Thursday evening, and staying overnight so I wouldn't have any problem's making Friday's San Paolo flight, but the wait time to speak to a human was an estimated 3-hour wait, which meant all possible flights out of Indy would be gone for the night before I could actually get through to a person.

The conference organizers were disappointed, but assured me there was still time to get there before things totally shut down Saturday night. I could step off the plane at 4:15pm, drive to the hotel, and give my talk before 6:00pm, then fly back home Sunday. Not ideal, but still doable.

At 3:50pm Friday as I was loading the car to go to the airport, I got an email from American saying, once again, today’s Indy to Miami flight was running too late to connect, and Aura RE-re-booked me AGAIN back though JFK TOMORROW, arriving SUNDAY, AFTER the conference ends. 

So my whole trip is cancelled.

This is the second trip of mine this year that American's automated system has booked and re-booked me right out of any chance of arriving in time for an event. 

American now has the worst record among US airlines for these kinds of arbitrary computer - made decisions, and few human agents are left and are generally prevented from trying to change reservations manually.

And no, it didn't calm me down for a customer service rep to say, "There's nothing I can do," followed by telling me to "Have a blessed day." It isn't blessed, it's ruined.

Worst is that Brother Kennyo Ismail, who translated Freemasons For Dummies into Brazilian Portuguese (Maçonaria Para Leigos) a couple of years ago, had to pay the Brazilian publisher to make a special print run of a box of the books anticipating me signing them, and now he’s stuck with them.

Last night I recorded my speech and they'll play it today. The conference certainly wasn't ruined without the personal presence of my cherubic good looks—they had six other excellent presenters and I'm sure attendees will go home happy. But that's not really the point. As more and more employees get fired by these companies and their jobs are given to the AI bots with no human interaction, these situations are already commonplace, and it's only going to get worse. We all thought it was bad when customer support lines were answered by distant, tinny-voiced women in Malaysia who claimed they really were named Betty, who were "very, very, very sorry that we were having these problems." 

From now on, we'll look on those halcyon days as paradise.

I was honored and gratified to have been invited to speak at the conference this year, and if the organizers so desire, I promise I will attend their next scheduled event. (After hearing my recorded presentation this afternoon, they may consider themselves lucky that I didn't get there in person...)

Next year, I'll book myself to arrive two weeks before the conference. That way I might actually get there on time.

Meanwhile, I have upcoming dates in Connecticut and Pennsylvania in October. I know better now. Instead of flying, I'll pack up Alice, a moderate pile of books, and our canine companions, and drag the Airstream to the East Coast. 

That way I'll have half a chance of making it on time.

Masonic Education Day in Indianapolis: October 3

by Christopher Hodapp

I realize this blog has been entirely too Indiana-centric in recent months, but nobody tells me anything anymore and I have to pick up news from the tough kids on the street. Still and all, we've had a lot going on here in the Hoosier state on the Masonic front, so I won't apologize for it.

Having said that, the Grand Lodge of Indiana will be holding a Masonic Education Day on Saturday, October 3rd at the Indianapolis Masonic Temple/Indiana Freemasons Hall, from 8:00AM until 5:00PM.

The keynote presentation will be given by Masonic author and sage S. Brent Morris, Ph.D., who will present The Folger Manuscript, an exploration of Robert Benjamin Folger's 1826 encrypted record of Masonic ritual and its significance in Masonic history. If you haven't read his book, Committed to the Flames, co-written with Art DeHoyos, I highly recommend it, as it details the story and significance of this rare surviving document from the earliest days of what became the Scottish Rite in the United States.

The manuscript is written in a unique cipher code, and is an English translation of French Rectified Rite blue lodge degrees of Apprentice, Fellow, Master Mason, plus three more haute grades of Scottish Master, Squire Novice, and Knight Beneficent of the Holy City. Brent's background as a former cryptographer for the National Security Agency has made him uniquely qualified to peer into this seemingly indecipherable collection of shapes and symbols and successfully crack Folger's code.

