MASONIC Digest Tuesday, 29 Oct 1991 Volume 3 : Issue 3 Today's Topics: Administrivia Re: M
MASONIC Digest Tuesday, 29 Oct 1991 Volume 3 : Issue 3
Today's Topics:
Administrivia
Re: Masonry and "Alliance Assemblies" (Peter Trei)
Questions: Esotericism & York vs. Scottish Rites (David Brown)
Re: P2 (Chuck Dupree)
Rainbow Majority Members (Laurie F. Alden)
Re: Masonry and the Catholic Church ("DeWitt Clinton")
Re: Where is Masonry banned? (Jim Thomas Park)
Re: "Recruitment" / RCC (Alex Hart)
Introductions: David Brown
"DeWitt Clinton"
James Thomas Park Jr.
Alex Hart
Colin Hart
Dr. Woodrow W. Morris
Send all submissions and requests to ptrei@mitre.org. MASONIC
digest is moderated. Please remember: THIS IS A PUBLIC FORUM:
YOU MUST ASSUME THAT MANY READERS ARE NON-MASONS. Please include a
relevant subject line. If you require anonymity, say so at the top of
your message (and give a nom-de-net). All contributions remain the
property (copyright 1991), and responsibility of the authors.
My own comments remain mine (Copyright 1991 Peter Trei), and represent
only my views at the time of posting - not neccesarily those of
my employer, or of any Grand Lodge.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Peter Trei
Subject: Administrivia
Date: 25 Oct 91
Turnover on this list is low, and it's safe to assume that most
readers have seen the previous issues (the digest is unlike a usenet
newsgroup in this respect). For this reason, quoting large chunks of
previous articles is unneccesary. I'm going to be pretty draconian in
cutting them out.
Peter
PS: This Saturday (26 October) I was installed as Senior Warden of
Wilder Lodge, Leominster, MA.
------------------------------
From: Peter Trei
Subject: Re: Masonry and "Alliance Assemblies"
Date: 25 Oct 91
˝Tim Maroney discusses possibilities of a Masonic "Alliance" with his
Twilight Crossing group -PT|
Masons are quite free to join or form any groups they want; Grand
Lodges only get bent out shape when (i) secrets are revealed to
non-Masons, (ii) the group claims to confer masonic degrees, or (iii)
the existance of the group leads to (or seemed likely to lead to)
damage to Masonry's reputation.
That as I understand it, would be the official position. The last
one is the kicker. Some Masons be very upset at anything that
associated them with ouji-boardin', debbil-summonin' baby-killin'
pagans :-).
A group of Masons could certainly form an assembly, and admit
anyone they pleased. But I don't think such a group could have
official status within Masonry, or any authority to speak on Masonry's
behalf. (Quite aside from anything else, Masonry has *no* overall
centralized authority - there are around 100 Grand Lodges, each of
which carefully guards it's sovereignity).
Peter Trei
------------------------------
From: davidbro@microsoft.com
Subject: Introduction (David Brown) & Esotericism & York vs. Scottish Rites
Date: Tue Oct 22 14:10:55 1991
Hello, My name is David Brown, and although I'm not a Mason, I'm
very interested in becoming one. I have obtained a petition, but I
have not yet filled it out -- from lack of time, rather than lack of
desire.
I have a few questions that might be answered by those Masons on
this list:
My interest in Masonry comes first from ancestry (my grandfather
was 32 degree in the Scottish Rite, as is my uncle), and secondly from
my occult interests. I'm primarily interested in the esoteric side of
Masonry, i.e. the rituals, the philosophy, etc. The impression that I
get from the digest is that U.S. Masonry is mostly a charitable
organization, and though I know that I'll get out of Masonry what I
put into it, I'm concerned that I'll be alone in my endeavors. Does
this make sense?
The second question is much more straight-forward. What are the
differences between Scottish Rite and York Rite? I know that the York
Rite has fewer degrees than Scottish Rite, but that's about it. Can
the answer to this question be given to non-Masons? (Not knowing the
secrets means not knowing what can and cannot be answered)
At any rate, put me down on the list of people that would like to
receive the back issues -- and I'm looking forward to the issues that
follow.
