My Year In The Grand West

On Saturday, the Irish Degree Team from St John's Lodge  (London East District) arrived in Peterborough - as guests of Peterborough Lodge - by bus in the late morning to perform the legendary Third Degree, and there were certainly plenty of visitors waiting in lodge in eager anticipation. As the Grand Master pointed out during his response to the The Toast To Grand Lodge at lunch, this is a degree that has a history beyond the Unification of 1813 and into the earliest lodges of the Ancients , especially in Ireland, Scotland and Northern England, prior to the eventual formation of the Premier Grand Lodge in London. It was a great day. I had never seen the degree, but had heard a lot of rumours, regarding its rather violent nature - properly providing a candidate true trials and tribulations in order to become a Master Mason. Sitting in the East, I found the team, which were dressed appropriately, integrated the play aspect of Scottish Rite degrees really well to drive home t

I was invited to visit Beach Lodge No 639 by my travelling sidekick, our GJW, RWBro Mark Kapitan, and on this evening at the temple in Stoney Creek the brethren were initiating a new member. It was an evening to sit back and enjoy the show. Beach Lodge has a storied history (as - come to think of it - most lodges do) and I presented the lapel pin to the candidate at the conclusion of the degree, and adorning the pin centrally beneath the S&C is a lighthouse, a reminder of their humble beginnings, meeting originally on the strip of beach adjacent to the waterfront. Very active in the district and vibrant, next month the lodge will initiate another Mason, albeit in their new home in Burlington. As was pointed out to me by the GJW, "The Strip was called Burlington Beach back then yet was still in the Hamilton Masonic Districts. We moved from the Beach Blvd in 1971 and went to the Building on Brant Street for 10 years having many PM's still involved from both moves. Then,

The long-serving Secretary of Chinguacousy Lodge No 738, Bro Roman Lipovsek, was awarded his William Mercer Wilson Medal for his service to Freemasonry on this evening, not having ever sat as an officer during his Masonic career, only serving for the cause of good, and it was an evening well attended by many of his friends, family members and Masons, and many current Grand Lodge Officers - such is the nature of our Craft. To receive this medal is an honour and to see someone in lodge wearing one is indeed rare. The presentation was attended also by the lodge's two Brampton city councillors, as well as the Acting Mayor, who presented - after lodge was closed - a certificate acknowledging and honouring Bro Liposek's achievement. "Land of Tall Pines", Chinguacousy Lodge, was Instituted on June 22, 1987, and Constituted on November 19, 1988. When the Grand Lodge of Canada West was formed, independent of the Grand Lodge of England, in October 1855, William Mercer Wilson

On Saturday, September 21, Acacia Lodge No 430 held its last Installation and Investiture of its Officers at East Toronto Masonic Centre, which has now been sold, and the brethren will, as of October 1, begin to meet at the York Masonic Centre in Leaside. Acacia held its banquet (with a sumptuous array of food prepared by their own chef, and music supplied by a DJ, also a member) prior to the meeting, which was attended by many visitors, as well as guests, including members of the Grand Lodge of Philippines. The East Toronto Masonic Centre was built by members of Acacia over a century ago. This was the first meeting where I could not where my White Tie and Tails, as this meeting was held during the day. I don't have a Morning Suit and thus the ol' tuxedo was dusted off. WBro Jun Ogues was installed as Worshipful Master, and WBro Rodel Hernaez is now IPM of the lodge. According to their history, found on the Toronto East District website: "A preliminary meeting was h

On Friday, September 20, RWBro Kapitan and I had quite a road trip, and were able to share many stories, beginning in Bowmanville where we met and travelled together to Madoc in order to visit St Andrew's Lodge No 497 on the occasion of the Official Visit (his first of the year) of Frontenac District's DDGM, RWBro Bernie MacLean. There was no degree work this evening, but an incredibly well-researched and well-written piece of Masonic Education presented by VWBro Garnet Holmes, who is apparently famous among the district's brethren for delivering many such pieces. After lodge was closed, and after much friendly discussions were held, we went downstairs to the banquet room and enjoyed home-made chili and beef stew (and a draw, which I did not win) before getting back on the road. According to the DDGM, Frontenac Masonic District is made up of hundreds of Freemasons from 14 different Lodges covering an area from Napanee in the west through Kingston to Gananoque in the e