From the website:

The day will feature sessions on creating meaningful candidate experiences, implementing the Grand Master's Blueprint Project, Masonic symbolism, and innovative ideas from fellow Indiana Masons through a series of short-form MED Talks. Attendees will also have the opportunity to explore the Lodge Showcase, highlighting different approaches to lodge culture, traditions, and environment. Coffee, pastries will be provided. 

More speakers will be announced soon.

Registration is free, and an optional boxed lunch is available for $20 (Regardless, please register online so organizers can plan accordingly).

The Temple is located in downtown Indianapolis at 525 N. Illinois Street, just south of the Scottish Rite Cathedral's parking lot.

California Masonic Symposium: George Washington's Masonic Discretion August 26th

by Christopher Hodapp

George Washington is arguably the most famous Freemason in American history. His image hangs in lodge rooms around the world, he laid federal cornerstones in full Masonic regalia, and his membership is a proud part of our fraternity’s story. Yet during his lifetime, Washington almost never spoke publicly about being a Mason and actually (provably) attended less than a dozen lodge meetings. Why the deliberate silence?

That’s the central question of this year’s California Masonic Symposium: George Washington's Masonic Discretion, and it’s one worth your time, especially since it's the 250th anniversary of the founding of this nation.

When: Wednesday, August 26, 2026 

Time: 7:00–9:00 PM (Pacific) 

Where: Live via Zoom (free) 

RSVP: Register here

Historian Steven C. Bullock, author of the landmark book Revolutionary Brotherhood: Freemasonry and the Transformation of the American Social Order, 1730–1840, will examine Washington’s careful separation of his public role as president from his private life as a Freemason. Bullock argues that Washington’s restraint wasn’t secrecy for its own sake—it was a deliberate choice about leadership, integrity, and the proper place of the fraternity in a new republic.

After Steven's presentation, a live panel will dig deeper. Past Grand Master John Cooper III, Inspector and educator Scott Morrison, Jr., and moderator Jhairo Echevarria (Chairman of the Grand Lodge Committee on Masonic Education) will place Washington’s example alongside later figures such as DeWitt Clinton, the Morgan Affair, and the rise of the anti-Masonic movement. There will also be a live Q&A, so bring your questions.

Whether you’re a serious student of Masonic history, a Washington fanboy, or simply curious about how our most celebrated Brother navigated the tightrope between fraternity and public life, this promises to be a strong program. The Grand Lodge of California has a solid track record with these symposia, and this year’s topic is especially relevant this year.

Mark your calendar, grab a seat on Zoom, and join the conversation. Registration is free and open to all.

July 18: Speaking at Ohio Masonic Education Event This Saturday

by Christopher Hodapp

I'll be speaking this Saturday, July 18th at Ohio's 6th Masonic District's Pillars of Knowledge event. This Masonic educational gathering will be held at J.B. Covert Lodge No. 437 on the east side of Cincinnati, Ohio, between 8AM and 3PM.

Six speakers will be featured:

• Chris Hodapp (Dummy)
• Dan Hrinko (author of 'The Craft Driven Lodge')
• William Carter III (PGM and Cybersecurity Expert)
• Dirk Hughes (Director of the Michigan Masonic Museum and Library)
• Tim Redick (Associate Dean off the Royal Schofield Society)
• Michael Miller ((Master of the Ohio Lodge of Research)

Registration is $30 and lunch is included.  Visit the website HERE to register. 

(Not enough time to pre-register? Any Master Mason is welcome to attend and registrations will also be held onsite beginning at 8AM)

The lodge is located at 848 Clough Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45245. 

Speaking in Indiana and Wyoming This Week

by Christopher Hodapp

I will be speaking Wednesday night at Jubilee Lodge 746 in Whiteland, Indiana at the request of WB Michael Steele, Worshipful Master. Dinner begins at 6:00PM, prepared by the indefatigable Heather Steele, and the meeting will open at 7:00. Michael and Heather have been of immeasurable help to the Masonic Library & Museum of Indiana this year and I can't thank them enough for all they've done (even if Michael DID use the silliest photo of me he could find - it was a 4th of July fireworks show and I was NOT trying to look like Rex Hutchens).

