2nd International Meeting of Mixed Grand Lodges

II International Meeting of 

Mixed 

Grand Lodges - 25, 26 and 27 October 2012 

Cordoba - Argentina

The Symbolic Royal Grand Lodge of Argentina, through its Most Worshipful Grand Master, is pleased to invite you to the Second International Meeting of Joint Grand Lodges, which is sponsored by the Great 

Joint 

International 

Hermetic Diet in the city of Córdoba (Argentina), between 25 and 27 October 2012.

The meeting will have a fraternal character, while open to the whole society, with the intention of showing the commitment of the Masons, towards improving the social structure of the whole world.

II° Encuentro Internacional de Grandes Logias Mixtas – 25, 26 y 27 de octubre 2012 Córdoba – República Argentina

La Real Gran Logia Simbólica Argentina, a través de su Muy Respetable Gran Maestre, tiene el agrado de invitaros al II° Encuentro Internacional de Grandes Logias Mixtas, que con el auspicio de la Gran Dieta Hermética Mixta Internacional, realizaremos en la ciudad de Córdoba (Argentina), entre los días 25 y 27 de octubre de 2012.

El encuentro tendrá carácter fraternal, a la vez que abierto a la Sociedad toda, con la intención de mostrar el compromiso de los masones, en pos de mejorar el Edificio Social de todo el Orbe.

La Masonería es la Sociedad fraterna más antigua de la Historia, y aunque por convención se dice que nació en 1717, sus verdaderos orígenes se pierden en la noche de los tiempos. Por ella pasaron las mentes más ilustres en la Historia de la Humanidad, y en sus Talleres de pensamiento, se formaron hombres y mujeres que dejarían una profunda huella en la evolución humana.

Cronograma de eventos

- Jueves 25: 10:00 Recepción de Autoridades y visitantes en sede de la Gran Logia. Acreditación. 13:00 Almuerzo fraterno. 18:00 Tenida hermética en 1er. Grado.

- Viernes 26: 10:00 Colocación de ofrenda floral al Libertador Gral. José de San Martín, Palabras alusivas. 11:00 Recorrido del Centro Histórico de la Ciudad de Córdoba. 19:00 Conferencia conjunta a cargo de expositores de las distintas delegaciones.

Salón de Convenciones Shopping Garden – Corrientes 161

- Sábado 27: 11:00 Conferencia de Prensa y Lunch – Oficinas de la Gran Logia 15:00 Reunión de Grados Capitulares 19:00 Tenida hermética de cierre. 21:00 Ágape fraterno y despedida de delegaciones.Las confirmaciones de vuestra presencia, en este Magno Congreso de la Masonería a desarrollarse en Argentina, deberán hacerse a alguno (o todos) de los siguientes correos:

- - -

granlogiasimbolicaargentina@gmail.com secretaria@granlogiasimbolica.com.ar cyrano_leon@hotmail.com

Se solicita que como datos mínimos, nos remitan los siguientes:

Nombre de la Logia u Obediencia: 

Rito en el que trabajan: 

Ciudad y País de origen: 

Cantidad de miembros de la delegación:  

Nombre de la Autoridad que encabeza la delegación:  

Tema que desean exponer en Conferencia: 

Reservas hoteleras

Aquellos visitantes que deseen hacer reservas hoteleras en forma anticipada, pueden seguir las instrucciones que se dan a continuación. Los precios de estadía en hoteles de 2 a 5 estrellas, varían entre $ 679.48 y $ 2150.87 por tres días, en habitación de base doble. Hablamos de pesos argentinos.

Para hacer las reservas, deberéis ingresar al link siguiente, en donde se pueden ver los 54 principales hoteles de Córdoba. Desde esta página, pueden realizar reservas on-line o por teléfono. Sugerimos copiar la siguiente dirección web, y pegarla en el navegador:

http://www.booking.com/searchresults.html?src=city&city=- 983417&error_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fcity%2Far%2Fcordoba.es.html

Esperamos vuestra presencia, que hará mucho más digno este encuentro de Hermanos, reunidos bajo el signo de la escuadra y el compás.

