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GRAND LODGE QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION – SATYRDAY 3rd OCTOBER 2009 Present
There were also present:‑ the Provincial Grand Masters of Antrim, Armagh, North Connaught, South Connaught, Down, Londonderry & Donegal, Meath, Tyrone & Fermanagh and Wicklow & Wexford; the Provincial Deputy Grand Masters of Antrim, North Connaught, Down, Londonderry & Donegal, Meath, the Midland Counties, North Munster and Wicklow & Wexford; R.W. Bro. Robert J. Armstrong, Past Provincial Grand Master; R.W. Bro. Allen G. Megarry, Past Grand Director of Ceremonies; R.W. Bros. the Rev. Charles McCurdy and the Rev. Selwoode Graham, Past Junior Grand Chaplains; V.W. Bros. J. Noel Millar, Robert J. Robinson, Gordon Morrison, Frank Arnold and John L. Frazer, Past Grand Deacons; V.W. Bros. Samuel H. Boyle, Cyril Quigley, Trevor Hanna and William Beveridge, Hon. Past Grand Deacons; V.W. Bro. Samuel Scott, Past Grand Steward; V.W. Bros. William J. Johnston and Samuel J. Patience, Past Grand Stewards of Charities; V.W. Bros. Bernard V.A. Woods, Victor Whyte, Maurice W. Lee and William T.H. Balmer, Past Grand Almoners; V.W. Bro. S. Gordon Leathern, Past Grand Master's Standard Bearer. SISTER CONSTITUTIONS REPRESENTED The following Grand Lodges were represented:‑. Alberta, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, New South Wales. Queensland, New Zealand, Austria, Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands. Norway, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey, Arkansas, Colorado, District of Columbia, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Costa Rica, Cuscatlan El Salvador, Brazil G.O., Chile, Ecuador, Mato Grosso do Sul, Sao Paolo, Benin, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mali, South Africa, the Philippines, the Dominican Republic and the Prince Hall Grand Lodges of Colorado, Massachusetts and Ohio. APOLOGIES FOR NON‑ATTENDANCE Apologies for non‑attendance were received from:‑ the R.W. Grand Registrar; the R.W. Junior Grand Chaplain, the Rev. Richard W. Moore; the V.W. Assistant Grand Treasurer; the Provincial Grand Masters of Munster, South Eastern and New Zealand; the Provincial Deputy Grand Masters of Armagh, South Connaught and Munster; R.W. Bros. George Miskimmins, Robert S. Hackett, William T. Shortland and Arthur Keppel, Past Provincial Grand Masters; R.W. Bro. Michael W. Walker, Past Grand Secretary; R.W. Bro. the Rt. Rev. Samuel G. Poyntz, Past Senior Grand Chaplain; R.W. Bro. the Rev W. Warren Potter, Past Junior Grand Chaplain; V.W. Bro. Ralph McGuckin, Past Grand Superintendent of Works: V.W. Bro. Cecil Taylor, Past Assistant Grand Treasurer; V.W. Bro. Arthur W. White, Past Grand Steward of Charities; V.W. Bro. Samuel McKenzie, Past Grand Master's Standard Bearer; and the Representatives of the Grand Lodges of Western Australia, Tasmania, Andorra, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Argentina, Switzerland Alpina, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Texas, Wisconsin, Burkina Faso and Ghana; and R.W. Bro. Keith Cochrane, Past Grand Representative. OBITUARIES Grand Lodge being opened, the Grand Master referred to the recent deaths of R.W. Bro. Charles G. Marchant, Past Provincial Grand Master, Zimbabwe; V.W. Bro. Herman M. Selzer, Past Grand Deacon; V.W. Bro. Burjor N. Gimi, Honorary Past Grand Deacon, India; V.W. Bro. John M. Osborne, Honorary Past Grand Steward, South Africa Northern; V.W. Bro. Milford Firth, Honorary Past Grand Steward, Zimbabwe and V.W. Bro. Arthur R.P. Nowlan, Past Grand Steward of Charities. The memory of our departed distinguished Brethren was saluted in accordance with ancient custom. WELCOME BY THE PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER OF DOWN R.W. Brother Richard H. Gray, Provincial Grand Master of Down, welcomed the Grand Master, Grand Officers and Members of Grand Lodge to the Province. The Grand Master in reply, thanked R.W, Brother Gray for his warm welcome and looked forward to a productive and informative meeting. MINUTES It was proposed by the R.W. Senior Grand Warden, seconded by the R.W. Junior Grand Warden and passed unanimously that the Minutes of the Quarterly Stated Communication of Grand Lodge held on June 4th, 2009, as circulated, be taken as read, confirmed and signed. GRAND OFFICERS FOR 2010 The Grand Officers for 2010, as nominated by the Grand Lodge Board of General Purposes at the June Communication of Grand Lodge, were elected:
