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GRAND LODGE QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION ‑ SATURDAY 5th OCTOBER, 2013 Present:‑
There were also present:‑ the Provincial Grand Masters of Antrim, North Connaught, South Connaught, Down, Munster, North Munster, South Eastern Counties and Wicklow & Wexford; and the Chairman of the Metropolitan Board; the Provincial Deputy Grand Masters of Armagh, North Connaught, Down, the Midland Counties, Munster, North Munster and Wicklow & Wexford; R.W. Bros. Charles W. Olden, Kenneth J. Dunne, Harvey Heavener and Alan J. Campbell, Past Provincial Grand Masters; R.W. Bros Cyril R. Foster, J Keith Roberts and John Hadden , Past Provincial Deputy Grand Masters; R.W.Bro. Philip Knowles, Past Junior Grand Chaplain; V.W.Bro. Terence O. Read, Past Grand Deacon; V.W.Bro. James C. Stanley, Past Grand Steward of Charities; V.W.Bro. Victor Whyte, Past Grand Almoner; V.W.Bros. Robin E.W. Newenham and David Penpraze, Past Grand Master's Standard Bearers; and other Senior Brethren not listed. SISTER CONSTITUTIONS REPRESENTED The following Grand Lodges were represented:‑ Scotland, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, New South Wales, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Washington, Mexico (York), Argentina, Ivory Coast, Senegal and the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. APOLOGIES FOR NON‑ATTENDANCE Apologies for non‑attendance were received from:‑ the R.W. Assistant Grand Master; the R.W. Grand Registrar; the R.W. Senior Grand Chaplain; the R.W. Junior Grand Chaplain, Noel H.L. Regan; the V.W. Grand Steward; the V.W. Grand Steward of Charities, Lionel C. Clark; the V.W. Grand Almoner, T. Albert Wilson; the V.W. Grand Secretary for Instruction and the V.W. Assistant Grand Secretary for Instruction, James McFarland; the Provincial Grand Masters of Armagh, Londonderry & Donegal, Meath, Midland Counties, Tyrone & Fermanagh and Natal; the Provincial Deputy Grand Masters of Antrim, South Connaught, Londonderry and Donegal, Meath and Natal; R.W. Bros. William T. Shortland, Thomas C. McBain, Robert Thomson, Robert Quigley and Robert J. Armstrong, Past Provincial Grand Masters; R.W.Bro. Edward C.W. Smith, Past Provincial Deputy Grand Master; R.W.Bro. Michael W. Walker, Past Grand Secretary; R.W.Bro. William J. Dyer, Past Grand Director of Ceremonies; R.W.Bros. the Rt. Rev. Samuel G. Poyntz and George N. Little, Past Senior Grand Chaplains; R.W.Bros. the Rev. Charles McCurdy and the Rev. W. Warren Porter, Past Junior Grand Chaplains; V.W.Bros. Gordon Morrison, John A. Graham and Alan Stewart, Past Grand Deacons; V.W.Bro. Rajiv Dave, Hon. Past Grand Deacon; V.W.Bro. Ralph B. McGuckin, Past Grand Superintendent of Works; V.W.Bros. Cecil Taylor and Arnold WT Smith, Past Assistant Grand Treasurers; V.W.Bros. J. Trevor Monteith, Samuel H. Boyle and William J. Johnston, Past Grand Stewards of Charities; V.W.Bro. Bernard V.A. Woods, Past Grand Almoner; V.W.Bros. John J. Ramsay and Kwesi O‑P Ackah, Past Grand Master's Standard Bearers; V.W.Bro. Jack W.F. Daley, Hon. Past Grand Master's Standard Bearer; and the Representatives of the Grand Lodges of Alberta, Ontario, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Turkey, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia. Prince Hall Ontario, Costa Rica, Brazil ‑ Matto Grosso do Sul, Chile, Colombia, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Guinea. Madagascar, China, Japan and the Philippines; and R.W.Bros. Leslie K. Dawson and Neville K. Irvine, Past Grand Representative. OBITUARIES Grand Lodge being opened, the Grand Master referred to the recent deaths of R.W.Bro. Meppi A. Ivon‑Jarrett. Past Provincial Grand Master and Honorary Past Junior Grand Warden, Nigeria; R.W.Bro. Clifford F. Eales, Past Provincial Grand Master and Honorary Past Grand Deacon, Zambia; R.W.Bro. R. Clayton Stevenson, Past Junior Grand Chaplain; V.W.Bro. David Lai Kim Hean, Honorary Past Grand Deacon. South East Asia; V.W.Bro. Brian Sheridan, Honorary Past Grand Steward and R.W.Bro. William J. Houston, Past Foreign Representative. WELCOME R.W.Brother Leslie Deane, Provincial Grand Master of Munster, welcomed the Grand Master. Grand Officers and Members of Grand Lodge to the venue. In doing so he particularly noted how helpful and supportive this hotel had been many years before, when the Grand Lodge Communication booked in had to be cancelled at short notice, and rearranged, due to the foot and mouth outbreak at the time. The Grand Master in reply, thanked R.W.Brother Deane 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 6th 2013, as circulated, be taken as read, confirmed and signed. ELECTION OF THE GRAND LODGE OFFICERS FOR 2014 The Grand Officers for 2014, as nominated by the Grand Lodge Board of General Purposes at the June Communication of Grand Lodge, were elected:
W.Bro. Peter H. Mullock FCA, Past Master of Lodge No. 395, Dublin, was elected as the Auditor of Grand Lodge Accounts for the year 2013. Immediately following his election, the Grand Master announced that he was reappointing R.W.Bro. Douglas T. Grey as the Deputy Grand Master and R.W.Bro. Rodney L. McCurley as the Assistant Grand Master. REPORT OF THE GRAND LODGE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES The Board noted, for reporting to Grand Lodge, the return of the Warrants of Munster Past Masters' Lodge, No. 1011; Shandon Lodge, No. 701 Rosetta, Belfast and Jubilee Lodge No. 865, Newtownabbey. A vacancy having arisen in the representation of the Grand Lodge of Colorado, the Board recommended that the name of W.Bro. Hugh Joseph Selby, Past Master of Lodge No. 688, Rosetta, 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 Austria, the Board recommended that the name of W.Bro. Arnold Imrie, Past Master of Lodge No. 488, Dundrum, 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 Regular Grand Lodge of Serbia, the Board recommended that the name of W.Bro. Thomas William (Ronnie) Watt, Past Master of Lodge No. 625, Loughgall, be sent forward for consideration to act as their representative here. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. Read letter from the Grand Lodge of the State of Israel submitting the name of M.W.Bro. Avi Baranes, as a suitable Brother to act as our Representative there. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Board considered and approved a Memorial for a Warrant to establish a Lodge in the Metropolitan area, primarily for French and French‑speaking Brethren, to be called France d'Irlande and numbered 884. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Board considered the list of Brethren nominated for election to the Boards of Management of the Masonic Benevolent Institutions for the year 2014 and recommended to Grand Lodge that the Brethren as nominated, and whose names would appear on the notice for the next Communication of Grand Lodge, be elected. The Board considered a rehearing of charges of unmasonic conduct against three Brethren of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Antrim. The Board heard a detailed report thereon from the Chairman of the sub‑committee, W.Bro. Derek Brennan. The Antrim representatives to the Board withdrew at this point. The sub‑committee recommended suspension at the pleasure of Grand Lodge, in each of the three cases. W.Bro. Brennan read the report to Grand Lodge, following the retirement of Antrim Brethren involved in the matter and other Brethren directly involved in this and/or the original hearing. Recommended to Grand Lodge and carried, on a show of hands, on a separate count for each of the three Brethren; with four Brethren dissenting in the case of one of the Brethren, three of whom spoke in his favour. The Provincial Grand Master of Antrim, on his and his colleagues' readmittance to Grand Lodge, complimented the manner in which the rehearing was conducted and recorded his thanks to the Chairman. A complete transcript of W.Bro. Brennan's report is attached to the master copy of the Board Minutes. INVESTITURE OF FOREIGN GRAND REPRESENTATIVES W.Bro. Raymond E.A. Rea, Past Master of Lodge No. 474, Crawfordsburn, being in attendance and having produced his Patent of Appointment, the Grand Director of Ceremonies formed a procession and presented him to the Grand Master for Investiture and formal presentation of his Patent of Appointment as Representative of the Grand Orient of Brazil. W.Bro. Kenneth McClure, Past Master of Lodge No. 127, Coleraine, being in attendance and having produced his Patent of Appointment, the Grand Director of Ceremonies formed a procession and presented him to the Grand Master for Investiture and formal presentation of his Patent of Appointment as Representative of the Grand Lodge of Senegal. W.Bro. Noel Magowan, Past Master of Lodge No. 173, Loughbrickland, being in attendance and having produced his Patent of Appointment, the Grand Director of Ceremonies formed a procession and presented him to the Grand Master for Investiture and formal presentation of his Patent of Appointment as Representative of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of North Carolina. The newly invested Grand Representatives were conducted to their seats and saluted. ELECTION OF THE BOARDS OF MANAGEMENT OF 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:
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:
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:
To elect the Board of the Masonic Welfare Fund. The following Brethren are recommended by the Grand Lodge Board:
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 Funds. REPORTS ON THE MASONIC CHARITIES V.W.Brother Leslie Nixon reported on the work of the Victoria Jubilee Masonic Benevolent Fund. V.W.Brother Eddie 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 John S. Haynes 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 2013). The Grand Master with the concurrence of Grand Lodge conferred the following Honorary Ranks:
GRAND MASTER'S ADDRESS The Grand Master reported to Grand Lodge on a number of trips, Masonic and private, he had undertaken since June, including the Annual Tripartite meeting with the United Grand Lodge of England and the Grand Lodge of Scotland, held this year in London. He also reported on the visit to Ireland of the Provincial Grand Master of The Far East, R.W.Bro. Brendan Bong and Brethren in early September, when they visited Lodge 19 in Dublin and, later in the same week, his own Lodge Moville, No. 297 in Donegal. WELCOME AND THANKS The Grand Master also made a special welcome to senior members of other Masonic Orders within Ireland and thanked the Brethren of Munster and in particular W.Bro. Malcolm Tyrrell, for the excellent arrangements for the lunch and the meeting. CHARITY COLLECTION GRAND LODGE CLOSED |
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