Alpha-Tuscan Lodge No 384 - in my own Toronto East District - held its Installation and Investiture of Officers on Thursday, September 19, and it was a very well-attended evening and a wonderful ceremony, enabled by an excellent Installing Board, led by WBro Brad Guinn. Alpha Lodge was formed in 1880 and Tuscan Lodge received its charter in 1918. They amalgamated in 2008, and they proudly share a rich history of achievement. In 2005, at the time of the realignment of the 5 Toronto Districts, Alpha and Tuscan were among only 3 lodges from the old District 7 to become part of the new Toronto East District (of which The Beaches Lodge was to also join, leaving the former District 3). The 3rd was Cathedral Lodge and it has since gone dark. A complete history of the first 125 years of Alpha Lodge was compiled and printed by WBro. Martin Sckulnick, also in 2005, and limited copies are still available from him. According to the current Toronto East District website, "Alpha and Tuscan

On September 17, I visited Temple Lodge No 597 to watch the ceremony of Lowering The Lights, which was solemn, as it was in fact the last meeting for Temple Lodge, which had formed 98 years ago shortly after The Great War had concluded. The Grand Master, MWBro David Cameron, was also joined in the East by Past Grand Master and Grand Secretary, MWBro Garry Dowling, as well as the DDGM for London East District, our Grand Director of Ceremonies, Grand Chaplain, Grand Registrar and Grand Junior Warden. The subject of shutting down a lodge forever, and going dark, is still controversial among the brethren in general, but in this case, as was told to me by a Past Master this evening, they had indeed enjoyed initiating quite a few EAs over the past several years, but these men had accepted employment outside of London and thus simply could no longer attend meetings regularly or, most crtiically, commit to the responsibilities of an officer of the lodge. The members, after much discussion,

It was the 150th anniversary celebration at Zeradatha Lodge No 220 in Uxbridge last night, and I learnt three things while sitting in the East, other than the members have met in various locations and currently meet in a temple that was built in 1962. The lodge was formed in 1869 shortly after both the Civil War and Confederation had taken place. Since forming, they remain a vibrant lodge, its members still tightly woven with the community in general and Uxbridge specifically.  History abounds in the lodge - from the huge painted scrolls (measuring over 7 feet in width and nearly 400 feet in length) to the Vimy Gavel and and Lt Col Sam Sharpe, DSO , who is a true Canadian hero. Sharpe was not only a proud member of the Zeradatha Lodge, but he was also a Member of Parliament, and only one of two who has ever gone to war while sitting in parliament and he was re-eleted to office while serving overseas. He helped to recruit an entire battalion from the Uxbridge area, who eventually fou

Last night, I was in Whitby (my old hometown) to attend the Installation of the WM and the investiture of the Officers of Coronati Lodge No 520 for the ensuing Masonic Year. A twist. Prior to admitting visitors, I together with RWBro Maher Eid and RWBro Robert Kliaman - both Past Grand Senior Wardens - were quickly admitted into lodge without ceremony, each adorned with the apron of a FC, in order to act as Scrutineers and properly oversee the election of WBro James Ignacio for the position of Secretary of the lodge, which he won. I loved the spontaneity. After declaring the results, we then retired downstairs for a few minutes of conversation prior to the pre-lodge banquet, where I had an opportunity to chat leisurely with Past Grand Secretary and Past Grand Master, MWBro Terry Shand, who was there to participate in the Installing Board - at the invitation of Installing Master, VWBro Gary Rhodes. WBro Lochinvar Cachuela was successfully installed as WM of Coronati Lodge, along wi

Beach Lodge held a wonderful reception at the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Hamilton for the Grand Junior Warden on this past Tuesday night and it was very well attended - and I was happily sitting in the West when the lodge went down to "refreshment" in order to admit the guests for the evening. There was a speech delivered regarding the three-fold history of the regalia presented, and also to the Masonic career of RWBro Mark Kapitan, highlighting not only his work with the College of Freemasonry, but also his rise in the various bodies he has joined and the respect the has gained across the jurisdiction since being initiated into the Craft. The Grand Master in his closing remarks mentioned the origins of our current Grand Lodge in England, which we traditionally understand was formed upon a meeting occurring at the Goose and Gridiron Pub on June 24th in 1717, based on a prior meeting held at the Apple Tree Tavern - yet this establishment apparently was not registered until

While driving down the QEW to Hamilton on the way to the Tuscan Lodge "Silver to Gold" centenary ceremony on Thursday, I passed by a car that had only just flipped over as the emergency vehicles were still arriving on the scene, a solemn reminder of how things can change in an instant. I did, however, arrive on time. After the ceremony had concluded, the Grand Master offered his insight with respect to change - and how a century ago, at the conclusion of WW1, society was changing. The men who joined lodges and especially those who created new ones, such as Tuscan Lodge No 551, certainly enjoyed the lessons of 'social and moral virtue' they were learning and happily passed along them to the next generation. The evening was dignified. Each of the officers proudly received their new gold-braided regalia respectively from their WM, WBro Harry Zulerons, who himself was quite awestruck by the proceedings, ably assisted by the Grand Chaplain, RWBro Dan Graham - while I