A Passion for Compassion

Tonight I made my first ever Official Visit to Infinty Lodge No. 546.  The Master and Officers were extremely well prepared and showed every kindness to many of us who were first time visitors. 

I presented 50 Service Emblems to four of the members.  One travelled from South Carolina and another from Detroit to receive their awards.  I asked if it was just a fortunate coincidence that they were in town at this time assuming that perhaps a wedding or family event found them fortuitously in the area.  They both replied that they made this trip specifically to receive the Award in their Lodge surrounded by people they know and love.  That speaks so much for the bonds forged in our great Fraternity.  What a glorious evening.

I had the privilege of offering the following to the assembled Brethren

A Passion for Compassion

. . . May I reach

That purest heaven, -- be to other souls

The cup of strength in some great agony,

Enkindle generous ardor, feed pure love,

Beget the smiles that have no cruelty,

Be the sweet presence of a good diffused,

And in diffusion ever more intense!

So shall I join the choir invisible

Whose music is the gladness of the world. – George Eliot

There was once a small girl who lived in on the outskirts of a mountain village with just her mother and a servant. There had been a drought in the land and everyone and everything around was suffering. The girl’s mother was so weak and thirsty that the girl decided on her own to set off into the land and search for some water. She took the little tin dipper from the shelf and walked for hours until she found a tiny spring in the mountains that had just a small amount of water trickling out. The girl patiently held the dipper until she had what she thought was enough water for her sick mother, then she began to make her way back home.

On the way she met up with a little dog. The dog looked so weak to her. He licked her hand and his dry tongue made her take pity. She said to him, “I can only spare a few drops, for my mother is very sick, but you too could benefit from a little water.”

She poured some water into her hand and the dog quickly lapped it up, barked as if to say “Thank you,” and went on his way. The girl looked at the dipper in her hand and realized that the little tin dipper was now made of silver and it was just as full as it had been before.

She continued on her way, hurrying now because it was almost dark. The road was very long and she was so far from home. She was moving so quickly that she began to crave the water herself. “I can’t drink any of this. My mother needs it far more than I do,” she thought.

When she got home, she ran to her mother’s room and held out the silver dipper. Her mother said, “Please give it to our servant. She has been working tirelessly at my side since I have been sick. She needs it far more than I.”

The servant drank from the cup and handed back to the little girl. She looked at the cup in her hands and it was now a dipper of gold and still every bit as full as it was before.

Presently, there was a knock at the door. A stranger appeared before them and said, “I saw a little girl on the road earlier who generously shared her water with a sick dog and was hoping she could spare some for me.”

The mother knew the importance of helping others in need, so she told her daughter to give the dipper to the stranger, who took the cup and turned it upside down, spilling the contents onto the ground.

“From where this water seeps into the ground shall come forth a huge and generous spring that will slake your thirst and feed your land forever,” he said as he handed back the dipper, now encrusted with the most beautiful diamonds.

The family was so in awe of what had happened that they scarcely noticed that the stranger had left without another word. When they turned to thank him for his generosity he was gone, but they thought they could see a trail of diamonds flying into the night sky. Even to this day, they are there in the form of the Big Dipper to remind us of the importance of being compassionate.

What do you think of when you hear someone called compassionate? Is a millionaire compassionate when he donates one hundred dollars to a charity? In some ways, he may be. Is the same donation from a single parent working two jobs and raising children alone far more compassionate? True compassion, you see, cannot be measured simply in dollars. The little girl was willing to share all of what she had with others, not just a little. Giving a little when you have a lot is not nearly as compassionate as sharing a lot when you have a little.

Our Grand Master has asked us to share like that little girl. Through many aspects of the 21st Century Renaissance, he is asking us to give deeply of our time, our talents and our treasure to help make our communities better for everyone; to build springs that will shower our land with abundance forever.

I have talked before about acts of kindness. I encourage you to remember that others judge Masonry by the actions of the Masons. A little empathy for others – helping a stranded motorist, shoveling a driveway or, perhaps more timely in view of today’s balmy weather, cutting someone’s grass – marks you as a good man and your Fraternity as a groomer of good men.

Giving of your talents can include such community projects as renovating a playground or picnic pavilion, or helping prepare someone’s income tax. If you have a way to ease the suffering of another, is it not your duty to do so?