I'll let everyone know how I'm doing when I finally take the
plunge.
dave
(davidbro@microsoft.com)
˝PT: I'll respond in the next digest, along with other readers.|
------------------------------
From: Chuck Dupree
Subject: P2 (mentioned in Masonic Digest, Vol. 3, Number 2)
Date: Tue, 22 Oct 91 17:23:52 -0700
In digest v03n001, magill@dccs.upenn.edu (William H. Magill) writes:
>What do you "know" or "have heard" about P2.
And in v03n002, Peter Trei replies:
> ˝...| P2 stands for Propaganda Duo. ˝...| It cannot be
> overemphasized that P2's actions are disavowed and deplored by all
> regular Masons.
˝ The way I've seen it spelled is "Propaganda Due", but I'm not
certain that it's correct. - ced |
˝PT: You're right. It's "Due" |
One book that gives a fair amount of detail about P2 is David
Yallop's "In God's Name." This book describes the events surrounding
the sudden and suspicious death of Pope John Paul I, the current
Pope's immediate predecessor. John Paul I lived for 33 days after he
was elected, despite being in his mid-fifties and in excellent health.
He supposedly died of a heart attack, though he had *low* blood
pressure. No autopsy was performed, the body was buried in less than
24 hours, the death certificate does not appear to have been signed by
a doctor, some of his effects disappeared within the first hour or so
after he was found, and the list of anomalies goes on and on. Not,
perhaps, as long as the list of anomalies and witness deaths
associated with the JFK assassination, but still...
A number of P2 members worked (and probably still work) in the
Vatican. At the time, I believe, membership in a Freemasonic lodge
meant automatic excommunication. There appear to be clear connections
between P2 and Bishop Paul Marcinkus, head of the IOR (Vatican Bank).
There are also connections to Roberto Calvi and Michele Sindona, as
well as right-wing extremist government figures like Antonio Somoza
and Augusto Pinochet. The head of P2, who may or may not have founded
it, is Licio Gelli. Members have included many high government
officials, cabinet ministers, most intelligence agency heads, many
military leaders, university presidents, and other leading
professionals. Some (e.g., Barbara Honegger in "October Surprise")
say that George Bush, Henry Kissinger and Zbigniew Brzezinski are
"honorary" (= non-Italian) members.
P2 has been connected with many so-called terrorist attacks,
mainly in Italy, that were originally attributed to far-left or
far-right groups like the Red Brigade. Sometimes it seems that P2 has
managed to use these groups as fronts, with or without their
knowledge. But it's also clear that Gelli puts effort into seeming,
in some circumstances, to have more influence than he really has.
But maybe he really does have that influence. He was, after all,
an invited guest at Ronald Reagan's inaugural ball.
- ced
˝PT: I don't want the digest to degenerate into a mirror of
alt.conspiracy, but attacks on Masonry deserve some discussion, no
matter how off-the-wall they are. I suspect this thread is pretty well
played out.|
------------------------------
Date: 22 Oct 91 2351
From: 69014v@d1.dartmouth.edu (Laurie F. Alden)
Subject: Rainbow Majority Members
Hello again -
Thank you all for the insights and anecdotes about Masonry -
especially William Magill's letter. Having received a warm welcome, I
will feel free to respond.
A "Majority Member" of Rainbow is a young woman who was a member
in good standing when she attained her twentieth birthday. A woman
may also be invited to join Eastern Star when she is eighteen; this
put my good friend in the interesting position of being a member in
both organizations at once. She says it kept her pretty busy during
the first two years of college...
I have had the pleasure of being a camp counselor and a high
school teacher in places far from home, but have always eventually
found one or two sisters. I was especially grateful when two
(familial) sisters were my students at a very rural boarding school.
They were far from their family and feeling rather homesick when we
discovered our relationship. I took them for an evening away from
school in order to attend the nearest Grand Cross of Color Banquet on
that occasion, and it really helped them to have the familiarity and
camraderie or Rainbow. It was almost a year before I learned that a
roommate I had in Arizona had been one of Job's Daughters (I had never
even heard of that group).
