June 2018 Quarterly Communication

The June Quarterly communication of the Grand Lodge began promptly at 1:30 P.M. in Ionic Hall. The Grand Master first called for the presentation of the colors, which were delivered to the east of Grand Lodge by the Unspoken Degree Team. Representing the Unspoken Degree Team was Wor. Patrick DelVal, Wor. Kenneth Longo, Bro. Patrick Shelton, and Bro. Christopher George.

The Grand Master then opened Grand Lodge. After the opening prayer and welcoming brethren to the meeting, he introduced the distinguished guests from appendant Masonic bodies and visiting jurisdictions.

After recognizing the Past Grand Masters, first responders, audio visual and Doric Hall volunteers, M.W. Gleason called on brethren for various reports. The Grand Secretary, M.W. Albert T. Ames, gave the report on the voting powers of Lodges and recognition of proxies. R.W. Robert V. Jolly, Jr. gave the report of the Committee on Charters & By-Laws. R.W. W. Warren Richardson, Jr. gave the report of the Committee on Records.

M.W. Donald G. Hicks, Jr. then gave the report of the Foreign Relations Committee. Based on meeting the standards of recognition criteria, the Committee recommended recognition for the following four Grand Lodges:

• Gran Logia Occidental De Colombia con sede en Cali
• Gran Logia Oriental de Colombia “Francisco De Paula Santander”
• Gran Logia de Los Andes
• M.W. Prince Hall Grand Lodge, Free and Accepted Mason, Prince Hall Affiliated, District of Colombia, Incorporated

M.W. Hicks then read the following, which we will publish exactly as read so as not to cause any confusion:

“In addition, the committee on foreign relations recommends we grant blanket recognition to Prince Hall Affiliated Grand Lodges within the United States that can trace lineage to African Lodge No. 459, is recognized by the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, and by the Grand Lodge already recognized by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts for their territorial jurisdiction.”

Grand Lodge approved the motion to recognize the four named Grand Lodges, as well as to give blanket recognition to the Prince Hall Affiliated Grand Lodges within the United States that meets the stated criteria.

M.W. Ames then read Petitions for Consolidation of Lodges. Ezekiel Bates Lodge and Saint James Lodge will be merging and retaining the name of Ezekiel Bates Lodge. Wilbraham Masonic Lodge and The Meadows Lodge will be merging and retaining the name of The Meadows Lodge.

The Grand Master then proposed a modification to the administrative fees Lodges are charged for each new candidate or affiliate by the Grand Lodge. In many cases, these fees have not been adjusted for 50+ years. The new fees were approved and will go into effect for the 2019-2020 Masonic year (September 1, 2019). The fees are as follows:

*what the fee would be today if it paced with historical inflation

The Grand Master then advised Lodges that they have fifteen months to prepare adjustments to their own bylaws to reflect this new schedule.

On December 12, 2013, M.W. Richard J. Stewart issued an edict prohibiting Massachusetts Masons from becoming members of the Widow’s Sons Masonic Riders Association. M.W. Bro. Gleason issued a ruling revising this edict at the Quarterly, stating:

“… be it resolved that members of the Widow’s Sons Masonic Riders Association (WSMRA) may operate in this jurisdiction just as all other Masons who may belong to other Masonic organizations; their individual conduct will determine their standing in our Fraternity. Accordingly, the last paragraph of the 2013 edict of M.W. Richard J. Stewart is hereby modified to allow Massachusetts Masons to belong to the WSMRA subject to the following specific elements of proper Masonic conduct:

• Display appropriate Masonic dress and behavior when in Lodge
• Adhere to rules of civil conduct when in public

I conclude this resolution of with the words of my predecessor, M.W. Harvey J. Waugh as he addressed the same issue: ‘I earnestly hope that those members of the fraternity who have an interest in these bodies will do all possible to guide their policies to present a positive image of our fraternity for the advancement of Freemasonry in Massachusetts.’ “

The Grand Master then had the pleasure of issuing three brethren with appointments as Grand Representatives to Grand Lodges near the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. They were:

• R.W. Peter R. Smith, Grand Representative for the Grand Lodge of West Virginia
• R.W. Richard H. Ryder, Grand Representative for the Grand Lodge of Pernambuco, Brazil
• R.W. Charles Coombs, Grand Representative for the Grand Lodge of Luxembourg

The Deputy Grand Master, R.W. Scott T. Jareo, then read the necrology, which unfortunately consisted of eleven brethren who have departed to the celestial lodge above.

Two Lodges were awarded the Grand Master’s Award this month! Pequossette Lodge of Watertown and Weymouth United Masonic Lodge were presented with their awards.

The Grand Master was then pleased to present Bro. Steven Marino with a Certificate of Commendation. Bro. Marino is a driver for Boston Duck Tours and made the day of a little girl who really wanted a duck boat ride but was unable to show up during regular duck boat tour hours.

This wasn’t just any little girl, as she was recovering from many surgeries over the past year; the one thing that she really wanted was a duck tour of Boston. Coordinating her schedule with the availability of the duck tours, however, proved to be difficult. On a day she was available, she and her family arrived to find that the tours were closed for the day.

Seeing what the situation was, Bro. Marino went out of his way to provide them with a duck tour after hours. M.W. Bro. Gleason simply stated that Bro. Marino’s actions represented the best kind of Masonry there is in this world.

The Grand Master then received several presentations. Wor. Robert Jackson of Montgomery Lodge issued him with a special pin, and a donation to The Brotherhood Fund. Wor. Philip Dubey of Major General Henry Knox Lodge presented each of the Past Grand Masters with honorary membership in the lodge. He also presented the Grand Master with a copy of a special CD that the Lodge donates to area hospitals for recovering cancer patients to enjoy.

Following this presentation, several donations were made to different Grand Lodge charities by the Lodges assembled. They were:

*Norumbega Fraternity Lodge’s donation was in memory of R.W. Joseph Goldstein

After this impressive display of generosity, the Grand Master then delivered his address to the brethren assembled.

The Grand Lodge was then closed in ample form at 3:15 P.M.