Christopher L. Hodapp's Blog, page 5

Belgian TikToker Found Guilty of Inciting Attack on Masonic Hall

by Christopher Hodapp

A 23-year-old Belgian woman has been convicted for harassment, defamation and making threats against a Brussels Masonic Lodge after publishing an anti-Masonic TikTok video. According to an account in the Brussels Times ,  her video received 86,000 views and generated 3,462 interactions. After her post on January 24th, the windows were broken and four people broke into the Masonic hall. The allegation was that her video incited them to vandalize the building.

The unnamed woman, ...

Grand Lodge of Ireland Mortified Over Use of Dublin's Freemason Hall

by Christopher Hodapp

WARNING: This is NOT a family-friendly story, I'm afraid. Nor is it pleasant to even describe. But it's been in the internet headlines all week, so I need to.
A tempest has been brewing in the international press this week over a story involving the historic Dublin Freemason Hall of the Grand Lodge of Ireland. The initial reports were that former Fox News host Tucker Carlson had interviewed one-time Irish UFC Mixed Martial Arts fighter Conor McGregor for his online streaming ...

Franklin, Tennessee's Historic Hiram Lodge No. 7

by Christopher Hodapp

Historic Hiram Lodge No. 7 in Franklin, Tennessee is undergoing a multi-million dollar restoration campaign to preserve the oldest continuously operating Masonic hall in the state. WKRN-TV in Nashville aired a short report yesterday about the lodge, featuring several shots inside of the main lodge room and the York Rite meeting room upstairs.

Aside from being the first three-story building constructed in Tennessee, the temple is listed on the National Register of Hist...

Philly Inquirer Tours Historic Masonic Temple

Monica Herndon/Philadelphia Inquirer
by Christopher Hodapp

A Philadelphia Inquirer reporter toured the incredible Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania's  magnificent Masonic Temple for a story over the weekend. 
See  "Philly’s own ‘Temple of Doom’ has fossils in the floors, stars in the ceiling, and an Egyptian room,"  by Stephanie Farr, with photos by Monica Herndon. 
Monica Herndon/Philadelphia Inquirer
Apart from the usual journalistic sniping these days (superficial explanations, an obligatory "dead white gu...

2025 U.S. Masonic Cons and More

by Christopher Hodapp

Grab your Masonic Calendar as the Masonic conference season kicks into full swing. Freemasons are organizing fun and educational events all over the country. 
The Grand Lodge of New York started off the year with their Masonic Con back in mid-January, but as the weather warms up, other jurisdictions are announcing their own similar events. Please alert me if yours isn't listed below and I'll add it to this list.
Montana Masonic Con April 25-26, 2025 – Great Falls, Montana NOTE!...

Midwest Conference on Masonic Education in Indianapolis May 2-4, 2025

by Christopher Hodapp
Don't forget to register for the Midwest Conference on Masonic Education May 2-3, 2025 in Indianapolis. 

Here's the lineup for what is shaping up to be a truly terrific program.
This year's conference will be held at the historic Indianapolis Masonic Temple, located at 525 N. Illinois Street.
Indianapolis Masonic Temple
Be sure you visit the Masonic Library and Museum of Indiana on the 5th floor of the Masonic Temple. It will be open throughout the day on Saturday.

Don't forget ...

OES National Grand Chapter Issues Explanation of Rule Change

by Christopher Hodapp

The national Grand Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star has released an explanatory letter regarding the recent change to the OES constitution which removed the former Masonic family connection for female petitioners.  
As reported HERE, MW David Ray Pyle, the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge AF&AM of West Virginia issued a directive earlier this month evicting OES chapters from all Masonic lodge halls and buildings in his jurisdiction. 
In their letter, OES Grand Worthy Ma...

May 3rd "Railroad Degree" in Northern Delaware

by Christopher Hodapp
I'm a total sucker for Masonic degrees performed in unusual settings, and outdoor degrees can be found all over the Masonic world. But for this old veteran of railroad museums from back in my teenaged years (I became a steam locomotive fireman and engineer at 15, before I could legally drive a car) you can't beat Ionic Lodge 31's "Railroad Degree" near New Castle, Delaware.

Beginning in 2016, Ionic Lodge began this unique degree conferral in conjunction with the historic Wilm...

OES Removed Masonic Family Relationship For Women Last November

by Christopher Hodapp

THIS STORY IS SLIGHTLY EDITED FOR CLARITY FROM ITS ORIGINAL VERSION FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2025, 12:33AM
As reported here on Monday, the   Order of the Eastern Star has been evicted from all Masonic buildings in the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge AF&AM of West Virginia. In the wake of that decision, I was sent the following letter that had issued back on January 2nd of this year by the OES General Grand Chapter. 
I am posting this as a clarification of what started the imbroglio in...

West Virginia GM Boots OES Chapters Out of All Masonic Buildings

by Christopher Hodapp
NOTE: THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED AS OF TUESDAY APRIL 8, 2025 AT 7:50AM:
I've had it confirmed that on March 21st, 2025, David Ray Pyle, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge AF&AM of West Virginia , issued a directive ordering all chapters of the Order of the Eastern Star to vacate all West Virginia Masonic buildings, effective immediately.
WV Grand Master David Ray Pyle
In his directive, he states that the O.E.S. in West Virginia no longer requires Masonic membership as a prerequisi...