Giving of your time is important too. When you adopt a resident at the Masonic Villages, you will not only be brightening their lives, but I know you will enrich your own. Remember that I said last night that you are never too old to learn. Our residents have unique and interesting stories and spending time with them can be so rewarding.

Our Grand Master has asked us to give of our treasure as well. He wants us to donate fifty cents per member to the youth and hold fundraisers to donate $2,000 to the Masonic Villages. Is that a lot? I don’t know. Was it a lot to ask a thirsty little girl to share all of what she had with others? For some Lodges, each of those amounts may mean hard work, but when you set out to do grand and noble things, you quickly realize that hard work is essential to success. What can possibly be nobler than ensuring the success of our youth by building strong foundations in faith, education and charitable giving? How could we not choose to work hard to maintain our Masonic Villages for those who have gone before us?

We need to give to our charities and our communities so that wells of abundance spring up all around us. If there’s a need, we must provide. If we get tired, that means we are doing our jobs as Masons and men. Men who aren’t Masons should be envious of what we do. When they ask how you find the time to do what you do, hand them a brochure and invite them to find out for themselves.

I charge you tonight to go home, think about what you can do to make a well spring forth in your community. Long to become a source of what is good and right. Share your time, talents and treasure; share the light that is this great Fraternity with good and worthy neighbors, co-workers and family members. Be passionate about being compassionate.

Simply, “be to other souls
The cup of strength in some great agony,
Enkindle generous ardor, feed pure love,
Beget the smiles that have no cruelty,
Be the sweet presence of a good diffused,
And in diffusion ever more intense!”


You needn’t wait to join the choir invisible to do it. Make it be so today!

The Virtue of Virtues

At tonight's Official Visit to Valley Lodge No. 613, one hundred one Masons turned out to share an excellent meal hosted by Worshipful Master Mike O'Hanlon.  I again had the privilege of presenting 50 Year Service Emblems to three of their members and to give the following address:

The Virtue of Virtues

They who disbelieve in virtue because man has never been found perfect, might as reasonably deny a sun because it is not always day. ~Augustus William Hare and Julius Charles Hare, Guesses at Truth, by Two Brothers, 1827

Merriam Webster defines virtue in several ways: 1. a conformity to a standard of right and 2. a beneficial quality or a power of a thing. With that in mind, tonight I want to talk a little bit about the beneficial quality of the conformity to a standard of right – said another way, the virtue of virtues.

In Freemasonry, we are taught to “practice the Masonic virtues,” but they are not specifically enumerated, nor are they further explained within our Pennsylvania ritual. If we seek more light and do some research, it is generally accepted that the Masonic virtues are the four Cardinal Virtues of Fortitude, Temperance, Justice and Prudence. Why did our Masonic forbears find these virtues of particular importance?

These days, the words fortitude, temperance, justice and prudence are used very infrequently. To modernize the whole conversation, let us refer to the Cardinal Virtues as the Principal Virtues. Let us call them courage, restraint, equality and wisdom.

C.S. Lewis said “Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.” Perhaps that is why it is first among the virtues. At every point when your ethics are tested and you are given an easy choice and the right choice, it takes courage above all to see you through. Courage is often thought to mean physical bravery, but as a Mason, it refers to doing what is right, not necessarily what is popular. As a Lodge leader as well as in life, sometimes it is far more appealing to be liked by your peers than to have to make a tough decision.

For example, courage may require the raising of the dues when the Lodge is in the red – even if it makes you unpopular. The Masonic Renaissance is making changes to many aspects of how we, as Lodges, operate. It is probably a safe bet that every one sitting in this Lodge disagrees with some aspect of the Renaissance. That’s okay. It just requires brave leaders to say “We’re going to try it anyhow.” As leaders and members you must come together. Unanimity isn’t as important as consensus. You may not agree with certain aspects of the Renaissance, but you do irreparable damage to your Lodge if you don’t do all in your power to help it succeed. So courage in our leaders means making decisions that not everyone agrees with. Courage in our members then, means stepping up to help even though you may not like what you are helping with. You must set aside your differences and row with the others in the boat, not against them.

