Masonic Forum / Feminine & Co-Masonry / General

And it is as I thought...no co-masonic lodges in BC. Honestly, I feel like organizing one just so women have the option here.

whistler — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 04:23:10 GMT

This certainly is possible - in our Co-Masonic Order we have what is called Triangles In the USA - These are Lodges that work with just a very few people - until they grow in their region.
I will find out more about them.
I am sure if you could gather just another couple of people of like mind something good can be made to happen.

Recognition of each different jurisdictions.

Mike Lawrence — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 09:12:03 GMT

I know that the UGLE do not recognise either Feminine or Co Freemasonry, however, I do know that here in the East Kent Province certainly some Womens and Mens groups happily co-exisit in the same building with each others blessings, albeit their meetings are on separate nights.

Therefore, do Feminine or Co Grand Lodges recognise UGLE?

For example, I remember a good friend of mine who had been a PM in the Grand Lodge Of the Orient, on joining a Lodge constituted under the English Constitution, had to begin his whole Masonic career again, starting as EA.

Is that the case in all jurisdictions?

For Women Interested in Being a Freemason

Mike Martin — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 09:40:33 GMT

How can a woman become a Freemason?

It is often stated that Women cannot become Freemasons. This is not strictly true!

It is true that women cannot join the men-only Grand Lodges, however, Freemasonry for women has been around for more than 100 years in the forms of Co (mixed) Masonry and women-only Grand Lodges.

These links will take you to some of the websites of Masonic Orders that Initiate women as Freemasons. Not to be confused with the Order of the Eastern Star which does not make women Masons.

Women and Freemasonry.

Women-only

Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons (UK): www.hfaf.org
Order of Women Freemasons (UK): www.owf.org.uk/
Women's Lodges in the US: www.womenfreemasonsusa.com/
Women's Grand Lodge of France: www.glff.org/internet/fr/cois&devp.htm
Women's Grand Lodge of Switzerland: www.glfs-masonic.ch/

Co-Masonry

Le Droit Humain (LDH) International: www.droit-humain.org/
American Federation of Human Rights: http://www.co-masonry.org/
Australian LDH: www.australianco-masonry.netfirms.com/
Belgian LDH: www.droit-humain.be/
Brazilian LDH: www.droit-humain.org.br/
British LDH: www.droit-humain.org/uk/
Canadian LDH: www.dhcanada.org/
Danish LDH: http//droit-humain.org/scandinavia/danmark/
Eastern Order of Co-Masonry: http://comasonic.net/
French LDH: www.droithumain-france.org/
German LDH; www.droit-humain.org/deutschland/
Grand Lodge for Men & Women (UK): www.grandlodge.org.uk/
Grand Lodge Mixed Swiss: www.masonic.ch/GLMS/index_FR.html
Icelandic LDH: www.mmedia.is/samfrim/
Italian LDH: www.droit-humain.org/italia/
Netherlands LDH: www.droit-humain.org/paysbas/
Norwegian LDH: www.droit-humain.org/scandinavia/
Portugese LDH: www.droit-humain.org/portugal/
Spanish LDH: www.elderechohumano.org/
Swiss LDH: www.droit-humain.org/ch/
US LDH: www.comasonic.org/

I contacted LDH in my region.

anonwife — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 18:06:29 GMT

And it is as I thought...no co-masonic lodges in BC.

Honestly, I feel like organizing one just so women have the option here.

LDH terminology compared to that of UGLE

lauderdale — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 09:37:14 GMT

Following on from another thread where the term GLE, (Grand Lodge Eternal) was queried as UGLE calls it the GLA (Grand Lodge Above) I thought I would produce a quick Glossary. This is not exhaustive and I apologise if there are any errors. It may however be of assistance to Brethren who are puzzled by the differences in terminology.

LDH UGLE

RWM WM

WSW SW

WJW JW

Orator Chaplin

Outer Guard Tyler

Charter Warrant

Widow's Trunk Broken Column

A&ASR A&AR

MPGC no equivalent in UGLE

(Head of an LDH Federation)

no equivalent in LDH PGM

GLE GLA

HGW (Hearty Good Wishes) Sincerely and Fraternally

Piece of Architecture (POA) A paper presented in Lodge

Apply for an Increase in Wages No equivalent in UGLE (AFAIK)

(When the Candidate is ready and

wishes to progress to the next Degree)

Volume of the Sacred Lore Volume of the Sacred Law

Cover the Temple Leave the "Lodge Room"

There are no doubt others and I will update if I find any. Likewise if anyone can think of a word or phrase that differs please add it.

I hope this is of assistance to Brethren.

Amity

Sparker — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:30:02 GMT

Just suppose.... UGLE became to be in amity with LDH. Would UGLE Masons be welcomed?.. and by that I mean if it were possible to be a member of both....and UGLE Masons were desirous.... would LDH welcome them with open arms?

And and and...if an UGLE Mason had a sex change..now being female in the eyes of the law... would he be expelled from UGLE?.. would he be accepted by LDH then?

Tony.

