Christopher L. Hodapp's Blog, page 15

Grand Priory of America (CBCS) Tries To Halt Texas Educational Lecture

by Christopher Hodapp

WB Roberto Sanchez is an extremely energetic and dedicated Texas Freemason, and has been for more than two decades. He served as Master of Gray Lodge 329 in Houston back in 2006, and was part of a group determined to provide a high-quality lodge experience to their members. Since then, he’s gained an international reputation as a popular speaker, and served as an officer in several appendant organizations. If you regularly attend Masonic Week outside of Washington DC, you mi...

Arizona Anti-Mason Posts Videos of Degree Rituals Taken Surreptitiously

by Christopher Hodapp

Following the statement last week from the Vatican reaffirming the Church's longstanding prohibition of Masonic membership for Catholics, the usual platoon of online anti-Masonic wing-nuts came tumbling out onto the Intertubz to post and re-post all the usual anti-Masonic tropes and conspiracy allegations. Most are easy to ignore, or simply dispense with by citing factual information, if anyone wants to bother wasting that much time and breath. (I've got a whole book dedicat...

November 25: Tri-State Degree Exemplification in Dayton, Ohio

by Christopher Hodapp

This coming Saturday, November 25th, all Master Masons are invited to join the Grand Lodge Officers of Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana for the annual Tri-State Degree Exemplification at the magnificent Dayton Masonic Center . The Grand Lodge of Michigan will present the Entered Apprentice; Ohio the Fellow Craft; and Indiana the Master Mason degrees, using each jurisdictions' degree rituals (and yes, there are differences).
Work begins at 1:00PM Eastern Time, and tickets are no...

UPDATE: VENUE CHANGE FOR CONNECTICUT EVENT NOVEMBER 29th!

by Christopher Hodapp

UPDATE: THE VENUE FOR MY CONNECTICUT SPEAKING EVENT HAS BEEN CHANGED!

I'll be speaking next Wednesday, November 29th at the Grand Lodge of Connecticut's 5th District Blue Lodge Council . When I originally posted this event, I had thought it was to be at Unity Lodge No. 148 in New Britain. However, the venue has changed. It will be Wednesday evening at the East Street Eatery at Farmingbury Hills Golf Club, located at 141 East Street, Wolcott, Connecticut. 
The event will be hos...

Speaking in New Britain, CT November 29th

by Christopher Hodapp

[UPDATE: Yes, I corrected my misspelling of New Briton to New Britain.]

The week after Thanksgiving I'll be speaking at the Grand Lodge of Connecticut's 5th District Blue Lodge Council meeting at the hall of Unity Lodge 148 in New Britain, Connecticut. The lodge is located at 10 Mason Drive in New Britain. Dinner will begin at 6:30PM, and the meeting and program will follow at 7:30PM.
It's been quite a few years since I've been in Connecticut, and I'm truly looking forward to ...

Speaking in New Briton, CT November 29th

by Christopher Hodapp

The week after Thanksgiving I'll be speaking at the Grand Lodge of Connecticut's 5th District Blue Lodge Council meeting at the hall of Unity Lodge 148 in New Briton, Connecticut. The lodge is located at 10 Mason Drive in New Briton. Dinner will begin at 6:30PM, and the meeting and program will follow at 7:30PM.
It's been quite a few years since I've been in Connecticut, and I'm truly looking forward to being there. I've actually had the pleasure of speaking at Unity Lodge tw...

Vatican Reaffirms Ban On Masonic Membership: Catholic Masons Shrug

by Christopher Hodapp

The Roman Catholic Church has officially issued a doctrinal letter this week re-affirming its longstanding ban on Masonic membership among its global flock, but Catholic Masons pretty much remain unmoved by the restriction.
In the letter released by the Vatican's Dicastery of the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) dated November 13th and signed by Pope Francis and DDF Prefect Cardinal Victor Fernández, it is stated that "Active membership in Freemasonry by a member of the faithful i...

'Dinner With A Civil War Soldier' in Gettysburg Next Sunday

by Christopher Hodapp

If you are anywhere near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania next weekend, consider attending historic  Good amaritan Lodge 336 on Sunday night for their 2nd annual Dinner With A Civil War Soldier . The lodge is located at 7 Lincoln Square (right on the town square downtown).
Photo from my visit in November 2010. 

From their announcement:

Good Samaritan Lodge 336 will host its second annual Civil War Dinner on Sunday, November 19 at the Lodge on the Square. Presentations from our Civil War ...

December 15-17: Masons To Celebrate Boston Tea Party's 250th Anniversary in Grand Style!

by Christopher Hodapp

(From the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts Facebook page. As an old ad guy, I have to say I really like their tag line: "Same Men. Different Times." CH)
The Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts has partnered with the Massachusetts Sons of the American Revolution and the Dr. Joseph Warren Foundation to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. From December 15 through the 17th, Freemasons and their families will be joining us from across the country, and we hope...

Ancient & Accepted Rite for England and Wales Drops Trinitarian Christian Requirement

by Christopher Hodapp

The Supreme Council 33° of the Ancient and Accepted Rite for England and Wales  (what American Masons know as the Scottish Rite) announced a significant policy change in its jurisdiction this week. Following a National Conference of Inspectors General, a letter was issued Friday stating that they are removing their longstanding requirement for petitioners to specifically declare a belief in Trinitarian Christianity.
This is an important change in this jurisdiction's membership...