Estáis fraternalmente invitados. 

A 03 días de mayo de 2012 E. ̇.V. ̇. S. ̇. F. ̇.U. ̇.

Gran Secretaría

Gran Logia Simbólica Argentina

granlogiasimbolicaargentina@gmail.com 

secretaria@granlogiasimbolica.com.ar

Reorganization of the UMURM

Announcement of the Reorganization of the UMURM
Union Masonica Universal Rito Moderno or  The Universal Masonic Union of the Modern Rite



Desde el 1 de octubre de 2012 la UMURM se ha reorganizado en sus potencias rectoras, quedando la relación directiva siguiente:

Supremo Conselho do Rito Moderno - Brasil
Gran Capítulo General del Gran Oriente de Colombia
Sublime Consejo del Rito Moderno para el Ecuador
Grand Chapter General of the Modern Rite for North America and the Caribbean

De este modo quedan establecidas las relaciones y acciones masónicas constructivas que abarcan los Orientes del Brasil, Ecuador, Colombia, USA, Cuba, México y España entre otros.

From the 1st of October, 2012 the UMURM has reorganized and its current structure is as follows:

The Supreme Council of the Modern Rite - Brazil
Grand Chapter General of the Grand Orient of Colombia
Supreme Council of the Modern Rite of Ecuador
Grand Chapter General of the Modern Rite for North America and the Caribbean

Thus the relationships and organizational structures are established for the Modern Rite Masonic Orients for Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, USA, Cuba, Mexico and Spain among others.

Research Lodge of The Moderns

The Modern Lodge of Research

Almost a year ago the Lodge of Research "The Moderns" had raised its columns to work under the auspices of the Circle of Studies of the French Rite of Montaleau Roëttiers. This was uncommon in that it was a lodge under the protection of a Research Center, although it was regularly raised by Master Masons, regularly initiated. However, independence at that time was a priority for those involved.

These days, the sponsorship has changed for the Research Lodge of “The Moderns,” who works on deepening the knowledge and heritage of "The Moderns" in Freemasonry, and thus they have regularized their situation under the protection of the Mixed Grand Lodge of the Equatorial Andes and look forward to continuing their work under new sponsorship.

Announcements of their publications will be presented here as time goes on. We wish Olga, Joaquim, Victor and our other brothers and sisters involved with this effort every success in the coming months and years.

A Modest Proposal for a Modern Freemasonry

Where does the Esoteric, Hermetic or even serious Philosophical approach to Freemasonry stand today? We see Mainstream masons nodding off into their chicken soup, back woods past masters engaging in public hissy fits across the web condemning books which even dare to hint that freemasonry might be more than an empty bag of metaphors, and the GLE hired a PR firm to poll the public as to the meaning of Freemasonry, only to develop from those results a white paper saying that the King is dead, long live the Old Boys social club.

Although Masonic blogs for a while sprouted periodic dialogs in which the authors detailed their personal epiphanies concerning the best way to save the craft from imminent doom, ie itself, these have mostly quieted down. I assume the silence is due either to pressure or  apathy. Either way, they only serve to highlight an apparently inevitable decline in enthusiasm experienced by the bloggers themselves, as they watched the continuing dip in numbers when nobody embraced their solutions. Some continue to rail, others have monetized their blogs and moved on.

Apparently, young men are not interested in cold soup at expensive clubs that do not have a wine list and don't allow them to bring their girlfriends, wives, or boyfriends. So, what is a potential source of new membership for Freemasonry, and who will bring them in?

There exists a group of young people actually interested in initiations and becoming a part of a fraternal organization to spend an evening practicing and discussing ritual and the history of such societies. They are called esotericists and hermeticists, and there are more of them out there than there have been for nearly a hundred years. The problem in winning them is several fold.

