Christopher L. Hodapp's Blog, page 16

Attorney for Accused Murderer of Texas Mason May Claim Client's "Mental Incompetence"

by Christopher Hodapp

The suspect arrested in the murder of a Freemason outside of the Masonic Hall in McAllen, Texas last July attended a hearing Monday in which his defense attorney asked the trial  judge for more time to research his client's mental competency. 
Julio Diaz, 35, of Alamo, Texas is accused of shooting Brother Robert Wise, 55, on July 10th as he was leaving McAllen Lodge 1110's officer installation ceremony. Security video showed a man resembling Diaz pull into the parking lot in ...

Masonic Hall in Staffordshire, England Set Ablaze on 'Bonfire Night'

by Christopher Hodapp

The Hanley Masonic Hall in Snow Hill, Stoke-On-Trent, in the province of Staffordshire, England was set ablaze Sunday night after a gang of masked youths were seen breaking a window and hurling a lit firework through it. Fortunately, no one was in the building at the time, and there were no injuries. The fire was put out quickly by local firefighters.
Local police are studying surveillance videos and attempting to identify the yobs who were having a fine old time setting fire...

George Washington Made A Mason 271 Years Ago Today

by Christopher Hodapp

A post on the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Facebook page reminds us that Sunday is the 271st anniversary of George Washington's initiation or "making" as a Freemason. 
George was made an Entered Apprentice Mason at the age of twenty in the Lodge at Fredericksburg, Virginia, on November 4, 1752. (There's some confusion over whether he was 20 or 21, because at this moment in time, the American colonies were just shifting over to using the Gregorian calendar.) He ...

Accused Chattanooga Masonic Hall Attacker Faces Federal Charges

by Christopher Hodapp

Kadum Harwood (photo above), the suspected arsonist who attacked the Chattanooga (Tennessee) Masonic Center in September has now been indicted on two federal felony counts by a U.S. grand jury. This is in addition to charges filed by Hamilton County, Tennessee of harassment, burglary, vandalism/malicious mischief, arson and reckless endangerment.
The Chattanooga Masonic Center before the attack
According to the website for WDEF-TV12: 

"The indictment says Harwood 'maliciously d...

Masons In Movies: 'Killers of the Flower Moon'

by Christopher Hodapp

I haven't seen Martin Scorsese's newest film, Killers of the Flower Moon, but Reddit and the Intertubz lit up all week long over a bizarre scene that takes place in a very real Oklahoma Masonic hall.
The movie is about a unique moment in the mid-1920s that dramatically changed the way of life for the Osage Nation in Oklahoma. The discovery of oil on their tribal land set off a huge economic boom that was well covered by writers and photographers at the time. Osage Indians dri...

NEW BOOK: 'Freemasonry From the 1st to the 33rd Degree' (1875) translated by Kamel Oussayef

by Christopher Hodapp

Illus. Kamel Oussayef 33° has just released a new book through the Scottish Rite Northern Masonic Jurisdiction as part of an ongoing program of rediscovering a treasure trove of 18th and 19th century French Masonic manuscripts. Entitled  Freemasonry From the 1st to the 33rd Degree: t he Complete Ritual of the Sovereign Grand Inspector General of the 33rd and Last Degree of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite,  it is an English translation of an original document in French, writt...

Speaking Saturday at Ohio's Goose & Gridiron Lodge 1717 in Dayton

by Christopher Hodapp

Just a reminder that I'll be speaking this Saturday, October 28th at the Goose and Gridiron Lodge 1717 meeting and Festive Board in Dayton, Ohio. See the lodge website for details. 
On Friday night there will be a pre-event gathering at Jimmies Ladder 11 from 6PM-9PM - not sure I can make that, as I don't know when we'll come rolling in with the Airstream. But I'll try. 
(Somebody needs to build an RV campground closer to Dayton than Brookville. Sheesh. Now, if Masonic halls w...

Why Gen-Z Probably Isn't Interested in Freemasonry and Why We Need To Care

by Christopher Hodapp

Brother Darin Lahners over at the Midnight Freemason blog has written an important essay this week that was inspired by the meme above. I had been working on my own essay along similar lines all week, but Darin has done a far better job than I was doing. Entitled, Why can't we convince Gen-Z to join Freemasonry? You won't like the answer , I strongly urge all Masons — whether they are lodge officers, grand lodge leaders, or simply rank and file brethren — to read it all the w...

Scottish Rite Research Society Symposium Tomorrow in Bloomington, Indiana: Agenda

by Christopher Hodapp

The 2023 Scottish Rite Research Society Symposium is being held on the Indiana University campus in Bloomington, Indiana tomorrow, Saturday, October 14. The event will be held at the new Center for Fraternal Collections & Research (CFCR) in the McCalla Building.

University Collections at McCalla Indiana University 525 N. Indiana Ave. Bloomington, IN 47408

Everyone is welcome to attend in person - not just Masons - or the presentations can be viewed via Zoom.  CLICK TO REGISTER HER...

Outpouring of Sympathy and Support for Grand Lodge of Israel

by Christopher Hodapp

In the wake of the horrific terrorist attacks on Israel this past weekend, the Grand Lodge of the State of Israel AF&AM has posted a statement on its Facebook page acknowledging the enormous outpouring of support by the world's Freemasons. 
Click the image below to enlarge.

It reads:

Sunday, October 8, 2023
Dear Brothers of all the world.
We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for the letters and phone calls from all over the world of fraternal support and solidarity du...