Jubilee Lodge was so named because it was the first lodge chartered in 1968, the Jubilee Year of the Grand Lodge of Indiana which was celebrating the 150th anniversary of its founding in 1818. 

This weekend I'll be flying to the far-flung land of the Cowboy State to speak at the Grand Master's Spring 2026 Reunion of the Grand Lodge of Wyoming in Riverton. Grand Master Greg Shiek and his education committee have assembled a great lineup of presentations. 

The event will be Saturday, April 11th at Riverton Lodge 26. Registration opens at 7:00AM, and Grand Lodge opens at 9:00AM.

• Christopher L. Hodapp, author of Freemasons for Dummies

• "Global Influence of Masonry," Nathan Clark, SGS, Casper Lodge #15 

• "Part 1: Why the Nazis Targeted the Craft," Josh Thompson, Casper Lodge #15 

• "The Morgan Affair," John Voodward, Riverton Lodg 26 and Sheridan Lodge #8 

• "Part 2: Lessons from the Masonic Response & What is Facism?" Josh Thompson,  Casper Lodge #15 

• "The Mysterious #3 for Masons,' Clifford Spoonemore, PM, Secretary, Acacia Lodge #11, Southeast Sextant Lecturer 

• "Security in the Lodge," Juel Leuis, WM Rock Springs Lodge #12 

• "Deciphering Tubal Cain," Christopher Neubauer, WM, Casper Lodge #15, East Sextant Lecturer

In case you're interested, I don't know if tickets are still available this late. Contact the Grand Lodge of Wyoming office directly, as there is no online registration available.

2025 Midwest Conference on Masonic Education Wrap Up

by Christopher Hodapp

The 75th Midwest Conference on Masonic Education in Indianapolis has wound down for 2025, and I'd like to express my deepest thanks to everyone who helped make it a great success. Not only to the other presenters, but to the attendees, as well. 

Speakers at the Conference included Steve Harrison, Heather Calloway, Daniel Gardener, Adam Kendall, Brent Morris and myself.

Among the close to 100 attendees were representatives from 17 different Masonic jurisdictions.

As president of the Conference this year, James Buckhorn did an outstanding job in arranging and organizing the programs, the venue, the meals, and so much more. 

The Grand Lodge of Nebraska will be next year's host.

Those Midnight Freemason guys show up everywhere.

Before the Conference, some of the 'Indiana Friends of Brent' were able to join up with the 
venerable Dr. Morris on Thursday, along with our mascot, Billy the Wonder Goat.

Midwest Conference on Masonic Education in Indianapolis May 2-4, 2025

by Christopher Hodapp

Don't forget to register for the Midwest Conference on Masonic Education May 2-4, 2025 in Indianapolis. 

Here's the lineup for what is shaping up to be a truly terrific program.

This year's conference will be held at the historic Indianapolis Masonic Temple, located at 525 N. Illinois Street.

Indianapolis Masonic Temple

Be sure you visit the Masonic Library and Museum of Indiana on the 5th floor of the Masonic Temple. It will be open throughout the day on Saturday.

Don't forget that Brent Morris and I will kick off this conference on Friday night at the Rathskeller Restaurant.

While you're in town, be sure to visit our other two downtown landmark Masonic buildings: the Indianapolis Scottish Rite Cathedral, just north of the Temple at North and Meridian Streets; and the Murat Shrine Temple at 502 North New Jersey Street.

Indianapolis Scottish Rite Cathedral

Murat Shrine

No one will be bored in this town, I promise. If this is your first time in Indianapolis, don't just chain yourself to the hotel. Downtown Indianapolis is FILLED with 300 restaurants, so you will find an embarrassment of riches when hunting somewhere to eat dinner. Better yet, this is a walking city, and loads of business areas are interconnected with covered walkways, including the Circle Center Mall (which is undergoing major transformation over the next couple of years). Take in a baseball game at Victory Field or basketball at the Fieldhouse. And there are several major and minor museums downtown, as well. The downtown club scene is pretty vibrant, too.

