Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of the Czech Republic | 2015

Sunday, 24 May 2015

Prague, Czech Republic. This weekend was held the Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of the Czech Republic. The National Grand Lodge of Czechoslovakia was founded in 1923. Subsequently, because of the World War II and the Soviet occupation, went into sleep. Czech Freemasonry revived in 1990. The Annual Communication of the Czech Grand Lodge was attended, among others, by the Grand Masters of Germany and Russia.

Eileen GRAY (HFAF) passed to the Eternal Lodge

London, United Kingdom. On 20 May 2015, the Grand Master of the Honorable Fraternity of Ancients Freemasons - HFAF (second Feminine/Women's Grand Lodge in the world, after the Order of Women Freemasons), Eileen GRAY passed to the Eternal Lodge.

Photo: Total Women's Cycling

Born in 1920, Eileen GRAY became acclaimed worldwide thanks to her passion for cycling. In 1946 she was part of the first female cycling team of the United Kingdom. In 1976 she became President of the British Cycling Federation.

Eileen GRAY had been involved in politics as Lord Mayor of Kingston. She was a Freemason for more than half a century and served as Grand Master in the period 1994-2003.

Invictus Lodge (National Grand Lodge of Romania) hosts the European Masonic Meeting

Wednesday, 20 May 2015

Bucharest, Romania. From 22 to 24 May 2015 takes place the European Masonic Meeting. At the event organized by Invictus Lodge, in Bucharest, will participate over 90 Freemasons from England, France, Belgium, Germany, Norway, Cyprus, Greece etc.

The meeting was held for the first time in 2003 at the initiative of Eric Tedeschi, Worshipful Master of "La Chaîne d'Union Europeene" Lodge #183 (GLNF). In recent years the event has been hosted by several European cities such as Longwy, Arlon, Bergisch Gladbach, Luxembourg, Saverne, Berlin, Andorra la Vella, Larwik, Montecatini Terme, Pafos, Husum and Belgrade.

Invictus Lodge works in English and was founded in 1994, under the jurisdiction of the National Grand Lodge of Romania (the only regular Romanian Grand Lodge recognized by the Mother Grand Lodge of the World - United Grand Lodge of England). The meeting will take place at Phoenicia Grand Hotel in Bucharest.

MASONIC AGENCY | The Council approved the amendment of the Constitution

Tuesday, 19 May 2015

From 18 to 21 May 2015 takes place the extraordinary session of the Council of the Agency. The Secretary General presented yesterday a proposal to amend the Constitution and today was held voting process. The Council voted unanimously the elimination of Art. 6, paragraph 2: "It is forbidden the use of the terms REGULAR and IRREGULAR".

The Council will will convene in session tomorrow to vote on the activation of the OB2 and OB1 Protocols. On May 21 will be held the last meeting of the Council and will take place the closure of the extraordinary session. The decrees will be issued and signed on May 21, 2015.

Since the founding of the Agency, Article 6 of the Constitution was a milestone in its foreign affairs and editorial policy. This moment represents a turning point for the Agency and for the way in which the Agency will be headed from now.

The Supreme Council, SJ raised almost $ 2 million for charity and restoration of the Scottish Rite Temple in Washington DC

Monday, 18 May 2015

Washington, United States of America. Saturday evening took place a new edition of the CTC, event organized by the Supreme Council for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States of America. Mission: to raise funds for the restoration of the most famous and most important Scottish Rite Temple in the world (headquarters of the Supreme Council in Washington DC) and raise funds for AASR charitable activities in different Orients of the Southern Jurisdiction.

The event took place in the George Washington Banquet Hall, in the presence of Sovereign Grand Commander R.A. Seale. The AASR leader in Washington has made a considerable effort to attend this event because he was last week in Lisbon, where he attended the XIX World Conference of the Supreme Councils.

The show was peppered with amusing and entertaining moments, one of them being a "magic show" realized none other than S. Brent Morris, editor of the Scottish Rite Journal. The winner of this year's CTC was Brother Gerald Alleva (accompanied by James Alleva) from Baltimore. An impressive moment was the presence of Brother Mike Querner who recited a poem.

The total amount, reached after donations, was almost two million dollars. Most donations came from California, Texas and Georgia.

Women's (Feminine) Grand Lodge of Portugal celebrated its 18th anniversary

Thursday, 14 May 2015

Lisbon, Portugal. On May 9, 2015 the Feminine (Women's) Grand Lodge of Portugal celebrated its 18th anniversary. To mark this event was held a conference on "Freemasonry in the 21st century - Ethical challenges in today's world".

The guest of honor at this meeting was the Grand Master of the Feminine (Women's) Grand Lodge of France, Catherine Jeannin-Naltet. The conference was also attended by other organizations from Portugal: Grand Orient (of Portugal) Lusitan, Portugal's DH (Co-Masonry), Symbolic Grand Lodge of Portugal and the Regular Grand Lodge of Portugal (the only organization recognized by the United Grand Lodge of England).

