Christopher L. Hodapp's Blog, page 2

Georgia Lodge Selling Mini Iron Pans As Fundraiser

by Christopher Hodapp
Landrum Lodge 48 in Savannah, Georgia is partnering with the appropriately-named Lodge Cast Iron company to create the first-ever Masonic cast iron mini skillets.

As a fundraiser they are offering this unique set of three miniature cast iron skillets representing the three degrees of Freemasonry: the Entered Apprentice with the square, compass, sun & moon; the Fellowcraft with the square, compass, and two pillars; and the Master Mason with the square, compass, and sprigs of ...

UnXplained Episode: Secret Societies

by Christopher Hodapp

The History network finally got around this week to airing an episode of The UnXplained with William Shatner that I shot a segment for a year ago. Season 7/Episode 9: Secret Societies . 
Thanks again to the kind folks at Prometheus Productions who have kept calling me back for 15 years now, for some inexplicable reason.
The portion on the Freemasons featured bits of me and Arturo De Hoyos that were shot in Washington D.C.'s beautiful Scottish Rite Cathedral (which is not the sa...

Unexplained Episode: Secret Societies

by Christopher Hodapp

The History network finally got around this week to airing an episode of The Unexplained with William Shatner that I shot a segment for a year ago. Season 7/Episode 9: Secret Societies . 
Thanks again to the kind folks at Prometheus Productions who have kept calling me back for 15 years now, for some inexplicable reason.
The portion on the Freemasons featured bits of me and Arturo De Hoyos that were shot in Washington D.C.'s beautiful Scottish Rite Cathedral (which is not the s...

Cuban Government Places Disgraced Past Grand Master Back In Charge. . . Again

by Christopher Hodapp

(For MUCH more background on this continuing story, see Cuban Freemasons Oust Grand Master in Called Session on May 29th.)
The government of Cuba has forced the Grand Lodge of Cuba to violate its own internal rules in order to re-install their former Grand Master, Mario Alberto Urquía Carreño (photo above). He had been forced to resign a year ago, put back into the job by order of the government's Ministry of Justice, and was removed yet again as the head of the order by the ...

250 Years of Prince Hall Freemasonry in Boston

Photo: WGBH
by Christopher Hodapp

On Memorial Day, the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts celebrated a true milestone for their unique branch of the fraternity of Freemasonry, marking the 250th anniversary of the raising of Prince Hall and 14 other free black men as Masons in Boston. The Boston Memorial Day event saw a large procession to Copp's Hill burial ground, led by Grand Master Justin A. Petty, where a striking monument to WB Hall stands today.


Back in March 1775, Hall ...

Massachusetts Masons To Rededicate Bunker Hill Monument June 16th

Photo: National Parks Service
by Christopher Hodapp

As the 250th anniversary (the Semiquincentennial, in case you were wondering) of the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution gets underway this year, Boston-area Freemasons and the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts A.F.&A.M. will take part in a rededication of the monument marking the Battle of Bunker Hill at Charlestown next Monday, June 16th.
From the Charlestown Patriot-Bridge website yesterday:

On Monday, June 16, Charlestown will be...

Masonic Quest: Escape from the Masonic Temple!

by Christopher Hodapp

No, I don't mean ducking out to avoid cooking the monthly breakfast. Not that kind of escape. 
I'm always looking for unique ways to bring the community into our Masonic halls and get the public interested in just who and what our fraternity is all about. Sometimes you have to think outside of the usual pattern of pancake breakfasts, chili cook-offs, and other typical events that lodges have been doing for the last 100 years and get more creative. So, here are a couple of ide...

Speaking in Denver on June 16th

by Christopher Hodapp

I'll be speaking in Denver, Colorado at the Consistory of the Denver Scottish Rite Masonic Center on Monday, June 16th at 6:00PM. Really looking forward to it - the last time I was there for an event was back in 2009.
For more information and tickets, CLICK HERE .

Speaking in Denver on June 6th

by Christopher Hodapp

I'll be speaking in Denver, Colorado at the Consistory of the Denver Scottish Rite Masonic Center on Monday, June 16th at 6:00PM. Really looking forward to it - the last time I was there for an event was back in 2009.
For more information and tickets, CLICK HERE .

God and the Odd Fellows

by Christopher Hodapp

Over the last few years, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows fraternal organization has been growing and reaching out to a younger demographic. Some have been embracing their decidedly offbeat name as a welcoming place for men and women who proudly celebrate themselves as being 'odd', an image the organization didn't really have of itself before. Many IOOF lodges have tried to expand with this strategy, but some apparently fear that local lodge officers are doing so by shun...