That brings us to restraint. Let’s say, for example, that you aren’t fond of the idea of the One Day Masonic Journey. You could do several things. Not tell any of your friends about it – friends who are busy and don’t have the time to leave the house in the evenings. You can refuse to help with it. You can even stand up in your Lodge after it’s over and boldly proclaim that you don’t see a single new member sitting there with you. You could do all those things or you could exercise self control. You could give the brochure to your busy friend and vow to make his experience so good, he will rearrange his evenings to start attending Lodge. You could also volunteer to be a mentor to those who come it through that class and teach them with months of one on one dedication what you think it means to be a Mason. You could also not stand up in Lodge and make such a statement. Be a stepping stone, not a stumbling block. Realize that there are several paths you can walk from the same starting point to the same destination. Always remember to restrain that part of you that wants to build barriers. Build Temples instead.

Justice, or equality, from a Masonic perspective has less to do with punishing the wicked or rewarding the good than it does with treating each and every person you contact with fairness. Equality means that regardless of your chosen profession, you are a child of God and entitled to be given all the dignity and respect one would give to anything of His making. It also means that we too, as Masons, need to treat everyone that way. We must remind ourselves that we meet everyone “on the level” and that our interactions with our fellow man reflect back on our character. Knowing that justice should be afforded to all should make committing acts of kindness not just easy, but necessary. There is now a portal on the Grand Lodge webpage that catalogues those actions taken by your Brothers around the state. Logon and see exactly how we’re helping make life better. Post your deeds there as well. Not for admiration or accolades, but as a challenge to others to do the same.

Justice should make us realize that it is our duty to adopt residents at our Masonic homes. It is our duty to care for those who have placed their confidence in our ability to do so. We should support the families of our Soldiers by giving generously to the Help for the Heroes Program. A few spare coins at the end of a meeting is nowhere near the sacrifice that they are making for us, but it can mean so much to them and their families.

The last of the virtues is wisdom. True wisdom comes not only from knowledge, but also from experience. Gautama Siddharta said “To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue.”

If wisdom is the light, then we need fuel. That fuel is education. Whether it is the formal education of schooling, or informal education – the examination and questioning of the known and applying it to the unknown, matters not. Education is not just for the young. We can always learn if our minds are open to it. Brother Mark Twain is credited for having said “When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.” Intellectual and emotional enlightenment should always be our aim. And remember, wisdom is a journey, never a destination. A wise man anticipates changes and adapts to them. He meets new challenges head on and is every ready to grow based on new experiences.

As our Fraternity faces the challenges of the 21st Century, we cannot rely on the solutions of years gone by. We must adapt to the needs of the men who are joining, not the men who founded the organization. I ask each of you to get on board with the Renaissance. Volunteer to lead one of your Community Service Projects; take the lead in adopting a resident of the Villages; call those Brethren who are delinquent to keep them from being suspended from this great Brotherhood; become a Mentor – it may help you learn a few new things too.

Most of all, realize the virtue of our virtues. Know that the practice of them makes you a better man and your world a better place. Leave here excited and proud to be a member of the Craft. Take a brochure home and vow to give it to a worthy man. Better yet, take five brochures home and invite deserving men to share in the great gift to mankind that is Freemasonry.

Mediocrity: The New Awesome

Last night, eight one Masons joined in fellowship at my Official Visit to Pollock Lodge No. 502 in Tarentum.  I was privileged to present 50 Year Service Emblems to six Brothers and a Sixty Year Wreath to another.  I am truly humbled every single time I pin someone who has served this Fraternity for so long.  I will never get tired of doing it.

My address for the evening follows:

Mediocrity: The New Awesome

Badness you can get easily, in quantity; the road is smooth, and it lies close by. But in front of excellence the immortal gods have put sweat, and long and steep is the way to it. - Hesiod

Last week, the Winter Olympics came to a close in Vancouver. I would venture a guess that most, if not all of you watched some portion of those games. Why are we captivated by athletes coming from all corners of the globe to compete in their chosen disciplines? Is it because they are average at what they do? Is it because they go out and give fifty percent? Of course not! I would venture a guess that if every four years, the mediocre athletic nebbishes from every nation gathered to put just a little bit of effort (not enough to break a sweat, mind you) into being anything but superlative, not only would it not be televised, but no one would watch it if it was.

