There is a Masonic Ceremony Course scheduled this coming Saturday, 31 October from 9:00 AM till 1:00 PM. Venue is at the Bulli Masonic Centre, 286 Princes Highway, Bulli NSW 2516.
Please bring $20 which will go towards the cost of tea & coffee, certificate, and training materials.
Lunch will be at your own cost at the Leagues Club across the road.
I have attended this course three times and this time I will be attending again.
The course is coordinated by the Regional Education Officer for R11, VWBro Brian Mackander, OAM.
The Grand Lodge Demonstration Team headed by the Chairman of the Private Lodges Committer, RWBro Bruce Munro will be the course leader.
I strongly encourage & recommend this course to all the foundation members of the new Lodge Jose Lodge 1045 so that by the time the lodge will be consecrated, we all will be well versed with our degree works.
Brethren, kindly make time to attend this very important and enjoyable training course.
Interested brethren please send your name, lodge name, & contact phone to me.
Kind regards,
Rey Porras
A group photo of both participants, course coordinators & demonstration team; after the course.
Lodge Jose Rizal No 1045 will have a Foundation Members Meeting at Castle Hill Masonic Centre, corner Old Northern and Showground Roads on Sunday, 25 October 2009 at 4:00 PM.
We also welcome new members wishing to join us. Your ladies are also welcome to attend the fellowship.
There is an optional dinner planned at Castle Hill RSL, for those wishing to join us.
Worshipful Master -elect, VWBro Manny Maniago announced that VWBro Peter Court accepted [on behalf of UGL NSW & ACT] application of Lodge Jose Rizal for consecration in this jurisdiction.
As the application as a regular constituted lodge will have to go through further discussion with The United Grand Lodge of New South Wales & Australian Capital Territory's [UGL NSW & ACT] committee on new lodges; it was issued with number 1045.
Hopefully, come 30 January 2010 Lodge Jose Rizal will be officially known as Lodge Jose Rizal No 1045, UGL NSW & ACT.
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Author Dan Brown may have outraged the Vatican in "The Da Vinci Code," but his new book, "The Lost Symbol," is being welcomed by his latest subjects, the Freemasons.
Brown's novel, released on Tuesday, again features the fictional, mystery-solving Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, with the story taking place over a 12-hour period in Washington.
But while the fictional story lines about conspiracy and the Catholic Church in "The Da Vinci Code" caused an uproar among some Catholics and drew censure from the Vatican, a senior representative of the Freemasons in Australia called "The Lost Symbol" the work of a "terrific novelist."
"We are very pleased, there is nothing in this book that will offend my organization. It does give us the opportunity to open it up a bit," said Greg Levenston, Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory for the Freemasons.
Levenston said the Freemasons were so excited about the book that they started a book club which will meet next week. "Of course the first book we are reviewing is The Lost Symbol, I think it's a wonderful start," he added.
Levenston was speaking to Reuters at a launch event in Sydney for the book, which will have a global English language first print run of 6.5 million copies -- the largest ever first print run by Random House, a unit of German media group Bertelsmann AG.
Some booksellers are hoping "The Lost Symbol," and other new releases from bestselling authors such as Michael Crichton, will help revive an industry hit by the global economic downturn. Brown's "Da Vinci Code" has more than 81 million copies in print since its 2003 release, topping international bestseller lists.
Levenston said modern Freemasons are not as secretive as their predecessors, but said secret handshakes and special words are still used to help identify members as "men of trust."
"The secret handshakes certainly do still exist, but we don't roll up one trouser leg any longer. In the old days it was seen as a symbol of humility not for anything else," Levenston said.
Levenston revealed 10 of Australia's prime ministers were Freemasons, as well as legendary cricketer Sir Donald Bradman and veteran actor Charles Tingwell, who died earlier this year.
The history of Freemasonry, a fraternal organization, dates back to around the 16th century. There are approximately four to five million members worldwide.
Just to remind you of the following important dates:
Friday, 26 June 2009 - 7:00 PM - Lodge Visitation at The Cedars Lodge No 1041 14th Regular Meeting, Punchbowl Masonic Centre, 29 Arthur St, Punchbowl NSW. Cost $30.00 pp South.
Friday, 10 July 2009 - 7:00 PM for 7:15 Tyling - Lodge Alpha 970 Double Initiation & 493rd Meeting, Blacktown Masonic Centre, First and Boys Avenues, Blacktown.
Saturday, 8 August 2009 - Grand Lodge Proclamation Ceremony - 4:00 PM [Cost $5.00 pp]
To follow Freemasons' Association (NSW & ACT) Disaster Relief Fund Charity Dinner - 6:30 PM for 7:00 PM start [Cost $90.00 pp], Sydney Masonic Centre, Castlereagh St, Sydney.
Dress: Tails/Dinner Suit, Ladies formal/after five wear. RSVP: 3 August 2009.
Saturday, 22 August 2009 - 5:00 PM Tyling - Lodge Blacktown Kildare Installation, With WBro Rudy Romerosa as Installing and Outgoing Master. Blacktown Masonic Centre, corner First and Boys Avenues, Blacktown. Cost $15.00 pp, ladies are most welcome to attend and support outgoing First lady of Blacktown-Kildare, Sis Mila.
Saturday, 29 August 2009 - 7:00 PM for 7:30 PM start - District 32 Dinner & Charity Presentation Night, Sovereign Room, Castle Hill RSL, 77 Castle St, Castle Hill. Cost $38.00 pp. Dress: Lounge suit for men and after five for the ladies. RSVP: 21 August 2009.
Saturday, 26 September 2009 - 6:00 PM - Filipino Freemasons Association [Club] NSW, Inc. FilMasons Ball, Concord RSL. More details to come.
Saturday, 30 January 2010 - Lodge Jose Rizal Consecration and Banquet, Castle Hill Masonic Centre, Castle Hill NSW. Details TBA.
To unite with the Grandmaster in promoting Freemasonry as being at the heart of life.
OUR MISSION:
To use the vehicle of a lodge founded primarily by, but not limited to Filipino masons to:
- Provide a place where the ideals of Freemasonry are practised and guarded and ultimately lead to the development of good citizens of Australia.
- Achieve excellence in the performance of the rituals and charges practiced under the constitution of the United Grand Lodge of NSW & ACT.
- Enrich the education of masons by practices such as the exemplification of the rituals of the constitution of the Grand Lodge of the Philippines.
- Demonstrate to the wider community that Freemasonry is an organization of excellence and value.
- Actively dispel and refute the fallacies that are attributed to the fraternity through malice or lack of information.
Our members are made of "... friends and brothers, among whom no contention should ever exist, but that noble contention, or rather emulation, of who best can work and best agree."