Check out the Downtown Indy website for ideas.

And before you leave town, mosey down to the south lawn of the Statehouse and take your picture next to the statue of George Washington in his Masonic regalia as the founding Master of Alexandria lodge in Virginia. He appropriately faces Washington Street.

I hope you have a great time in my home town! Great Masonic ideas and practices got their start in Indiana, and we have much to be proud of here.

Welcome to Indianapolis!

Thanks To Rochester, New York's College of Freemasonry

by Christopher Hodapp

Last Saturday I was supposed to be in New York to make a presentation at the 2025 College of Freemasonry, sponsored by the Scottish Rite Valley of Rochester. The theme of the event was the 200th anniversary of the disappearance of William Morgan in nearby Batavia back in 1825. Alice and I were hoping to drag out the Airstream and camp out in upstate New York after this event. Unfortunately, Alice is still recuperating from her foot surgery performed back in February and is unable to walk yet, which means she can't be left alone for more than a few hours. So, I was unable to attend in person.

Fortunately, Shawn Eyer WAS there in person, and presented on the wider topic of Anti-Masonry in America. Thankfully, the Rochester brethren were quite understanding and permitted me to present my talk through the miracle of Zoom. Both John Bizzack and I gave our presentations via long distance and participated in a follow-up discussion. 

John's drew heavily on his 2022 book, The Age of Unreason, in which he carefully examines what is provably true in the Morgan case, versus the reams of exaggerations, untruths and downright fabrications made over the last two centuries on all sides of the story. If you know nothing about Morgan, start with John's volume. As a longtime veteran police investigator, he approaches the case with a dispassionate point of view, separating the serious evidence from the nonsense.

My presentation was about an almost completely unknown work from 1896 that most researchers into Morgan know nothing about: a bizarre, esoteric science fiction/adventure novel called Etidorpha, or the End Of the Earth. Written by a renowned Cincinnati pharmacist named John Uri Lloyd, it describes an un-named protagonist – known only as 'I Am The Man Who Did It' (or simply, 'I Am The Man') – who is clearly supposed to be Morgan himself. It describes his desire to seek the knowledge to Life, the Universe and Everything, which leads him to join the Masons; his falling on hard financial times; his moment of weakness in which he publishes an exposure of the fraternity's rituals; his arrest and kidnapping near the Canadian border... All obviously Morgan's story.

But Morgan's Masonic captors do NOT kill him. Instead, he is taken to a hidden cave in Kentucky where he encounters a strange, glowing blue humanoid figure who guides him down into the bowels of the Earth where he sees prehistoric creatures, experiences weightlessness, hallucinates in a forest of giant magic mushrooms, crosses a vast underground sea that defies all known physics, and finally meets Etidorpha (the goddess Aphrodite, spelled backwards) who informs him that he is to become part of a select group of enlightened adepts (presumably Masons) who have gently guided mankind throughout the Ages. 

Talk about rehabilitating both Morgan's AND his Masonic captors' reputations in one novel!

The book is a wild, esoteric variation on Verne's Journey to the Centre of the Earth, with a touch of Bulwer-Lytton's Vril, the Power of the Coming Race. Its illustrations were done by J. Augustus Knapp, who eventually became a Theosophist and illustrated Manly P. Hall’s famous esoteric work, The Secret Teachings of All Ages, 30 years later.

Finally, I wish to extend my deepest thanks to the College for presenting me with the Thomas W. Jackson Masonic Education Award. This particular award is especially poignant. I first spoke at the College back in 2010 and shared the podium with none other than Tom Jackson himself. I'd met and chatted with Tom at Masonic Week several times over the years, but it was the first opportunity we'd ever really had to spend some time together and get to know each other. He is sorely missed every day, so this beautiful award will be a constant reminder of his friendship. 