The Olympics is just one example I can use. Poetry, art, music – all of these things – are really more fully enjoyed when they are done well. Sure, you can enjoy music or art when your child is in the chorus or brings home something for the refrigerator, because it is personal, but otherwise we expect greatness.

Poetry, for example, is said to be such a pure use of language that either adding or subtracting a single word would diminish the poem. When you experience the work of a master – truly examine the capturing of light by Rembrandt or listen to Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony performed by a world class orchestra and choir - you are forever changed. There is quite literally a part of your soul that glimpses into the eternal and will never forget that experience.

Part of the reason that we can be so changed or affected by these things is that they are so few and far between. As a society, we have decided that almost perfect is the same thing as perfect. I would submit to you that almost perfect is the antithesis of perfect. Society grades on a curve, rewards fitting in and holds achievers back to spare the feelings of those who succeed at a lower level. Where triumph was once celebrated, it is now denigrated. Mediocrity has become the new “awesome.”

The problem with this is that the soul of a man wants more. Deep within us, we want perfection; we want to be part of something grand, glorious and larger than ourselves. We want to be perfect stones in God’s Great Temple. Stones that are nearly square or almost square won’t do.

So what does this have to do with the Craft? Quite a bit, actually.

There are men who, deep in their hearts, feel the longing to become better – no, the best men they can and give something back to their fellow man. There are men who don’t know that Freemasonry already does that.  The 21st Century Masonic Renaissance seeks to change that.

Thanks to Grand Master Sturgeon’s vision, we now have the ability to invite men of good character to join our Fraternity. How many of you have seen the new brochure? How many of you have read it? How many of you have given it to someone you know?

If you haven’t, you should. Ask your father, son, brother or uncle to join. If you attend church or synagogue regularly, you definitely know someone to whom you could give this. Friends and coworkers who may have spent years waiting to be asked (because they thought that was how it was supposed to go) might say, “I was wondering why you never asked me to join before.”

Some may say that they don’t have the time. Remind them that there will be a One Day Masonic Journey on October 30th. They can still join the old-fashioned way if they would like, but to the man whose time is truly a dwindling resource, the One Day Journey can be his gateway to the Fraternity. The hope is that after meeting such good men and doing so much to help his fellow man through our monthly outreach projects, he may reprioritize his life to make time for what he will then know to be an excellent endeavor.

Some in the past may have been put off because they heard about all of the memorization. The new Mentor program about to be rolled out eliminates most of the memorization in favor of teaching the story of our wonderful and glorious history. So many of us, even to this day, don’t have a clue what to say when someone asks about us because all we were ever taught was to memorize our obligation. The history of who we are and what we do – how we take care of the elderly, help our widows and give back to our communities – those are the stories that our new members need to hear.

If a man chooses to go on to be an Officer in his Lodge, he can now use the written monitor to help learn our beautiful degrees. Remember what I said before about poetry? Our ritual is like that to me. Every single word is important and few of us know every single word. Now a man can sit in the quiet of his own house, on his own time and learn his work.

I’m asking you tonight to help support the Renaissance. Invite worthy men to join, support the One Day Journey, hold your officers accountable to ritual excellence. I’ve told you before what the inimitable Robert Page used to say to our Mendelssohn Choir, “An amateur practices until he can do it right, but a professional practices until he can’t do it wrong.”

If nothing else, leave here tonight enthused. Norman Vincent Peale said, “There is a real magic in enthusiasm. It spells the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment.” Be proud that you are part of the greatest Fraternity the world has ever seen and do all in your power to make it that much better.

Let’s continue to hold ourselves accountable and inspire each other to greatness by settling for nothing less than our very own best and the best in others. Let our endeavors be Olympic in that we bring our best selves to Lodge, putting aside the cares of the outside world, finding respite, peace and wisdom, fitting us to be true and perfect ashlars that the Great Architect of the Universe may use as His wisdom directs.

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The Character of a Renaissance Man

On Thursday night, a small but mighty group gathered for my first Official Visit of 2010.  The Visitations have not begun as smoothly as I could have hoped.  We had to cancel the first due to the weather, and the parking conditions at Forbes Trail were less than ideal due to the piles of snow everywhere.  Still the forty seven men that attended had an excellent time of fun and fellowship.  My address to the Brethren follows. . .