What I wish to suggest is that mainstream Freemasonry in North America needs to realize is that soon they will have real competition for these profanes, that is if the grand lodges don't bow out of the race before it begins. Why? Because there is an increasing interest, however small, in liberal, mixed, esoteric, hermetic, and yes, even ethnic Freemasonry.

Several trends are converging, and I will touch briefly on both. Gradually, small groups of ethnic Freemasonry have been growing as a result of the changing ethnic makeup of the US.  The young esotericists are one trend, the ethnic mason another.

Liberal and Mixed Freemasonry has had a "mixed" history in the US. There are a small number of long standing, or slumbering institutions that have become as exciting as any mainstream Grand Lodge system, and there have been the dramatic implosions of small groups wracked by internal politics, not to mention the fantasy driven Pseudo-Scientific Neo-Harmonic revivals, mostly never more than a series of websites proclaiming non-existent lodges world-wide. However, while mainstream lodges have laughed these off, assuming they proved their positions unassailable, a generation of people have grown up who have immersed themselves in esotericism, hermeticism and ritual studies and for whom, while a Masonic experience is desired, the offerings of mainstream masonry represent a pale reflection of what they know they should expect of the craft.  And they don't give a hoot about claims of regularity or the myth of 1717.  The few very reserved efforts at accommodating serious students that the mainstream has deigned to offer will not suffice.

This, combined with the general lack of welcome that greet the non-European aspirants who knock at the lodge door, has created a perhaps small but serious class of potential masons who are looking elsewhere, and when they do not find what they are looking for, they are prepared to build their own solutions. Added to these numbers are of course, the women. There are serious Liberal obediences willing to support those who are capable and prepared to do the work. It is reasonable to assume that in addition to the current and the new obediences on the North American scene, there will be more to follow. Add to this growing and real academic research which is pushing back against the myths of the past upon whose sands the Grand Lodge system was fabricated; myths which have become articles of faith but which are empty, such as territorial exclusivity and the claims that masonry began in London in 1717. The first always was an empty claim and the latter has since been proven false by solid scholarship backed up with original source materials. What's more, small is the new big.


As a supporter of Liberal Freemasonry, I will fly in the face of what most might think is in my own self interest, and suggest a solution that might allow Mainstream masonry to regain the upper hand. I know of course, it is probably too radical for even the most liberal leaning of the Grand Lodges to consider, and that perhaps is part of why I feel free to offer the advice.  Forget the "European Style" Lodges (which are European in name only) or the Traditional Observance Lodges (which offer a lot of structure and very little excitement), and get radical.

The radical plan is quite simple. Allow lodges, new and old to experiment with any historically documented rite they wish, in the language(s) of their choice. If old lodges won't agree, allow the interested parties to easily create new lodges that will. Then those really bohemian Grand Lodges can allow women in.

I guarantee that if this is done, and those lodges are allowed to engage in an open study of either esotericism, hermeticism, or a serious and academic study of philosophy and symbolism, that the numbers will turn around. Of course, it won't be your grandfather's Freemasonry anymore. It will be your Great Great Great Grandparents' Freemasonry. And it will thrive.



In the meantime, the rest of us will continue to work on gaining ground, and we don't have to worry about the electric bills you guys have.

The Sublime Council of the Modern Rite for Ecuador - SCRME

The Sublime Council of the Modern Rite for Ecuador is the only independent philosophical potency to practice the Five Orders of Wisdom in the territory of the Republic of Ecuador. It responds to the needs in those Orients desiring to work all the Degrees of the Modern or French Rite as an uninterrupted and faithful lineage both of historical rituals of the Grand Chapter General of France, 1784, as well as of the universal values and principles inherent in this rite, with a patent under the UMURM headed by the Supreme Commander of the Supreme Council of the Modern Rite of Brazil, the only Philosophical Potency to have maintained the original integrity of the Modern or French Rite 1784 and to have transmitted that rite unchanged to successive generations.

Ecuadorian Masonry, very hospitable and open, has been quite active in recent years with various Masonic Lodges and bodies opening new lodges, both plural and diverse, offering a variety of perspectives of Freemasonry suitable for all kinds of sensitivities and understandings of the Royal Art.

