Christopher L. Hodapp's Blog, page 7

George Washington Masonic Natl Memorial Dragged Into Politics

by Christopher Hodapp

(Updated Saturday, 10:20am,Nov. 2, 2024)
The trouble with owning a publicly visible building is that, occasionally, it's image pops up in the damndest places. 
It seems the local Democrat Party in Alexandria used an image of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial building up on Shuter's Hill, overlooking the city, lit up in blue, and implying it was done in support of their 'team color.' "Alexandria is the heart of Virginia. And it beats blue." screams the headline....

The 1st Masonic Con New York – 'Freemasonry in the 21st Century': January 17-18, 2025

by Christopher Hodapp

The very first Masonic Con New York is coming to the magnificent New York Masonic Hall on the weekend of January 17, 2025. Built around the theme Freemasonry in the 21st Century: Self and Society, this premiere Masonic Con will showcase experts discussing the urgency of Masonic teachings and the importance of Brotherhood in our lives and communities. If you are familiar with the U.S. Surgeon General’s recent study on the epidemic of male loneliness in American society, or wi...

Hoosier Brother Speaking on Rubicon Podcast Tonight

by Christopher Hodapp

A young Indiana filmmaker joined the Masons at Broad Ripple Lodge 643 in Indianapolis, where he quickly became very active and was appointed to the Senior Steward's chair. Within a year of his degrees, he also signed on with Lodge Vitruvian 767, one of just a few 'Observant-Style' or 'Best Practices' Masonic lodges in Indiana. And he became Junior Steward at Indiana's Dwight L. Smith Lodge of Research U.D. where he similarly jumped in and began giving Masonic talks. 

He visit...

GM of Florida Renders Decision Over Social Media Sharing of Controversial Communications - Whatever They Are

by Christopher Hodapp

THIS ought to play out predictably. With lots of noise and gnashing of teeth.

MW Donald W. Cowart (photo), Grand Master of the Grand Lodge F&AM of Florida has just issued an official decree on October 17th forbidding all Masons in his jurisdiction from sharing "any critical or controversial communications between or concerning Masons or any other derogatory Masonic information" on "any online platform, including but not limited to social media, blogs, websites, forums, podcas...

Grand Lodge of Rhode Island Temple Rededication This Saturday

  by Christopher Hodapp

A really good, effective interview on local TV news yesterday with MW Andre H. Faria, Jr., Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island . They're rededicating the cornerstone of the East Providence, RI Masonic Temple and Grand Lodge headquarters on its 100th anniversary this weekend.
The rededication ceremony is open to Freemasons and the general public, and will begin at this Saturday, October 26th, at 10AM with a procession from Haven Methodist Church to the Grand Lodg...

The Mess Over MESH: Grand Lodge of District of Columbia and the MESH Charity Finally Settle Their Long-Running Dispute

Seems like East Coast Masons have been infected off and on by various and sundry ill winds off the Atlantic ever since 2020 when COVID whacked us all. Grand Lodges in New Jersey, DC and South Carolina, along with the Prince Hall GL in Massachusetts all had long, tough, knock-down, drag-out fights internally that started during that irksome annus horribilis. So have the Grand Encampment of the Templars in the USA and the Scottish Rite NMJ. At the very least, it seems that the COVID lockdowns and ...

MSA Issues Hurricane Helene Disaster Appeals for Grand Lodges of Florida, North, and South Carolina, As Hurricane Milton Heads For Florida

by Christopher Hodapp

The Masonic Service Association of North America has officially issued Disaster Relief Appeals for the grand lodges of Florida, North, and South Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene two weeks ago. MSA Administrator Craig Davis, PGM, has posted the following information on the MSANA website:

South Carolina Hurricane Helene Disaster Relief Appeal Grand Master Steven D. Hames has requested the Masonic Service Association of North America (MSA) to issue this Disaster Reli...

UPDATES: Hurricane Helene Hits Six States

The 600-mile path of Hurricane Helene (Image: New York Times)

by Christopher Hodapp

NOTE: THIS POST WILL BE UPDATED.
The path of destruction and devastation over the weekend from Hurricane Helene stretched 600 miles across six states. Thousands are without homes in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee, while deaths from the storm continue to rise – as many as 130 are reported dead as of 10:30 Monday night, according to the Associated Press.
Scores of communities ...

Slate: 'What if the Solution to Men’s Loneliness Is… Freemasonry?'

Illustration by Logan Guo for Slate
by Christopher Hodapp

There's been no dearth of reports over the last few years about what many sociologists and psychologists are calling an 'epidemic of loneliness' among men under 40 or so. Several emails this weekend alerted me to an article on Slate – 'What if the Solution to Men’s Loneliness Is … Freemasonry? What makes a guy decide to join a really old fraternal order in 2024' , by Allegra Rosenberg. It's a refreshingly evenhanded exploration by a non-Maso...

Grand Master Morrow of Grand Lodge of Scotland Abruptly Resigns

by Christopher Hodapp

The Grand Master Mason of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , RW D. Joseph J. Morrow, resigned unexpectedly on Wednesday, according to a message circulated to lodge secretaries and posted on their website.  
According to messages on Redditt, GM Morrow is currently traveling abroad with his wife. The message gave no explanation beyond "personal reasons" for his abrupt departure.
From the official announcement:

The Grand Master Mason, Brother Dr Joseph J. Morrow, has resigned, for perso...