"Character is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that's right is to get by, and the only thing that's wrong is to get caught.” - JC Watts

Brethren, perhaps nothing has defined Masons more throughout our storied history than the character of its individuals. We often tout the fabled cherry tree incident of Brother Washington, the trip to the moon by Buzz Aldrin and Audie Murphy’s “refusal to give an inch of ground” to advancing Germans in World War II.

These are but a few examples of Masonry’s heroes. We have many more whose exploits outside of the Lodge have earned them fame, fortune and admiration. There are many more within our ranks – all of them if we truly do our jobs as mentors – who are men of character.

Over the years, we may have become a little complacent. We may have found it easier to rest our our laurels – content to live off of the hard work of those who came before us. Our character as a whole never suffered, but our achievements may have.

The 21st Century Renaissance is asking us to once again put that character into action and restore the Masons to our just place as the greatest fraternity the world has ever known. Our Grand Master is asking us to do some things that, frankly, we are no longer used to doing.

Effective immediately, each Lodge is to do monthly service projects to benefit the community – that’s the community, not the Lodge. These projects can be quite literally anything. If bleachers need to be built or a playground repaired, we can answer that call. If a community center needs volunteers or a neighbor needs help with his home, we will be there to help. No longer will people drive by Lodge buildings and wonder what Masons do. They’ll know. They’ll know because they have seen us lend a hand at disasters and they have stood side by side with us as we helped make our neighborhoods and communities beautiful by planting trees or cleaning up parks.

Our obligations shouldn’t end there. We are charged as well to begin doing weekly acts of kindness. It can be as simple as holding the door for someone with a stroller or a walker, or buying breakfast or a cup of coffee for someone you don’t know. It doesn’t have to have a price tag, it can cost nothing, but have untold benefits. When you’re thanked, tell the recipient that thanks is not necessary, we’re Masons and it’s our duty to help. Remember that if every Pennsylvania Mason adheres to the practice, we will have committed over 10 million acts of kindness by the end of 2011. I can’t help but think that the world would be a better place for it.

Remember that we aren’t doing this for ourselves. I recently had an opportunity to try this out at the grocery store. I had the unfortunate luck of truly needing groceries the day before the blizzard – I wasn’t just there for milk, bread and toilet paper. I took my ticket at the deli, number 76, looked at the LED sign that told me they were now serving number 67 and sighed. I waited patiently as they slowly waited on those ahead of me. “75, 75, 75?” shouted the woman behind the counter.  No answer. When she called my number, I gave her the first item in my order.

While my turkey was being sliced, a little woman, barely five feet tall and well into her eighties, turned to me and stated angrily, “What number are they on? I can’t see the sign.” I told her they were on 76. Actually I told her twice because she didn’t hear me the first time. The then objected that she had 75 and they skipped her.

“They definitely called it.  You must have just been busy,” I told her. She started to look agitated, so I put my arm on her shoulder and assured her I would take care of it. When the deli worker handed me the turkey I told her that I wasn’t done but that this lovely young lady had been skipped, to please take care of her and then come back to me. Then I waited for her to say thank you. I rehearsed the line in my head. No need to thank me, I’m a Mason, and it’s my duty to help others. No need to thank me, I’m a Mason, and it’s my duty to help others.  I knew how satisfying it would be to say that in a crowded deli so that dozens of people would witness just how good we are.

The thanks never came! She got her American cheese and chipped ham and walked away – vanished right down the canned vegetable aisle never to be seen again.

Truth be told, I was a little angry that I wasn’t thanked (or even acknowledged), partly because it would have been the courteous thing to do, but partly because I lost the opportunity to say “thanks is not necessary, I’m a Mason and it’s my duty to help.” So maybe character is not only doing the right thing when nobody is looking, but it is also doing the right thing when nobody is caring.