An Idiot and a Dummy At Midwest Conference on Masonic Education in Indianapolis May 2-4

Christopher Hodapp

A couple of years ago, the Midwest Conference on Masonic Education posted a lineup of "The Three Books Every (       ) Mason Should Read," and they broke the lists down according to general subject matter – historical, ritualist, esoteric, philosophical, leadership, and so on. The very first category was for the 'Beginning Mason' and it was gratifying to see that the twin titles at the top of that list were Freemasons For Dummies and The Complete Idiot's Guide To Freemasonry.

I'm sure they listed mine first by alphabetizing authors' names.

This year's Midwest Conference on Masonic Education will be held in Indianapolis May 2nd-4th, and to kick off the event, Dr. S. Brent Morris and I will be presenting "An Idiot and Dummy Answer Anything You Want To Know About Freemasonry" on the evening of Friday, May 2nd. Our open forum lollapalooza will be held in conjunction with the Friday night dinner to be held at the famed Rathskeller German restaurant in the historic Indianapolis Athenaeum.

The conference itself will begin Saturday, May 3rd at the Indianapolis Masonic Temple, located at 525 N. Illinois Street, and the Embassy Suites at 110 West Washington Street in downtown Indianapolis will be the official conference hotel.

Other featured speakers at the Conference will include:

• Dr. Heather K. Calloway, Executive Director of University Collections at Indiana University
• Bro. Daniel Gardiner, PM of Helena Lodge No. 10 and Idaho Lodge No. 1
• Bro. Adam Kendall, Editor of Heredom / AASR Research Society; 2024–2026 President of the Philalethes Society

The Masonic Library & Museum will be open during the conference.

The price of the Conference is $125 if you reserve before May 1st (or $140 during the event). Please note that a separate $20 ticket is required to attend Friday night's dinner, but that $20 ticket cost will be applied towards the cost of whatever food and drink you may order that night. Be aware that you must attend the dinner at The Rathskeller to receive the $20 credit toward your restaurant bill. Seating is limited, and tickets are non-refundable if you fail to attend for any reason.

To purchase tickets and to reserve hotel rooms, CLICK HERE.

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.

Missouri's 2024 Truman Lecture Features Oklahoma's Robert G. Davis, PGM in September

by Christopher Hodapp

Each year, the Missouri Lodge of Research hosts an important speaker for their Fall Truman Breakfast, named for PGM Harry S Truman of Missouri, who was instrumental in founding this educational special purpose lodge almost a century ago.

This year's speaker will be Oklahoma Past Grand Master, RW Robert G. Davis.

Robert G. Davis is a Past Master of three Masonic lodges in Oklahoma, a 33° Mason and recipient of the Grand Cross. He is a Past Grand High Priest of Royal Arch Masons, Past Grand Master of Cryptic Masons, Past Grand Commander of the Knights Templar in Oklahoma, and Past Sovereign Grand Master of the Grand Council of the Allied Masonic Degrees of the United States. He served the Craft as Grand Master of the Oklahoma Grand Lodge, AF&AM in 2021. He currently serves as a Board member of the George Washington National Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia.

He 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.

The Fall Breakfast takes place during the annual communication of the Grand Lodge of Missouri AF&AM, which moves around to a different part of the state every year. This event will take place September 17, 2024 at the Convention Center in St. Charles, Missouri. (St. Charles is on the far northwest side of St. Louis.) 

It's a 7:00AM breakfast before their grand lodge meets, so late risers need to adjust accordingly.

Important note: You MUST register and pay for tickets for the Fall 2024 Truman Series Lecture in advance, no later than July 31st, if you want to attend this event. 

Visit the following Eventbrite link to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/202nd-annual-communication-grand-lodge-of-missouri-af-am-tickets-912266352217

Speaking at Vancouver All-Masonic Day May 25th

by Christopher Hodapp

I'll be winging my way Vancouver-ward in Canada and visiting the Grand Lodge of British Columbia & Yukon from May 24th through May 27th. I've been graciously invited by the Vancouver Lodge of Education & Research to speak at their Grand Masonic Day event on Saturday, May 25th. 