Unfortunately, the Modern or French Rite was insufficiently present, and this was due and not only the expansion of other numerically dominant ritual forms, but also by the lack of Legitimate independent bodies that could support the entire range of Initiatory Degrees in the Modern or French Rite.

True to their spirit of freedom, many brothers and sisters, eager to deepen their knowledge of the Modern Rite, did not hesitate to join efforts to learn more, share and implement the Masonic and fraternal interaction that is only achievable through exchange visits and adopting an open but critical mind. So finally, today the presence of the Modern French Rite is a reality in Ecuador.

In keeping with the true practice of liberty and fraternity, the SCRM for Ecuador is defined as transnational despite being the guarantor of the regularity of the practice of all the Orders of Wisdom for the Republic of Ecuador and housed historic in the city of Quito, opening its doors to Brothers or Sisters regularly received in corresponding degree, while also extending its work to other areas outside their national territory.

This free practice, respectful of tradition, but in turn responsible and modern with its eyes on the future, represents a breath of fresh air in the international scene of the Modern Rite.




http://ritomodernoecuador.com/index.asp

http://www.academiaritomoderno.org/




Thanks to Joaquim Villalta and John Slifko

Report from the 2011 Conference on Latin American Freemasonry at UCLA

A stimulating conference on Freemasonry in Latin America was held last weekend at the UCLA Faculty Center. The Welcome and Introductions were presented by -Senior Grand Warden John Cooper, Masons of California; Grand Master Frank Loui, Masons of California; Margaret C. Jacob, PhD, UCLA, and María Eugenia Vázquez Semadeni, PhD, UCLA. Margaret Jacob noted that the partnership forged between the Grand Lodge of California and UCLA of which this conference was born, has been a good one. She noted that much more work needs be done. There is a role for both the research lodges and papers by non academics and individual masons. The academic can learn much from masonic viewpoints and contextualize them while helping to introduce the masonic writer to a more strenuous written style. There was a strong plea that Masons begin to gain control and centralize documents they were loosing everyday, stored in garages, attics, thrown out the back door of the lodge. This should be complemented with digitization.

Among the significant and informative papers read at this conference were those by Ricardo Eugenio Martínez Esquivel, University of Costa Rica, entitled “Mystical Sociability: Freemasons and Theosophists in the organization of Co-Freemasonry and the Liberal Catholic Church in Costa Rica during the 1920s,” Guillermo de los Rayes Heredia, University of Houston entitled “The Relation Between Mexican and American Freemasonry, Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries,” and two stimulating papers on Freemasonry in Cuba delivered by Eduardo Torres Cuevas, PhD, University of Havana, and Jorge Luis Romeu, PhD, Syracuse University. These were accompanied by nearly a half dozen more excellent papers including one delivered by Dr. Margaret C. Jacob, entitled “Where We Now Are in Masonic Studies.”

The conference was just the beginning and perhaps it is time to begin to consider what next steps might be. Dr. Jacob did not allow the conference to end before proposing a global conference on Freemasonry and civil society coming into modernity.

UCLA Freemasonry and Civil Society Program
The Freemasonry and Civil Society Program is a collaborative
partnership between UCLA’s History Department, the Grand Lodge of
California, and the Institute for Masonic Studies. The Program offers
courses investigating the history of Freemasonry within the context of
civil society. Each year, the Program sponsors a post-doctoral fellow
and a research assistant. The International Conference on American
& Latin American Freemasonry is offered in conjunction with the research of this year’s post-doctoral fellow, María Eugenia Vázquez-Semadini, whose specialties include Mexican political culture in the nineteenth century and the history of Freemasonry.

International Conference American & Latin American Freemasonry: A new past & A new future

A long overdue contribution to the study of Freemasonry in the United States is developing at UCLA. The International Conference on American and Latin American Freemasonry, December 3rd, 2011 is one very welcome contribution and hopefully will be followed by many more!