The last thing I want to talk about tonight is the Lodge fundraisers to benefit the Masonic Villages. The Grand Master has challenged each Lodge to hold fundraising events to benefit the Masonic Villages. Notice that I did not say that the Grand Master has challenged each Lodge to donate money to the Masonic Villages. There are many Lodges that are capable of simply writing a check for $2,000 or more and putting the matter to bed, but the idea of combining it with community events serves many other purposes. It gives far more of our Brethren an opportunity to get involved or in some cases reinvolved in the work of the Lodge. It also increases the Lodge’s presence in the community at large. Lastly, it benefits our very own beloved charity, the Masonic Villages. Currently we care for over 2,500 people on the campuses around Pennsylvania. It is a mission of love that we should all want to help with. The Grand Master has asked that we accomplish this prior to the December Quarterly Communication, but because the 54th District is not only not an average District, but the best Masonic District in the best Masonic jurisdiction in the world, I am asking that we complete this task by the June Quarterly Communication.

Will it be easy? Not necessarily. Will it require more effort than we currently put into Masonry? Probably. But will it be rewarding for both those who participate and those who benefit. Undoubtedly.

Brethren, our character calls us as Freemasons to be more than passive spectators on the sidelines of our communities. It calls us to do the right things right now. It calls us to lead and to lead bravely. Join with me in making the 21st Century Masonic Renaissance a success thereby keeping Freemasonry alive to share with our children and grandchildren.

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New Year's Resolutions Revisited

Last year, prior to starting The Point Within a Circle, I posted a note about New Year's Resolutions on the District Website.  When viewed in the light of the 21st Century Masonic Renaissance, I think it bears both repeating. . . and maybe just a little revision.

I’ve never really been one for New Year’s Resolutions – always assuming that anything worth doing is worth doing immediately, not delaying until some arbitrary point in the calendar. If, however, taking down the 2009 calendar from the wall and hanging a 2010 calendar gives one reason to reflect on past behaviors with an eye toward improving them, then perhaps they serve a purpose.



As Masons, what can we resolve to do differently for ourselves or our Lodge? This list will of course be different for each of us, but allow me to humbly make a few suggestions:


Learn a part of the ritual that you don’t already know. Let’s face it, there are few among us who know every piece of the ritual. Commit to learning a new chair, a new degree, some portion of the funeral service or the mechanics that have always confounded you. If you’re one of the few who knows all the work, pick a portion to hone to perfection.  The new ritual books will be of assistance to you at times that it is just too inconvient to meet with another Brother.


Do something with a Brother outside of a Lodge event. Ask a Brother to go golfing or bowling. Take him to breakfast or dinner. (Your Lodge’s spaghetti dinner or pancake breakfast does not count.) The bonds of Brotherhood should stretch beyond the outer doors of the Lodge.


Invite a worthy man to join.  Your Worshipful Master or Secretary has brochures that you can use to break the ice.  If you truly believe what we do to be worthwhile and of interest to a friend, then invite him to be a part of it.  All too often, men wait their entire lives to be asked to join this Fraternity thinking that that is the only way.  Help someone worthy start that journey this year.

Attend more Lodge meetings in 2010 than you did in 2009. I probably don’t need to elaborate here.

Call a Brother from your Lodge that hasn’t attended recently just to introduce yourself. Both of you will be better for it. He will feel loved and remembered by his Fraternity and you will have met another man you can call Brother. And if you can do it once, you can do it once a month.

Visit one Lodge you’ve never been to before. You’ll meet new people, see new places and have a chance to hone those skills necessary to visit unfamiliar Lodges.

Read a Masonic book. If you think esoteric Masonry may be too deep or beyond your ability, start with fiction. It may pique your interest and give you the courage to tackle a more academic tome. Just remember to keep the fact separate from the fiction.

Visit another Grand Jurisdiction. Though our Landmarks are the same, Masonry is practiced differently in different jurisdictions.

Visit the Grand Lodge in Philadelphia. It is truly one of the Crown Jewels of Masonic architecture in the world and it’s less than six hours away by car. It can be toured by Masons and nonMasons alike. Don’t like to travel alone? See number 2 above. (If you time it right, you may be able to scratch number 3 off your list as well.)

Force me to cook and serve a meal at the School of Instruction.  I mentioned in a previous post what it would take for that to happen.  Let's get to the end of the visitation schedule and say we sat with fifteen hundred, or better yet, two thousand Brothers this year.