W. Brother Peter H. Mullock FCA, Past Master of Lodge No. 395, Dublin, was elected as the Auditor of Grand Lodge Accounts for the year 2009. Immediately following his election, the Grand Master reappointed R.W. Brother Douglas T. Grey as the Deputy Grand Master and R.W. Brother Leslie V. Johnston as the Assistant Grand Master. INVESTITURE OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE METROPOLITAN BOARD The Grand Director of Ceremonies formed a procession and presented R.W. Bro. Philip A. J. Daley, Past Master of Rathgar Lodge No. 342 and Unity Lodge No. 238, Dublin; to the Grand Master for Investiture as Chairman of the Metropolitan Board. R.W. Bro. Daley was conducted to his seat and saluted. INVESTITURE OF FOREIGN GRAND REPRESENTATIVES V.W. Bro. Robert Ross, Past Master of Lodge No. 320, Culmore; W. Bro. Robert McKelvey, Past Master of Lodge No. 161, Newtownabbey; V.W. Bro. John Strong, Past Master of Lodge No. 165, Sligo and V.W. Bro. Sam Young, Past Master of Lodge No. 524, Holywood being in attendance and having produced their Patents of Appointment, the Grand Director of Ceremonies formed a procession and presented them to the Grand Master for Investiture and formal presentation of their Patents of Appointment as Representatives of the Grand Lodges of The Dominican Republic; Ecuador and Cuscatlan, El Salvador; and the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, respectively. REPORT OF THE GRAND LODGE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES The Minutes of the May14th, 2009, meeting of the Grand Lodge Board, which had been circulated with the notice for the meeting, were confirmed and signed subject to the following amendment: in the ninth paragraph the words "the self same three Brethren" to be replaced with the words "two of the three Brethren". The Board considered and granted a request for recognition from, and agreed an exchange of Representatives with the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Ontario and Jurisdiction. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Board considered and agreed an exchange of Representatives with the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Illinois and Jurisdiction. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Board considered a Petition from St. Patrick's Lodge No. 295, signed by 18 of the Brethren, requesting the return of the Warrant and permission to reactivate same. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Board considered a charge of unmasonic conduct against a Brother of Olderfleet Lodge No. 501, Larne, in that at Laganside Court‑House on 25th April 2008, he was arraigned and found guilty of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. The Standing Committee of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Antrim recommended that the Brother be expelled from the Order. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Board considered a charge of unmasonic conduct against a Brother of Sidon Lodge No. 275, Newtownabbey, in that at Antrim Court House on 26th September 2008, he was convicted of sixteen charges of making and distributing indecent photographs of a child for which he was imprisoned for two years. The Standing Committee of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Antrim found the charge of unmasonic conduct substantiated and recommended expulsion from the Order forthwith. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Board considered a charge of unmasonic conduct against a Brother of Olive Masonic Lodge No. 467, Doagh, in that at Laganside Court House on 23rd September 2008, he was re‑arraigned and pleaded guilty to eight charges of indecently assaulting a female and gross indecency with or towards a child for which he received imprisonment for a term of three years. The Standing Committee of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Antrim found the charge of unmasonic conduct substantiated and recommended expulsion form the Order forthwith. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Board considered a charge of unmasonic conduct against a Brother of Abbots Cross Lodge No. 814, Newtownabbey brought by the Worshipful Master and 2 Past Masters. The Standing Committee held on 20th July 2009 found the charge substantiated and recommended that the Brother be suspended during the pleasure of Grand Lodge for a minimum of two years commencing on 1st January 2009. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Board considered a charge of unmasonic conduct against a Brother formerly of Donard Lodge No. 377, Newcastle, in that he was convicted at Newry Crown Court on 31st March 2008 of 48 counts of making indecent pseudo‑photographs of children for which he was sentenced to nine months in prison on each count. The Board of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Down recommended that the Brother be expelled from the Order. