Christopher L. Hodapp's Blog, page 29

Despite an Arrest, Lodge Vandalism Continues

by Christopher Hodapp
MW Michael E. Jackson, Grand Master of Illinois, has issued a new letter concerning several cases of vandalism at lodges in his state two weeks ago. (Click image to enlarge.) Despite an arrest in at least one incident, the activity apparently continues. 

February 24, 2022

 Brethren,

The alleged suspect has been arrested for the recent vandalism occurring at the Grand Lodge and other locations. Yet, another vandalism occurred over the weekend after he was arrested. It could not ...

Book Review: 'A Deserving Brother: George Washington and Freemasonry' by Mark Tabbert

by Christopher Hodapp
When the George Washington National Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia was first proposed in 1910, it was designed as a magnificent monument to America’s most famous Mason, along with being a safe and secure repository for priceless Masonic objects owned by Virginia’s Alexandria-Washington Lodge 22 that were associated with Brother George. The lodge possessed an original, contemporary portrait of Washington showing him dressed in Masonic regalia. And they had a collec...

R.I.P. Paul Newhall

by Christopher Hodapp

News has come that my friend and Brother Paul Newhall passed away in the early hours of Saturday. Paul's wife Georgia posted a message on her Facebook page yesterday with the news. And the Allied Masonic Degrees posted a special announcement yesterday morning.

I can’t recall actually meeting Paul and Georgia for the first time because they just always seemed to have been there. I encountered the Newhalls regularly when I started attending Masonic Week, back near the end of th...

Adam Kendall Named 111th Blue Friar

by Christopher Hodapp

I was unable to attend AMD Masonic Week this year because of some personal family issues. That's a shame, because by all accounts, I've heard it was one of the best and most memorable Masonic Weeks in recent history.
The 78th Consistory of the Society of Blue Friars was convened Friday, February 11th at the Hyatt Regency in Crystal City, Virginia as part of Masonic Week. The Society of Blue Friars was founded in 1932 for the express purpose of recognizing outstanding Masonic ...

Illinois Attacks on Masonic Halls Part of Growing Anti-Masonic Vandalism

by Christopher Hodapp

Police in Springfield, Illinois are asking the public for leads and information in connection with recent multiple attacks on Illinois Masonic properties. (Click the image above to enlarge.) The Grand Lodge of Illinois office, the Springfield Masonic Center and the Ansar Shriners all had their glass entry doors smashed last week, and similar damage occurred at the Masonic temple in Decatur, Illinois last year.
Police are seeking a person of interest in the attacks who was see...

Masonic Sites in Illinois Vandalized

Damage at the Grand Lodge of Illinois in Springfield
by Christopher Hodapp

NOTE: This story has been updated on Friday, February 11 at 5:45AM to include photos and more information about attacks on Masonic sites across Illinois.
Several Masonic locations in Illinois have been struck with deliberate acts of vandalism in the last few weeks. According to a letter circulated by MW Michael E. Jackson, Grand Master of Illinois, the Grand Lodge office in Springfield had its glass door smashed on Wednesday...

Shriners Closing Tampa Hospital - Transitioning to Outpatient Services

by Christopher Hodapp

Shriners Children officially announced the closing of the Shriners Hospital in Tampa, Florida last week. Shriners has operated its Tampa hospital on the campus of the University of South Florida since opening in 1985, and in fact, the headquarters of both Shriners International (the fraternal origination) and its non-profit, recently-renamed medical philanthropy, Shriners Children, are located in Tampa. Unfortunately, stories in the Tampa Bay News caused lots of heated accus...

Grand College of Rites Offers Bonus Book: 'Burlesque Degrees'

by Christopher HodappThe Grand College of Rites of the United States of America is a regular Masonic body that is dedicated to preserving the history and rituals of defunct and inactive Masonic orders. Formally organized in 1932, the Grand College of Rites publishes an annual volume known as Collectanea  which contains reprinted rituals of various officially extinct organizations deposited within its archives. The College and its members agree that these rituals are published and copyrighted stri...

Pre-Order From Masonic Book Club: Samuel Pritchard's Masonry Dissect'd

by Christopher Hodapp

The newly revived Masonic Book Club has just announced the pre-publication ordering window for their second volume: a new edition of Samuel Pritchard's 1730 ritual exposure, Masonry Dissected. 
The pre-publication order window will be open from January 27, 2022, until February 28, 2022, at 11:59

The 'old' Masonic Book Club first published this book in 1977 with wonderful commentary by Masonic scholar Harry Carr, Past Master and Secretary of Quatuor Coronati Research Lodge No...

GM of Georgia Issues Edict Banning Widows Sons Motorcycle Riders

by Christopher Hodapp

The Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Georgia F&AM , Donald C. Combs, has just issued an edict in his state (No. 2022-2) forbidding the Freemasons in his jurisdiction from belonging to the Widows Sons International Masonic motorcycle riders club. Georgia Masons who do not comply by dropping their WS membership risk expulsion from the fraternity. (Click images below to enlarge.)




This is not the first time this has happened in the U.S.

Back in 1998, a group of Masons who shared...