The Feminine (Women's) Grand Lodge of Portugal was founded in 1997 with the help of the Feminine (Women's) Grand Lodge of France. It currently has 16 Lodges, 9 of which in Lisbon, and signed 11 Treaties of Amity and Recognition with 11 Grand Lodges/Orients, 7 of which are the Feminine (Women's) Grand Lodges that compose CLIMAF: France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium and Turkey.

XIX World Conference of the Supreme Councils started today in Portugal

Wednesday, 13 May 2015

Lisbon, Portugal. From today until Sunday, May 17, 2015, the Supreme Council for Portugal will host the XIX World Conference of the Supreme Councils (Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite). The event brings together all (most of ) the Supreme Councils regularly constituted and recognized by the Supreme Council Mother of the World (Supreme Council for Southern Jurisdiction of the United States of America). AASR leaders AASR proposed four major goals:

• Effective boards, recommending solutions and putting forward actions.
• Adapt the procedures to the current technological environment.
• Reduce the quantity of paper usually left in hotel rooms at the end of the Conference.
• Keep the website active until 2020, including a directory of the Supreme Councils which must be continuously maintained and updated.

The conference topic for this year is: "New ways for a more humane future". The Sovereigns Grand Commanders of the world are aware of the importance of both AASR and Freemasonry had in developing leaders who have marked the history through their work. The Universal and European Charter of Human Rights, the Declaration of the Independence of the United States of America etc., all this represent a joint effort of the Freemasons of that time to give to the society a chance to a better world, a more human one.

Thus, at this year's meeting will be addressed topics such as the Social Contract, Ecological Pact and the mission of the Craft in training leaders.

Freemasonry (AASR) is facing new challenges, believes Sovereign Grand Commander of Portugal, host of this year's event. Agostinho Garcia, 33º says that these new challenges are, among others: the financial and economic model that failed, existential crises of the population and the bleak outlook for young people. Agostinho Garcia, 33º talks about how Freemasonry was forced to reinvent itself, in history, to survive and adapt. The leader of Portugal's Scottish Rite considers that Freemasons must assume the duty to bring hope back to humanity.

Grand Master of Western Australia visited Slovakia

Tuesday, 12 May 2015

Bratislava, Slovakia. On 6 May 2015, Kosmopolis Lodge #2 was visited Australian Brethren. The delegation of the Grand Lodge of Western Australia (which took an European tour) was led its Most Worshipful Grand Master.

Also among the guests were Brethren from Austria, Brazil, the Netherlands and other Lodges within the Masonic Jurisdiction of Slovakia. The Grand Master of Slovakia and his Australian counterpart had a meeting during which they discussed issues of international Masonic affairs. In the evening a dinner was held at Sheraton Hotel in Bratislava. Kosmopolis Lodge is an international Lodge (under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Slovakia), working in English.

Romanian Masonic Week | 2015

Bucharest, Romania. From May 14 to 16 will take place the 2015 edition of the Romanian Masonic Week, a meeting organized by the York Rite affiliated to the National Grand Lodge of Romania. Among the events taking place we mention: Masonic meeting of Demnitatea Românească Lodge #103 (Thursday), Supreme Grand Council of Cryptic Masons of Romania (Friday), Symposium "Masonic Philosophy of the American York Rite" (Saturday).

The event will end on Saturday night with the York Rite Ball.

German Freemasonry helps to rebuild Nepal

Wednesday, 6 May 2015

Berlin, Germany. Nepali society is suffering after the disaster of the earthquake of April 25. The crisis is one both humanitarian and cultural. German Freemasonry joined the common effort of reconstruction of Nepal and called on its members.

Dharahara Tower (before and after the earthquake)

International Symposium of Europe Lodges

Monday, 4 May 2015

Florence, Italy. The Grand Orient of Italy has announced that in May 8-10, 2015 will take place the International Symposium Europe Lodges. The meeting is hosted by Europe 92 Lodge under the jurisdiction of GOI. The Lodges with the same name attending the event will arrive from Austria, France, Romania, Serbia, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Spain, Belgium and Germany.

This year's topic is "Europe of peoples and nations: Solidarity and joint projects". Among the founders of this initiative we remember: Luigi Liverani di Riccione, Fausto Scheggi, Mario Porcu, Eric Tedeschi, Christian Türk and Vladimir Dumitru.

Art. 6 of the Agency's Constitution will be amended

Following the events that took place in April this year and after the working visit on 1-3 May in London, the Secretary-General will convene, in extraordinary session, the Council to require the amendment of the Constitution (Article 6). The session will take place on 18-21 May 2015. It is for the first time that the Constitutive Act undergoes a change. According to the Constitution, the procedure for amendment of Art. 6 must receive the consultative vote of the Council after a debate. The amendment requires the elimination of the second paragraph: "It is forbidden the use of the terms Regular and Irregular". Therefore, the Agency can apply, without restrictions, Art. 6 in its foreign policy and in the new editorial policy.