Speaking of that banquet, it occurs on November 15th every year,
and I still am trying to find it in NH or VT. Peter (Our Editor) Trei
has sent me the telephone numbers of both states' Grand Lodges, but
still no luck in getting any answer at those numbers. Any suggestions
as to what nights or times I should call? Thank you!
Fraternally,
Laurie F. Alden
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 22 Oct 1991 23:53 EDT
Subject: Re: Masonry and the Catholic Church
From: "DeWitt Clinton"
˝"DeWitt Clinton" is a pseudonym. -PT|
I wish to correct William Magill's comments about the
relationship between the Catholic Church and the Craft.
I am a third-generation Mason of Victoria (now Victoria SeaGate)
Lodge No. 1037 in xxxx, New York and I am a Past Master, having served
in the East for two years (1986 and 1987). I am an Assistant
Professor at xxxx xxxx xxxx, a Jesuit college (I am not Catholic
myself).
While the Church officially no longer excommunicates Catholics
who become Masons and views the Craft as yet another fraternal
organization, there is a misconception that Masonry is anti-Catholic,
and for that matter, anti-Semitic. Obviously, we know that Masonry is
neither, but there are Masons who are one of the two or even both.
There are lodges who will not admit members because of their religious
affiliation or ethnicity, usually because there are one or more member
who use the blackball for un-Masonic purposes.
Such instances, when they occur, and I like to think that it is
rare, violate all that we believe in. And they leave many non-Masons
to form opinions of the Craft that are less than true. As a District
Deputy Grand Master once told me, Masonry is really about what we do
BETWEEN meetings. Our meetings are primarily about making new Masons
and refreshing our adherence to the principles of the Craft. Let's
keep Masonry in the public eye because of what it SHOULD be.
W.'."DeWitt Clinton"
Victoria Seagate Lodge No. 1037 F&AM
xxxx, NY
˝ PT: My understanding of the RCC position is this: The Papal Bull which|
˝ made Masonic membership an excommunicable offense was lifted recently.|
˝ It was replaced by Canon Law which makes each bishop responsible for |
˝ deciding in which organizations membership is banned in his See (and |
˝ restricts bans to organizations inimical to the RCC). When asked if |
˝ this meant that Masonry was now OK, Archbishop Ratzinger (sp? anyway,|
˝ a senior Vatican official with responsibility for interpreting Canon |
˝ Law), said (in effect) "Of course not!". |
˝ North American RC Bishops have uniformly ignored this |
˝ interpretation, and many Catholic Masons in the US and Canada are |
˝ quite open about their membership. |
˝ I may be off the wall here - there are others on this mailing |
˝ list far more knowledgable than I concerning RCC Canon Law. |
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Oct 1991 11:20:14 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jim Thomas Park, Jr."
Subject: Re: Where is Masonry banned / Introduction (James T. Park Jr.)
> ˝I mentioned renewed Grand Lodges in Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and
> Yugoslavia -PT|
I would like to state that the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania has
officially recognized the Grand Lodges of Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and
Yugoslavia. We were read a communication from the Grand Master at our
September Stated Meeting.
˝PT: So has Massachusetts|
By the way I would like to introduce myself as I am new to this
list. My name is James T. Park, Jr. (Jim)
I am the Senior Warden of Avalon Lodge No. 657 F &A.M. of
Pennsylvania. I am a member of the Valley of Pittsburgh, East Hill
Chapter No. 268 and DuquesneCommandry No. 72.
I am looking forward to an exciting year as master. The upcoming
Grand Master of PA masons is a member of my lodge. We are preparing
for his installation on December 27th 1991. I would like to say to any
of the brethern out there, if you ever have a chance to attend a Grand
Commnication of your Grand Lodge and see the installation of a Grand
Master by all means GO. It is most impressive.
Fraternally,
Bro. James T. Park, Jr.