Freemasons Hall is located at 508 Agnes Street in New Westminster.

A dozen or so years ago I was actually named as the 'Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of BC&Y near Indiana,' yet I've never been able to visit out there before. So I appreciate the opportunity to spend a couple of days there.

Besides myself, RE Brother Wes Regan will give a report on the increase of vandalism, arson, and other attacks against Masons and related buildings. Wes' presentation is especially timely, since Vancouver lost three major Masonic halls to a single arsonist last year. There will also be an address by Junior Grand Warden Ron Cawthra; a panel discussion contrasting various grand lodges and their different gender policies, moderated by MW Philip Durell; a open Q&A session with myself and RW Regan; and remarks from Grand Master Arthur Smith. 

I understand that, in addition to local Canadian Masons, several American Brothers will be traveling up from Washington (state). Brother Wesley Regan tells me tickets are already 3/4 sold out, so if you plan on attending, act now! 

To order tickets, visit https://gmd2024.eventbrite.ca/. Tickets are CAD$37. The event begins at 3:00PM PST.

Here is the schedule:

2024 World Conference on Fraternalism in Paris June 13-15

by Christopher Hodapp

The 2024 World Congress on Fraternalism, Freemasonry, and History will be held June 13-15 in Paris at the rue de Cadet headquarters of the Grand Orient de France between June 13th and 15th. 

Convened by the journal, Ritual, Secrecy, and Civil Society, in cooperation with the Policy Studies Organization, France's Museum of Freemasonry and the GODF, this event explores how associations and volunteerism have shaped democracy, politics, and history.

The conference alternates each year between Paris and Washington, D.C.

This international event attracts the top scholars around the world in the field of not just Freemasonry, but of fraternalism of all kinds. It is a part of the Policy Studies Organization's support of research into associations, civility, and the role of non governmental organizations in democracy. 

These ongoing international conferences have been spearheaded and supported by Brother Paul Rich for more than a decade now, and he has been a champion of promoting and pursuing Masonic scholarship on a worldwide basis. A shocking number of U.S. Masons are unaware of his role in this pursuit, as well as his own scholarship, and that is a downright shame. On top of his many accomplishments and honors in the academic world, he is the publisher of numerous books about Freemasonry (among others) through Westphalia Press. 

In conjunction with Paul Rich, Brother Pierre Mollier in France is one of the top Masonic historians in the world. Among his many accomplishments, he is the director of France's incredible Museum of Freemasonry in Paris (Musée dé Franc-Maçonnerie). If you don't know his name or reputation, you need to.

Presenters will include:

Guillaume Trichard, Grand Master of the Grand Orient de France; Pierre Mollier, Curator of Paris' Museum of Freemasonry; Paul Rich, Harvard and George Mason University Professor; Arturo de Hoyos, Scottish Rite Research Society; Josef Wäges; S. Brent Morris, Editor Emeritus of the Scottish Rite Journal; UCLA's Margaret Jacob; John Belton; Andrew Prescott from the University of Glasgow; Cécile Révauger, University Professor Emeritus, Bordeaux University; Pierre Yves Beaurepaire, Nice University Professor; Peter Lanchidi, Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest; Simon Deschamps, Lecturer, University of Toulouse le Mirail; Charles Coutel, Professor Emeritus at the University of Artois; Éric Saunier, Lecturer at the University of Le Havre; Mireille Quivy, Honorary Lecturer, University of Rouen; and Christophe Devillers, Editor-in-chief of Humanisme magazine; and Joachim Grave dos Santos, Archivist of the Grand Orient Lusitanien.

Also presenting will be:

Roger Dachez; Jean-Michel Mathonière; Maurice Weber; Laurent Segalini; Jan Snoek; Gaëtan Mentor; Marcel Clodion; André Combes; Gérard Contremoulin; Colette Léger; Jean-Luc Le Bras; Dominique Jardin; Guillermo De Los Reyes; Laure Caille; Philippe Wiedenhoff; Michel Chomarat; Yves Grange; Antonio Morales; Joaquim Grave Dos Santos; and Wallace Boston.