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Board considered a recommendation from the Grand Master's Cabinet and the Finance Committee that Grand Lodge sponsor a music competition along the lines of the discontinued "RTE Musician of the Future Festival". The Board agreed and recommended that Grand Lodge sponsor a similar competition for a minimum period of five years. A vacancy having arisen in the representation of the Grand Lodge of Greece, the Board recommended that the name of W. Bro. William R. Smith, Past Master of Lodge No. 210, Caledon, be sent forward for consideration to act as their Representative here. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. A vacancy having arisen in the representation of the Grand Lodge of Vermont, the Board recommended that the name of W. Bro. Robert J. McDowell, Past Master of Lodge No. 814, Newtownabbey, be sent forward for consideration to act as their Representative here. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. Read letter from the Grand Lodge of Norway, submitting the name of W. Bro. Bjorn Bakken, as a suitable Brother to act as our Grand Representative there. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. Read letter from the Grand Lodge of Croatia, submitting the name of Bro. Zdravko Delic, as a suitable Brother to act as our Grand Representative there. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Board considered a request from the Grand Inspector in South East Asia on behalf of the Brethren there to establish a Provincial Grand Lodge in the region. The Board approved this request. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. ELECTION OF THE BOARDS OF MANAGEMENT OF THE BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS Grand Lodge approved the election of the Brethren, as nominated by the Grand Lodge Board of General Purposes, to form the Boards of Management of the following Masonic Benevolent Institutions:
NOTICE OF MOTION The Grand Treasurer handed in a Notice of Motion, under the provisions of Grand Lodge Law No. 29 to make an appropriate donation from Grand Lodge funds to the Benevolent Institutions. REPORTS ON THE MASONIC CHARITIES V.W. Brother James C. Stanley reported on the work of the Victoria Jubilee Masonic Benevolent Fund. V.W. Brother J. Edward Brownell reported on the work of the Masonic Welfare Fund. V.W. Brother Diarmuid McNulty reported on the work of the Masonic Girls Benefit Fund and the Masonic Boys Benefit Fund. V.W. Brother David T. Young reported on the work of Masonic Havens Limited. (All the Charity Reports will be printed in the Annual Report of Grand Lodge for the year 2009.) RESIGNATION OF PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER OF ANTRIM The Grand Master read out a resignation letter from the Provincial Grand Master of Antrim and announced that while he deeply regretted his decision, he fully understood his reason for doing so. He praised his work for the Province over the last number of years. His remarks were greeted with acclamation, the Brethren standing. The Grand Master announced that he would be appointing R.W. Bro. John Dickson, Provincial Grand Registrar to succeed R.W. Bro. John Dunlop as the new Provincial Grand Master of Antrim. CONFERRAL OF HONORARY RANKS The Grand Master with the concurrence of Grand Lodge conferred the following Honorary Ranks:
THE GRAND MASTER'S QUARTERLY ADDRESS The Grand Master, in a short address to Grand Lodge, thanked the aforementioned Brethren who had just reported on the activities of the Masonic Benevolent Institutions and Masonic Havens, and their respective Committees, for their hard work, on behalf of the Charities in the last year. 'The Grand Master's Festival has now come to an end and the result was truly magnificent. It was significant that Brian Cowen, the Taoiseach, willingly assisted in the presentation of the cheques in Dublin and provided accommodation on the occasion. W. Bro. Trevor Hanna succeeded in having reports and pictures in 37 different newspapers in the North but had little response in the South. The Beneficiaries were most helpful in the promotion of the Festival and the ultimate reporting after the presentation. I thank Bro. Trevor for his professional input and all the Irish Lodges, at home and abroad, for the glorious effort made by them'. (The full text of the Grand Master's speech will be attached to the original master copy of the minutes and will also appear in next year's annual report). THANKS The Grand Master made a special welcome to senior members of other Masonic Orders within Ireland and thanked the Brethren of Down who assisted and in particular W. Bro. Andrew Magill and R.W. Bro. Arthur Prentice who helped with the arrangements for the reception, the lunch and the meeting. CHARITY COLLECTION The Charity Collection amounted to €1208.64. GRAND LODGE CLOSED |
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