Let our recreations be innocent and pursued with moderation: and never let us
suffer irregular indulgences to expose our character to derision and contempt.
-Pennsylvania Freemasonry
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Oct 91 18:04 PDT
Subject: Introduction (Alex Hart) / "Recruitment" / RCC
From: Alex_Hart@mindlink.bc.ca (Alex Hart)
PT:
Let me join the others who introduce themselves to others on the
mailing list: My name is Alex Hart and am currently a member of my
mother lodge (St.Paul's # 374 Montreal Quebec) This lodge is one of 3
"rebel" lodges in Canada that never left their original jurisdiction
and so still owe alliegence to the United Grand Lodge of England. I am
a past master of my adopted lodge Burrard # 50 B.C. register and a
past first principal of my Royal Arch Chapter (North Vancouver # 16) ,
a past T.I.M. of Zaphon Council # 8 Royal and Select Masters,Preceptor
of Jordan Preceptory # 76 Knights Templar (and currently a member of
the grand council of Canada) Member of B.C. York Rite College #
44,Junior warden elect of Dogwood Council #141 Allied Masonic degrees
and a member of the British Columbia and Yukon Priory # 61 Knights
York Cross of Honour.
I hope that the above doesn't seem too long winded or at all
vain-glorious as it is not meant to be so but just an intro so that
anyone of any of the "esoteric" branches as listed above amy have
someone to contact about mutual thoughts and/or concerns.
Now some replies to some subjects raised in todays digest:
A) recruitment : If someone solemly declares before initiation
that they have not been improperly solicited,then as our grand lodge
has decreed"there must therefore be a "proper" method of
solicitation." Asking someone ONCE if they have ever considered the
craft is one proper way.
B) Roman Catholics in the Craft : I am glad to see that the
church in the USA also has an enlightened attitude towards
this.Certainly in British Columbia,I know of many fine Catholics who
happen to be members including one past master (personally that is.)
Alex Hart
Vancouver B.C.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 91 13:38 PST
Subject: Masonic Digest, Thanks and Personal Intro.
From: Colin_Hart@mindlink.bc.ca (Colin Hart)
Dear Peter,
Thank you for getting my name onto the list, actually thanks
should go to Justin de Couer I guess as he mentioned the board to my
brother. This will be an interesting way to learn more about the
craft. For personal introduction to all who may read these missives I
am a Master Mason raised in Burrard Lodge #50 Grand Lodge of British
Columbia earlier this year. I will be pursuing my Masonic Career
through York Rite bodies for the moment, my application is before the
local chapter of the Royal Arch. Anyone who wishes to contact me
directly may do so as I make no secret of my being a Mason. Looking
forward to fraternal visits across the ether!
Colin Hart
˝PT: Just curious, are you and Alex related?|
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 91 12:53 CST
To: ptrei@mitre.org
Subject: Introduction: Dr. Woodrow W. Morris
I have enjoyed the Masonic Digest. I would like to be added to
your mailing list. I am a Past Grand Master of Masons in Iowa and
have called our Grand Secretary's attention to the Digest. He is
interested in it, too. As issues come out I plan to send copies on to
him.
Thank you and Fraternally yours,
Dr. Woodrow W. Morris
230 Hutchinson Avenue
Iowa City, Iowa 52246
˝PT: Welcome, M.'.W.'. Brother!|
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 29 Oct 91 00:35:46 EDT
From: pro-angmar!steffan@alfalfa.com (Steven Mesnick)
Subject: Re-Intro
Bro. Mark Waks had a good point: with the revival of this list,
it *is* time for introductions again. So...
Hello, everyone. I'm Bro. Steve Mesnick, Senior Warden (for the
2nd year) of Ocean Lodge, in Winthrop, MA. I'm 32' Scottish Rite,
Royal Arch, DeMolay Alumnus, Past Patron of Eastern Star, and an
Instructor at Lodge of Instruction. I, like Bro. Mark (Justin), am a
philosopher and a firebrand. More than that, I will leave for later,
when the discussions get up and running.
------------------------------
End of MASONIC Digest
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