(See the complete program HERE.)

Because presentations may be made in English or French, simultaneous translations from French-English, English-French are offered for most sessions. The Conference is free of charge, but you need to register on EventBrite if you will be attending – CLICK HERE.

Following each conference, the presented papers are collected and published in the journal, Ritual, Secrecy, and Civil Society. Journals from previous conferences may also be read online or downloaded.

The conferences are held alternatively in Paris (2022, 2024) and in Washington D.C. (2023, 2025). The Washington conferences are held at the historic Quaker Meeting House.

Midwest Conference on Masonic Education May 3-5, 2024 in Minnesota

by Christopher Hodapp

This year's Midwest Conference on Masonic Education will be held May 3-5, 2024 in Bloomington, Minnesota in and around the Masonic Heritage Center on the campus of the Minnesota Masonic Home.

Grand lodges all over the world have long realized the crying need to impart Masonic knowledge to our members. It seems that everybody knows that they're supposed to be providing "Masonic education" to Freemasons. But just how to you get knowledgable Masons who know (or understand) Masonic ritual, history, customs, laws, and all the other intellectual and cultural heritage we possess in our institution the proper tools and training to convert their knowledge and expertise into digestible lessons and into the brains of eager students? The best ritualists and historians don't always make the best teachers. Well, this year's conference will help provide some tools and methods to do just that.

Keynote speaker for this annual event will be Dave Baranek, former Aerial Combat instructor at the U.S. Navy's "Top Gun" Fighter Weapons School at Pensacola. His talk will center on "educating the educators," based on his 20 years of experience of teaching young pilots how to master the complex intricacies and develop the instincts needed for flying F-14 Tomcat planes. You can't get more different subjects than teaching Freemasonry and F-14s, but the methods of educating a widely disparate group of students in arcane subject matter are essentially alike. 

In addition to Baranek's keynote, other speakers and topics will include:

• Terry Tilton, PGM - "Masonic Education – Our Challenges and Opportunities"
• WBs Eric John Erfourth and Daniel Sherry - "MWB Ben Franklin’s Educational methodology and attitudes towards Adult education"
• WB Brad Phelps - "Seven Habits of Highly Effective Masons"
• Scott Wolter – "Templars, Masons & North America"
• Also speaking will be: Nick Settich, Brad Phelps, Markus Müller and Reed Endersbe

The event hotel will be the nearby Marriott in Minnetonka, Minnesota.

For a schedule of speakers, events, vendors and how to register, visit the conference website at www.mcme1949.org

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE (from their website)

The Midwest Conference on Masonic Education was formed in 1949 at a gathering of interested Masons from Illinois (including Alphonse Cerza) and Iowa. The outcome was to continue getting together by establishing its first Annual Meeting which was held in December 1950 in Cedar Rapids IA. The organization is comprised of a loose and ever-changing collection of Masonic educators from Grand Lodge jurisdictions located in  north central States and the Canadian Province of Manitoba. 

Member jurisdictions: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, Manitoba. Other participants frequently include chairs of Masonic Education as well as Grand Lodge officers. 

What We Are About

The aim of the Conference is to promote Masonic Education, in part by providing a forum for educators to gather, freely discuss Masonic issues, socialize, and learn from sharing experiences while building beneficial relationships.


In addition, the Conference initiates special projects such as collecting data on educational practices across all North American jurisdictions, as well as encouraging Masonic research and writing by individual educators.

How We Function

The Conference meets once a year, usually in late April or early May, in one of the member jurisdictions. Responsibility for conducting the Annual Meeting rotates each year, eventually being hosted by all member jurisdictions before repeating.

A typical program schedule includes presentations by well-known Masonic speakers, experiential as well as scholarly participant presentations, roundtable discussions, and jurisdiction reports. Sufficient time is also arranged to provide informal chats among attendees. For more than a half century, our participants have expressed the view that our Conference is well worth the time, effort and cost in order to gain the many benefits from attending and participating.