Lastly, read the Ancient Charges. Dedicate yourself to living true to the high ideals set forth in the opening and closing charges. Being the good citizen, the educated man and morally unassailable individual that we are, as Freemasons, charged to be.


I know this sounds like work. It is. But those things that we don’t work for don’t have value and we esteem them accordingly.

This list isn’t meant to be all-inclusive. If you have some resolutions I’ve missed, please feel free to share them with me. If you find successes or struggles, I’d love to hear about those as well. Drop me a note at ddgm54@pagrandlodge.org. I plan on working toward each and every one of these. It won’t be easy, but I know I’ll be better for it.

I am happy to say that I did almost every one of these things last year.  Each of them took time and effort for sure, but the dividend paid to me in the thanks of a Brother, the deepening of a relationship or the broadening of my horizion made it worth every bit. . .

Masonic Renaissance

As we in Pennsylvania take the first steps of a Masonic Renaissance, most do so with their minds and hearts wide open.  There are a few, however, who meet the idea with icy stares and an attitude that it will most assuredly fail.  Having spoken at lenght last year about change,  I know that the Brethren of the 54th District have fully embraced the concept and are willing to do whatever it takes to keep this Fraternity great.

As I visit the Lodges this year, I will be spending some time talking about the 21st Century Masonic Renaissance, but I will also be gearing many of my remarks toward our own self-improvement.  Whether it is our attitude toward change, our willingness to help others or our commitment to personal growth, the ability to make our Fraternity better by necessity must begin with making ourselves better.

While you ponder the points of the Renaissance, I will close with this thought regarding the printing of our ritual.  It seems to me that many Brothers are getting bogged down in the semantics of the EA oath; the common thought being that were not to reveal the ritual of Freemasonry.  Nowhere do we say that we won’t write the ritual. In fact, the word ritual never appears in our ritual.


I would submit that the secret Art and Mystery of the Craft is not the ritual, but rather it comes from the feeling a man gets and the transformation he undergoes during a beautiful initiatiory experience. It is the desire for self improvement that comes by simply reflecting on the moral lessons of a few Stonemason's tools. That is the secret Mystery and it can never be revealed because it cannot be explained.

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Throwing Down the Gauntlet...er..um...White Masonic Glove

Greetings Brethren,

It's been a little while since I've posted. The second half of 2009 has kept me Masonically busy. I have had the chance to visit most of the Lodges in the District and have thoroughly enjoyed my time there. Thank you all for the hospitality you show and the good work you continue to do. If you are a Mason and not already a Member of The 54th District Facebook Page, please consider joining. We have 60 members and continue to grow! It is a forum to discuss Masonry and get in touch with other members in the District, plus it gives you reminders for the Official Visits.

Next year's Official Visitation schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, February 9, Valley Lodge No. 613
Thursday, February 18, Forbes Trail Lodge No. 783
Thursday, March 4, Pollock Lodge No. 502
Wednesday, March 10, Infinity Lodge No. 546 (8:00)
Thursday, March 11, Orient Lodge No. 683
Tuesday, April 13, Penn-Brotherhood Lodge No. 635
Wednesday, April 14, Bethel Lodge No. 789
Tuesday, April 20, Plum Creek-Monroeville No. 799
Tuesday, May 11, Tyrian Lodge No. 644
Monday, May 24, Lodge Ad Lucem No. 812 – Reservations Required

As you may have noticed, we have a few new Lodges in the District. I would ask that you consider coming out to the Visitations to welcome the new Lodges to the 54th, make new friends and enjoy some Masonic fellowship. That brings me to my point:

Last year, I put out the challenge to get one hundred Brothers at an Official Visit and you answered the call. This year, since we've increased the size of the District, that number needs to grow. I'm officially challenging you, my beloved Brothers of the 54th, to bring 150 Masons to an Official Visit. If you answer the call, I will again cook at the School of Instruction (chef's hat and all). If you can reach 200 at any one visit, I will cook an even fancier meal and will endeavor to serve it to you myself.

So the gauntlet (white Masonic glove) has been cast, will you pick it up? Can we look back at the 2010 Visitation season and say that we sat in Lodge and shared the Light with 1,500 or even 2,000 Brothers this year? Let's work together to try to make that lofty dream a reality!