Masonic Lodges

[WendyG]

Not sure if this is in right topic.

Does anyone know of a Masonic Lodge in the vicinity of Chinon/Saumur?  My friend, who is a Mason,  has been down to lodge meetings in Perpignan/Carcasonne but obviously this is a very long way.  We have been unable to ascertain whether there are any lodges nearer.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Tony F Dordogne]

Hi Wendy

France has always had a multiplicity of Masonic movements and lodges, some of which conflict with the English/Scottish/Irish masonic Constitutions - it all depends on which of the various Grand Lodge's jurisdictions his mother Lodge came under.  As he's likely to be under one of the UK Grand Lodges, he should contact:

Grand Loge de France (GLDF)

8 rue Puteaux

75017, Paris

Tel: 01.53.42.41.41

Web: www.gldf.org

If he is of a more political bent, he should be joining a Lodge under the Grand Orient de France.  The Languedoc in general and Dordogne/Gironde areas have more of the latter than anywhere else in France, one reason it's a left-leaning area.

PM me if he wants more details or information about one of the other Grand Lodges but tell him to be warned, some French Masonic GL's admit women or have solely women members. 

[WendyG]

Hi Tony

Many thanks for the reply - we will look into your suggestions.

Wendy

[Catalpa]

[quote user="Tony F Dordogne"]... but tell him to be warned, some French Masonic GL's admit women or have solely women members. [/quote]

No! That's appalling. What is the masonic world coming to? [:P]

There are (or were) some Lodges set up for women in the UK... but allegedly the women had to seek their husband's permission before they joined.

Yep, really wanted a piece of that. [:D]

ps: I'm not anti-mason - TOH is a past master of his Lodge.

[Tony F Dordogne]

I'm only reporting it - for some UK Masons the thought of having women in their Lodges is still enough to bring on a coronary ..........

[Miki]

The sight of a womans leg instead of the more normal, mans bare leg, would do half the old codgers in  [:)]

[Just Katie]

Any room for catholics?

[Tony F Dordogne]

Masonic Lodges have never refused entry to Catholics, it's the Catholic Church which has been anti-Masonry, though not always so, and now there is no absolute proscription on Catholics being Masons so long as they can square it with their concience.

Theoretically, it's only Zen Bhuddists and atheists that can't be Masons as they have no belief in God.

One of the reasons that the European Orients were founded was that they were more politically driven and do not profess a belief in a God as a condition of membership which the UK's three Grand Lodges insist on and why there has never been a close link between the UK and European Orient Lodges.

[Just Katie]

Thank you Tony, this is something I was told a while ago and never explored further into it.  I don't say this often but I am glad you are correct and I am in the wrong.

[Miki]

I think nearly everyone believed that the old RC's were not allowed....................... but still plenty of atheists though, regardless of the supposed regs.

[Coco]

[quote user="catalpa"]
There are (or were) some Lodges set up for women in the UK... but allegedly the women had to seek their husband's permission before they joined.

Yep, really wanted a piece of that. [:D]

[/quote]

There still are plenty and no they don't need their husbands' permission!!!  My mum was a ladymason for many years in the UK.  It's much more oriented to fund raising for good causes - unlike the men's lot which is used much more to further their own ambitions and careers.[;-)]

[Tony F Dordogne]

And to raise funds for good causes Coco - look at the Grand Lodge of England's published accounts to see just how much they do contribute to organisations such at the RNLI.

[Catalpa]

Yes, that's right. The Lodge TOH belonged to also did a lot for the families of Lodge members who died or had other bereavement or serious illness problems. I remember them taking over the funding of one child's education - I can't remember the details... I think the child had autism and was at a boarding school but whatever the circumstances, the Lodge took it on at what was obviously a bad time for the family.

Coco (so nice to see you're Coco again [:D]) it was some years ago - probably 20+ - when I heard the "you need permission" line. I think it was on a radio programme. I did wonder at the time if it was accurate.

[Coco]

I think my mum joined about 25 years ago and I can assure you, she wouldn't ask permission of anyone [;-)]  Sorry, I didn't mean to affend anyone, I know the men do an aweful lot of good work too - it's just that it's a bit like joining a golf club for men, sometimes it's necessary to further their career and that's the sort of thing that gets picked up by the press rather than the good things they do.  I don't know of any of the women in my mum's lodge that it would have benefitted on a personal level in any way.

 

[jehe]

I do think the career furthering aspect of Masonic life is rather old hat and has little relevance in becoming a Mason these days. I consider that the most important aspects are the traditions, comradeship and charity supporting activities and in fact to use membership of a Masonic Lodge to further your own ends, career included, is both against the principles and the rules.

[billy10]

It certainly is against all Masonic belief and etiquette to use membership for personal gain, although as with most organised bodies there is a small fringe of brothers who take brotherly love to the limit, In my Masonic career I have had many rewarding experiences , one thing I have never come across is a lady Mason as the Grand lodge does not recognise women as being eligable , I think that COCO must be referring to the Lady Charoptomists ( think thats how you spell it ) which is an organisation set up by some ladies many years ago , but most certainly is not allied to or in any other way part of The grand lodge of England .

Sorry got on a soap box for a minute

Billy10     

[Chrisb]

Hi Billy10

FYI, I think it is spelt Lady Soroptimists!

Regards

Chris

[JayJay]

Here's a link for you Billy10 http://www.hfaf.org/ have a look[;-)]

[Peterm]

How do I go about joining then?

[Le Petomane]

If the masons are simply a lot of cuddly chaps buying Aran sweaters for lifeboatmen, why are they so secretive? 

[Hoddy]

Peterm - I did a Yahoo search.

Try

http://www.grandlodge-england.org/how-to/suggested-steps.htm

for how to join.

There were 157,000 hits for the search. This doesn't suggest great secrecy.

Hoddy

[Will]

I think the usual way is for another mason to propose you for membership. I've been asked a couple of times, but never taken up the invitation.

[Quillan]

[quote user="Le Petomane"]If the masons are simply a lot of cuddly chaps buying Aran sweaters for lifeboatmen, why are they so secretive? [/quote]

Ah but they are not. If you think a person is a mason ask them and they will tell you, there is nothing secretive about being a mason.

What is a secret is the ceremony of being raised through the degrees where a person swears to keep the ceremony secret of the particular degree with his hand on the Bible (or other book depending on the persons religion like the Koran for example) and completes his pledge by kissing it. So the only secret is the content of the ceremony but then that’s not really a secret either because it has been published many times. The best and most accurate version of the first degree was published in Inside the Brotherhood many years ago. Experts (non Masonic) claim that these books are not correct because the content of a degree appears to differ from one book to another. What the experts don’t know is that there are two versions, old and new (they have particular names), and each lodge decides which book they want to follow. Both books are approved by Grand Lodge so there is nothing iffy about it.

Many Lodges now publish their meetings, fund raising events and accounts on the internet.

 

[Catalpa]

I think only the older (stuffier?[:P]) lodges require a proposer and seconder. Nowadays it's perfectly acceptable to approach direct - in England anyway. (Because I can't speak for Scotland etc). Find a local lodge and discuss membership - and members. You might find a particular lodge was started by a group of surveyors, for eg, even if the membership broadened in later years. It's not free, btw - there tend to be fees to be paid, dinners to attend, donations to funds and causes...

[JayJay]

My dad was a mason & used to say that it wasn't a secret society, but a society of secrets. It's mainly their ceremonies that are kept schtum about & the handshake!!! They do raise an awful lot of money for charity & don't shout off about it. As someone has already said, if you know someone who is a mason, just ask them about it.