|
GRAND LODGE QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION ‑ SATURDAY 1st OCTOBER, 2011
There were also present:‑ the Provincial Grand Masters of Antrim, North Connaught, Down, Londonderry & Donegal, Meath, North Munster, Tyrone & Fermanagh, South Eastern and Wicklow & Wexford; and the Chairman of the Metropolitan Board; the Provincial Deputy Grand Masters of Antrim, Armagh, North Connaught, Londonderry & Donegal, the Midland Counties and Wicklow & Wexford; R.W. Bros. Robert J. Armstrong and William J.E. Dukelow, Past Provincial Grand Masters; R.W. Bro. Charles R. Knipe, Past Senior Grand Warden; R.W. Bros. Allen G. Megarry and William J. Dyer, Past Grand Directors of Ceremonies; R.W. Bro. the Rev. W. Warren Porter, Past Junior Grand Chaplain; V.W. Bros. Robert J. Robinson, Gordon Morrison, John O. Dunlop and Basil Elliott, Past Grand Deacons; V.W. Bros. Samuel H. Boyle, Cyril F.A. Quigley, Mervyn W. Morrison and Gordon Bradshaw, Hon. Past Grand Deacons; V.W. Bro. Kwesi O‑P Ackah, Hon. Past Grand Superintendent of Works; V.W. Bro. Samuel Scott, Past Grand Steward; V.W. Bros. William J. Johnston, Samuel J. Patience and Roger Matthews, Past Grand Stewards of Charities; V.W. Bros. David Lovesy and William T.H. Balmer, Past Grand Almoners; V.W. Bros. S. Gordon Leathern, Robert T. Bashford, Samuel A. McKenzie, William J. Dixon and David Penpraze, Past Grand Master's Standard Bearers; and R.W. Bros. D.J. Long, Desmond Smyth and W. J. Kissack, Past Grand Representatives; and other Senior Brethren not listed.
SISTER CONSTITUTIONS REPRESENTED The following Grand Lodges were represented:‑ Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Victoria, New Zealand, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, Arkansas, Colorado, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Argentina, Mato Grosso, Sao Paolo, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, South Africa, the Philippines, Mauritius and the Prince Hall Grand Lodges of the Caribbean, Colorado, Massachusetts and North Carolina.
APOLOGIES FOR NON‑ATTENDANCE Apologies for non‑attendance were received from:‑ the R.W. Grand Registrar, the R.W. Grand Director of Ceremonies; V.W. Bro. Diarmuid McNulty, Grand Steward of Charities; V.W. Bro. Edward Brownell, Grand Almoner; the V.W. Grand Master's Standard Bearer; V.W. Bro. James McFarland, Assistant Grand Secretary for Instruction; the Provincial Grand Masters of Armagh, Midland Counties, Munster and Natal; the Provincial Deputy Grand Masters of South Connaught, Meath and Natal; R.W.Bros. William T. Shortland, Charles W. Olden, Alan J. Campbell and Thomas C. McBain, Past Provincial Grand Masters; R.W. Bro. Michael W. Walker, Past Grand Secretary; R.W.Bros. the Rt. Rev. Samuel G. Poyntz and the Rev. Canon George Little, Past Senior Grand Chaplains; R.W. Bro. the Rev. Canon Richard H. Bertram, Past Junior Grand Chaplain; V.W. Bro. Cecil Taylor, Past Assistant Grand Treasurer; V.W. Bro. Robert T. McCaffrey, Past Grand Steward of Charities; V.W. Bro. D. Ronald R. Galbraith, Past Grand Almoner; V.W. Bro. Donald Finlay, Past Grand Master's Standard Bearer; and the Representatives of the Grand Lodges of Saskatchewan, Western Australia, Bulgaria, Germany, Poland, Serbia, Alaska, Florida, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Washington, Mato Grosso do Sul, Chile, Japan, the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Ontario and Jurisdiction; and R.W. Bro. Douglas Wakefield, Past Grand Representative.
OBITUARIES Grand Lodge being opened, the Grand Master referred to the recent death of our esteemed Assistant Grand Master, R.W. Brother Leslie V. Johnston; and to the deaths of the following Brethren: R.W. Bro. Frank B. Adlard, Past Provincial Grand Master (Southern Cape); R.W. Bro. William S. Cummings, Past Foreign Representative; R.W. Bro. Robert C. Lowe, Past Foreign Representative; R.W. Bro. William C. McAlister, Past Foreign Representative; R.W. Bro. Robert Ross, Representative of the Grand Lodge of the Dominican Republic; R.W. Bro. Mervyn A. Dowling, Representative of the Grand Lodge of Mexico, York; R.W. Bro. Maurice McCollam, Representative of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Illinois & Jurisdiction; V.W. Bro. Ronald Keat, Hon. Past Grand Deacon (New Zealand) and V.W. Bro. Francois J. van Hoogstraten, Hon. Past Grand Sword Bearer (Southern Cape). 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 Hall. 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 2nd, 2011, as circulated, be taken as read, confirmed and signed.
