Return of the Chapter of Wisdom

Formed by brothers who took time to select a name, define the invocation for the opening of the work, the conditions for the provision of oath or promise to give impact to the ritual; this is what makes the lodge demonstrate the will of its founders.

This was the case even in half of the lodges which sought a patent after demonstrating their ability to manage and promote a initiation. Obedience, which has no call initiation, could not lead to a lodge. Only the will and the union of brothers and their appeal to the Grand Architect grounded on the fraternity and report on their work, could make a just and perfect lodge.

The General Grand Chapter of France was formed by seven sovereign chapters in 1784, and these acted to create the Degree of Wisdom of the French Rite, outside the limits of any one obedience. This they did while taking into account the guidelines of GOF but it was founded on an need that emerged naturally in the whole territory and in the heart of the chapters and brothers who composed it.

The rules of the obedience gradually led to the loss of the deeper meaning of the rites. Successive amendments have hidden symbols and secrets have been misunderstood, and this of course has limited the space for expression of feelings. Where nothing can be explained, the square is open to brute authority, personal ambition and single-mindedness, and of course the power struggles that are distinguished more by reference to what is not allowed than that to which has no circumscribed limits. A return to tradition cannot occur without the participation of all those who have discerned a need.

Having accepted that we have lost everything except the faith in Freemasonry, everything must be rebuilt with different materials, especially by those who chose the strategy over stagnation reflection rather than diatribe, combining their personal views with a confidence in providence, who seek perfect harmony and have hope.

The appearance in the contemporary French Masonic landscape Masonic of a moral authority was a totally unexpected event but one that fed the power of hope that is emerging in Europe. The only country in the world which has uninterruptedly practiced all the Degrees of Wisdom of the Modern French Rite, Brazil, invited all who wished to meet the criteria regardless of sex and obedience, to end the artificial barriers and to revive the tradition of the Modern Rite in its openness and its initiatory vocation full of freedom, humility and spirituality.

That is the appeal of the Charter of Barcelona, which was launched the day of Pentecost by the Modern Rite Supreme Council for Brazil and through the creation of the Union of Modern Rite Masonic Universal.

Representing France were brothers and sisters belonging to the symbolic lodges of the GLNF, GLTSO, GOTM, GLMF, Masonic Universal Alliance and the Alliance of Free and Sovereign Lodges of the French Rite and the Lodges of Free and Sovereign San Juan. Representation of these chapters has issued the Modern Rite Sublime Council for France , co-founder of the Universal Masonic Union of the Modern Rite, now recognized as legitimate authority to bind the Sovereign Chapters of the French or Modern Rite.

This federal Sublime Council includes a female Grand Chapter, a Joint Chapter Large Chapters and two Great Men who have chosen different rules on the functioning of the Chapters that are members, but all Sovereign Chapters are open to inter-visit and the spirit of the Charter of Barcelona.

(Gracias a Victor Guerra)