Protrait of the Most Famous and Illustrious Filipino Freemason. Just take your pick…hehehe!

(Photo taken by my darling wife Vikki during our Mother’s Day Photo Walk at Fort Santiago)

Family and Me, Freemasonry

Last Sunday, Bambit, our little girl Maia and Ate Bibing went for a morning walk at Nayong Pilipino or whatever is left of it.

It was a stroll cum photo-shoot sortie. While Bambit was looking for picture-perfect-subjects, Maia called her up and said, “look mommy, look, it’s a MASON.” Maia found a word “MASON” chiseled on the road cement (inset photo).

Maia pronounces the word Mason as MAAH-SOON, the first time she read the print “MY DAD IS A MASON” at the back of one of her t-shirts. And yes, she recognizes Masonic symbols like the ubiquitous Square and Compasses, and gave all of them, including Masonic events, with a generic nomenclature as “MAAH-SOON”. Like, she would ask me while I am preparing to go to our Lodge meeting, “are you going to MAAH-SOON, Ama?”

Back to Maia’s find. I’m sure this mark carries with it many stories. But I’d like to fancy it as a mark left by one of the Masons who made the road. I guess it was not even his name. I think he just etched the word that instantly came to his mind that can collectively identify all of them - mga MAAH-SOON. This drift is consistent with an ancient practice among operative Masons.

According to WIKIPEDIA: A mason’s mark is a symbol often found on dressed stone in buildings and other public structures. Scottish rules issued in 1598 stated that on admission to the guild, every mason had to enter his name and his mark in a register.

Another: THE subject of Marks forms an interesting episode in the history of Masonry, both Operative and Speculative. A Mason’s Mark is a monogram, a symbol, or some other arbitrary figure chiselled by a mason on the surface of a stone for the purpose of identifying his own work and distinguishing it from that of other workmen.

I find the mark that Maia found fascinating and noble all together. The marker could have written, “Junrhey loves Jonahlyn” or “Carding was her,” for crying out loud, but instead he chose to put a mark that gives due recognition and distinction to their craft - that of him or them being Masons. Proud of their work, proud of of their craft.

More often, the nobility and virtues of Masonry can still be found marked in the hearts of those who truly build roads, buildings and other stately edifices, than those who just proclaim themselves Masons by flashing their fancy decals and titles, but doesn’t know how to build an edifice of virtue in their hearts nor spread the cement of brotherly love.

Family and Me, Freemasonry

I’m testing the SCRIBD, with this program of our 17th Public Installation of Officers for Masonic Year 2009.

jdml305_17thInstallation

Freemasonry

A Jacques DeMolay Memorial Lodge No.305, F.&A.M. year end presentation. Moments of JDML305 events and activities in 2008, captured on stills and our collective memory.

Freemasonry

One thing that distinguish Masonic functions apart from other organizations is that it is always accompanied by the usual pomp and circumstance. This goes true even to all the concordant and appendant organizations of Freemasonry. This ritualistic tradition are benchmark characteristics of Freemasonry being an Ancient and Honorable institution. Freemasonry claims ascendancy as being more ancient than the Golden Fleece or the Roman Eagle and more honorable than the Order of the Star of France or the Order of the Garter of England.

The Order of DeMolay, being a youth organization founded by Masons upon strong Masonic principles and traditions, follows suit. The Order of DeMolay is also beset with rites, degrees, decorations, honors and awards patterned after medieval Chivalric traditions of Knighthood, particularly from the Knights Templar of which the Order had taken inspiration.

Last February 8, 2008, during the 9th Biennial Session of the Supreme Council of the Order of DeMolay of the Republic of the Philippines, after so many years I once again enjoyed our Order’s usual pomp and circumstance. I was inducted, together with many others, as an Active Member of the Supreme Council, in a simple yet symbolic Rite called the Ceremony of Collaring. It is in this ceremony where one’s status as Active Member is confirmed by being presented with a certificate and adorned with the collar and jewel of the Supreme Council.

This year marks my 27th year of being a member of the Order of DeMolay, and it is fittingly punctuated by my being collared an Active Member of the Supreme Council of the Order of DeMolay of the Republic of the Philippines. The honor of becoming member of the DeMolay Supreme Council is a privilege enjoyed only by regular Master Masons in good standing, or that of a Senior DeMolay who is a Legionnaire of the Legion of Honor of the Order of DeMolay. This is an act ensuring the perpetual stewardship of Freemasonry over the DeMolay movement all over the world.

I’m proud to be a DeMolay especially that both the incumbent Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines, Most Worshipful Pacifico B. Aniag, and the sitting Grand Master of the Supreme Council of the Order of DeMolay of the Republic of the Philippines, Hon. VW Evaristo A. Leviste, are my brother DeMolays.

Freemasonry