ELECTION OF THE GRAND OFFICERS FOR 2012 The Grand Officers for 2012, 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 2011. REAPPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY GRAND MASTER Immediately following his election, the Grand Master reappointed R.W. Brother Douglas T. Grey as the Deputy Grand Master. APPOINTMENT OF ASSISTANT GRAND MASTER He further announced the appointment of R.W. Brother Rodney L. McCurley, Past Master of Lodge No. 114, Ballymacarrett and Provincial Deputy Grand Master of Down as the Assistant Grand Master. INVESTITURE OF FOREIGN GRAND REPRESENTATIVES W. Bro. Eric Henry, Past Master of Lodge No. 414, Bushmills and V.W. Bro. T. Robert McDowell, Past Master of Lodge No. 24 and Provincial Grand Treasurer, Armagh, 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 Lodge of New Jersey and the Grand Lodge of Tennessee, respectively. The newly invested Grand Representatives were conducted to their seats and were saluted. REPORT OF THE GRAND LODGE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES
The Board considered and approved a request for recognition from the Grand Lodge of Cyprus. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Board considered a Memorial for a Warrant to establish a Lodge in Kuantan, Malaysia to be numbered 946. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Board considered a Memorial for a Warrant to establish a Lodge in Kenmare, Co. Kerry to be called Star of the West and numbered 130. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. A vacancy having arisen in the representation of the Grand Lodge of Mali, the Board recommended that the name of W. Bro. Cecil E. Riddall, Past Master of Lodge No. 738 (old) Greystones and Past Secretary of Lodge No. 270, Enniscorthy, 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 Canada in Ontario, the Board recommended that the name of W. Bro. E. John Keeley, Past Secretary of Lodge No. 495, Mohill, be sent forward for consideration to act as their Representative here. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. Read letter from the Grand Lodge of Quebec, submitting the name of R.W. Bro. Donald C. Ross, as a suitable Brother to act as our Representative there. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. Read letter from the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire, submitting the name of W. Bro. Paul M. Leary, as a suitable Brother to act as our Representative there. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Grand Secretary reported on recent developments in our Province of Nigeria and said that the new Provincial Grand Master, recently appointed by the Grand Master, and Installed in Lagos on 27th August last, was most eager to revive the plans for the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of Nigeria. The Board agreed an update, incorporating miscellaneous minor amendments, of the Laws and Constitutions for a new print run. The Board considered a request for dispensation under Grand Lodge Law No. 118 for a Brother of Lodge No. 14, Galway to be elected Worshipful Master although not having been previously elected Warden. The Board considered a charge of unmasonic conduct against a Brother of Lodge Nos. 776 and 861 and, following consideration of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Antrim's sub‑committee report, recommended to Grand Lodge that he be reprimanded. 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: To elect the Management Committee of the Masonic Girls Benefit Fund in accordance with paragraph 4(d) of the Scheme for the Regulation of the Charity. The following Brethren are recommended by the Grand Lodge Board: R.G. Beamish S.T. Mahon J.W. Patching To elect the Management Committee of the Masonic Boys Benefit Fund in accordance with paragraph 4(d) of the Scheme for the Regulation of the Charity. The following Brethren are recommended by the Grand Lodge Board: A. Bell D.R. Williams D. McIntyre A.L. Reed To elect the Board of Governors of the Victoria Jubilee Masonic Benevolent Fund in accordance with Rule 3(b). The following Brethren are recommended by the Grand Lodge Board: L. Clark B. Brewster C.1.W. Moore L.J. Nixon To elect the Board of the Masonic Welfare Fund. The following Brethren are recommended by the Grand Lodge Board: J.E. Brownell T.S. Lovell W.J. Johnston I. McCullagh 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 Leslie Nixon reported on the work of the Victoria Jubilee Masonic Benevolent Fund. V.W. Brother Selwyn S. Davies reported on the work of the Masonic Welfare Fund. V.W. Brother T. Albert Wilson 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 2011.)
CONFERRAL OF HONORARY RANKS
Past Junior Grand Warden Past Grand Steward Past Grand Sword Bearer Past Master of the Irish Constitution THE GRAND MASTER'S QUARTERLY ADDRESS The Grand Master, in a short address to Grand Lodge, also thanked the aforementioned Brethren who had just reported on the activities of the Masonic Benevolent Institutions and Masonic Havens, and their respective Committees, for all their hard work, on behalf of the Charities in the last year. He reported on a number of visits he had made since the Communication in June and reminded Brethren of the forthcoming Irish Freemasons Young Musician of the Year 2011 Competition, to be held at Freemasons' Hall on 6th and 8th October. THANKS The Grand Master made a special welcome to senior members of other Masonic Orders within Ireland and thanked the Brethren of Down and in particular W. Bro. David H. Selby, who helped with the arrangements for the reception, the lunch and the meeting. CHARITY COLLECTION GRAND LODGE CLOSED |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|