Italian Grand Lodge Communication

The Gran Loggia Regolare d’Italia (Regular Grand Lodge of Italy) recently held the Grand Lodge Convocation at the St Regis Grand Hotel in Rome. Among the many foreign delegations was one from the United Grand Lodge of England led by the Pro Grand Master, Lord Northampton.
     The GLRI is the only regular Grand Lodge in Italy, and is therefore the only masonic body recognised by other regular Grand Lodges. At the meeting, Prof. Fabio Venzi was re-elected as Grand Master. He is well known to English Freemasons, having twice delivered a talk to The Cornerstone Society, once in London and once in Manchester.
     In his inaugural address, the Grand Master said, ‘Today we do not celebrate only the election of the Grand Master, but we celebrate the realisation of an idea at work in each Lodge, the real soul of the Obedience.’
     He dedicated a major part of his speech to the nature or essence of Freemasonry. ‘When we speak about Freemasonry,’ he said. ‘we refer not to specific historical realities, but to its ideal representation. This “ideal reality” of Freemasonry is the one into which each one of us intended to be initiated. It is an ideal made real but without losing, in this reality, that dimension which is greater than a dream. It is liberated from mundane problems, the restrictions of our daily routine, and from those dead ends which too often confine our lives or entangle them in the chatter of the moment. It is likely that we all aspired to a Freemasonry that transcends all of that and which finds its place in the soul.’

New York Masons Develop Child ID Programme

Since the inception of the Child ID Programme in 1991, the Grand Lodge of New York has gathered more than 300,000 records of children, making it the most successful child ID programme in the Unites States. As with other similar programmes, the objective is to assist law enforcement in the safe recovery of a lost or missing child.
     Team leader Charles Uhle said ‘This is masons providing a vital community service. We must keep doing our part to aid in the safe recovery of a missing child.’ The data collected includes a digital photo, digital fingerprints and all the statistical information required when reporting a missing child. All the data is stored on a mini CD saved by the parent or guardian.
     If a child is reported missing, the data can be uploaded to the law enforcement database from the squad car and broadcast instantly to other agencies. The data thus recorded exceeds even the requirements of the Department of Criminual Justice. In the State of New York there are 32 Child ID systems of which 18 have been provided by Grand Lodge and the rest by Districts and individual lodges. The committee Vice-Chairman Allan Bryant conducts technical training sessions.

Grand Lodge of Spain Celebrates 25 Years

In Barcelona recently the Gran Logia de España celebrated the 25th anniversary of its consecration by the Grande Loge Nationale Française in 1982. Freemasonry has existed in Spain since 1728 with several periods of proscription.
     The Gran Logia de España particularly values the relationship that has in recent times been established with the United Grand Lodge of England. Many of its Brethren are expatriates from England, Ireland and Scotland.
     Many Grand Lodges were represented at the celebrations. Those present included the Pro Grand Master Lord Northampton, the new Grand Chancellor Alan Englefield, the Grand Master of Ireland, the Grand Master Mason of Scotland and the Grand Masters of 17 other countries accompanied by senior members of their Grand Lodges.
     After a lodge meeting attended by the visitors on Friday afternoon, a dinner for the Foreign Rulers was hosted by the Grand Master of Spain, José Carretero Domenéch.
     The main celebration was the anniversary meeting held at the Llotja del Mar, a magnificent XIV century building that had been especially prepared for the event, where in excess of 1,000 Brethren and some ladies were present. Part of the ceremonial was based on the 275th anniversary celebrations of the United Grand Lodge of England. Music composed by Mozart, Mendelssohn and Barber and a brief history of Spanish Freemasonry were additional items. The address on behalf of the visitors was given by Lord Northampton. In the evening a Gala Dinner attended by over 1,100 was held at the Museo Nacional de Catalunya in the Salón Oval.

British Royal Arch Masons in Germany

At a ceremony in Düsseldorf recently, Ian Harris, the new First Grand Principal of the Grand Chapter of British Royal Arch Masons in Germany was installed, in the presence of no less than six Rulers from other Constitutions. The Grand Lodge of British Freemasons in Germany is one of five Grand Lodges constituted in that country, under the umbrella of the Vereinigten Großlogen von Deutschland (United Grand Lodges of Germany). The Grand Chapter is their Royal Arch equivalent.
     As Grand Scribe Ezra, he actively set out to cement contacts with other Continental Grand Chapters, leading to the exceptional attendance from other Grand Chapters on this occasion. In his inaugural address, the new First Grand Principal underlined the importance of assimilating the recent changes in the ritual. ‘As far as retention is concerned,’ he said, ‘we need to look at what is offered after a Companion has been exalted.’ He had also decided, he said, to establish a First Grand Principal’s Award. ‘This will be presented to a Companion who has gone beyond the duties expected of a Royal Arch Mason.’

Co-Masons Le Droit Humain Instal New Grand Master

At a ceremony in Paris recently, attended by approximately 400 Freemasons from around the world, Danièle Juette was installed as the new Grand Master of International Co-Freemasonry Le Droit Humain by her predecessor, Njördur Njardvik from Iceland. Also present at the ceremony were representatives from, amongst others, the Grand Orient de France, the Grande Loge de France and the Grande Loge Féminine de France.
     Danièle Juette, who was initiated in a lodge in Rennes in northern France in 1974, now heads the only truly international Grand Lodge. Grand Masters are elected to serve for a period of five years, and their responsibility extends to an Order covering 48 countries, including Britain. The Order is predominantly francophone, having been created in France at the turn of the twentieth century.
     French Freemasonry follows very closely the principles of the Republic – Liberty, Equality and Fraternity, and in this Le Droit Humain is no different from French national masonic jurisdictions.
     The new Grand Master takes these principles seriously. ‘Women have the same duties in society as men – they therefore have the same rights. Equality is more than a word,’ she says. ‘When Anderson wrote his Constitutions, women were nothing more than chattels. Today, that is different. ‘I think it is important that Freemasonry raises its profile in the world, and that includes all the many different streams in Freemasonry.’ Le Droit Humain believes that the internet should play an ever-increasing role in this.
     The Order is not recognised by the United Grand Lodge of England.

West Australia Masons Working for Children

The Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Western Australia, Wayne Hibble, has pledged a donation of A$100,000 to support the work of Fairbridge Village with the young people of that community. The donation, to be made in five annual instalments, was made during the official visit to the Village by Dr. Ken Michael, the Governor-General of Western Australia.
     The Village provides adventure, sporting and recreational facilities for young people, some of whom, notably the unemployed, have recently been engaged in restoration and renovation of a local club house, under the supervision and training of volunteer tradesmen.
     The donation is part of the Grand Master’s ‘Freemasons Focus on Youth’ programme, and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Village said: ‘If it were not for the support of Freemasons, both financially and in the hours of work by countless volunteers, Fairbridge would not be operational today.’
     The ‘Focus on Youth’ programme also includes a contribution to Homes for young people at risk, and increased support to the Grand Lodge Annual Education Grants Awards to students in need of financial assistance.
     In fact the Grand Lodge of Western Australia has a proud record of education grants, providing assistance to students from 11 years through to postgraduate studies. Students from all academic disciplines are encouraged to apply, and funds are made available at Grand Lodge level and from individual lodges. In all, there are 11 different Grants available, one of which is the J S Battye Lodge Grant, which is open to those who are ineligible for other Grand Lodge or government awards and wish to continue or undertake on a part-time basis a retraining or refresher course, a program of study, or a worthwhile and properly structured project.
     Acknowledgment to MB and Guy Nichols