The HRA ritual of Le Droit Humain

Trismegistos — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 12:45:21 GMT

Although this lies very far ahead of me on my Masonic path, I have been wondering about the so called "Sydney Ritual" used in some of Le Droit Humain's workings of HRA. According to the British LDH website, this working is "not based on a documentary historical past", and I found another site saying that is was very different from the "normal" HRA workings used by UGLE etcetera. Without giving anything away, can somebody clarify this a bit? Is it still essentially "the same degree", so to speak?

As I said, I am of course a very long way from HRA, but my historical interest in Masonry (which runs back many years) still makes me curious. And please move this thread if it's in the wrong location.

/ Bro. Ola

On the Way to the Northernmost Women's Lodge

johndee — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 05:47:21 GMT

On the Way to the Northernmost Women's Lodge by Antje Walther - January 21, 2010

http://www.shz.de/nachrichten/lokales/der-inselbote/artikeldetails/article/803/sanfter-einstieg-in-die-loge.html

Curiosity led her to the Lodge Hall in Flensburg. And fine sensibility. Brigitte Bratke, born in 1943, who studied mathematics and art, was often occupied with stained glass church windows. The huge glass windows of the magnificent gleaming white building in Flensburg struck her immediately. Her interest in taking a tour met with the hospitality of the Freemasons, who occupy the building, and resulted in cooperation.

"I was missing Freemasonry, the Community of the Like-minded," Brigitte Bratke quickly realized, a year ago, after she had followed her family from Hanover to the north. In the Lower Saxony state capital the northernmost women's Lodge has its headquarters. Many Flensburg Lodge Brothers have for a long time encouraged the establishment of a female counterpart of the Brotherhood. "We take nothing away from them at all," says Bratke, laughing.

On the contrary, "We harmonize," explains the woman Freemason, since her first encounter with the Brothers. They are expected to assist the future women's Lodge as advisers. Seven Master Masons are necessary to establish the Lodge. Besides Bratke there are two women of this degree in Schleswig-Holstein.

"In Flensburg I have felt Freemasonry living," recalls Bratke. For her this means, "to accept persons as they are - with all their peculiarities." And to practice tolerance, which is the key to understanding Freemasonry.

She carefully chooses her words, like a gracious hostess, aware of the suspicions about Lodges. Experience corrected her own prejudices. In the Hanoverian women's Lodge, for example, it is standard practice to examine a candidate for a year, to see whether they fit each other. Brigitte Bratke herself took two years, and was at first surprised at the cultivated and extremely polite discussions, without attacking each other's words. However, "mutual respect, esteem, unconditional aid," proved to be constant.

The so-called Temple Work, which has its origin in the stonemasons, who agreed to signs of recognition, makes possible with regular meetings, nothing more and nothing less, than "for one hour, at most two, one can retreat from the bustle of everyday life."

The curious, "seekers" in the language of the Masons, find in the Lodge free discussion and work on oneself. Talk about politics and religion are off limits, as they contradict the idea of tolerance. "Masons do not proselytize," says Brigitte Bratke. They each work on themselves, knowing their own fallibility. "Be the change that you want for the world," she quotes Gandhi, speaking from the heart.

Women who are interested in Freemasonry are invited to the Flensburg Lodge Hall on February 20, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Those who wish will in the future be personally invited to guest meetings.

Dramatic Turn of Events for Co-Masonry in Grand Orient!

johndee — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:03:30 GMT

November 21, 2009 - Dramatic Turn of Events for Co-Masonry in Grand Orient!

Masonic Justice annulled the decisions of the Grand Orient in September 2009 denying the entry of women within it. A special session of the Convent [General Assembly] could be convened.

On November 20, the Supreme Court of Masonic Justice (CSJM) annulled all of the votes of the Convent of the Grand Orient held in Lyon from September 3 to 5 concerning the sexual integration of the largest French obedience, with 50,000 members. Such a decision, very rare, is linked to serious procedural errors during the consultation of the 1,200 delegates, which undermined the integrity of the vote. The partisans of the initiation of women in the Grand Orient were only 44% (compared to 49% in 2008).

The Council of the Order of the Grand Orient will meet on November 26 behind closed doors ("in secret session") to decide what the consequences of this serious decision of the CSJM should be. A special session of the Convent could be convened next month. The Grand Orient could wait until the next annual general assembly of the lodges in September 2010 to have the brothers vote again on this issue that divides them, while women have already been initiated in five lodges, last spring. These sisters are now suspended, and have been asked to practice their rituals in a mixed or feminine

obedience, after the vote of September 2009.

Are the high dignitaries of the Grand Orient beginning to realize the devastation of the status quo on their obedience? It is always described as progressive, but its neurotic fixation on the refusal of mixed Masonry gives it an increasingly reactionary image. This is why the Council of the Order could "take a far-reaching initiative intended to settle definitively the question of the freedom of the lodges to initiate women and/or to affiliate sisters through a process of federation of liberal and adogmatic French Freemasonry." This is what one can read in the letter of the Grand Master Pierre Lambicchi to the Venerable Masters [Worshipful Masters] dated November 6, 2009, that L'Express was able to obtain. To put it clearly, the Grand Orient would be transformed into a confederation of three federations of lodges, one mixed, one feminine and one masculine. This prospect, desired for several years by former Grand Masters, has become more credible today.

just to say hello again!

Sunburst — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:39:26 GMT

So sorry for my absence fellow Bretherin, and I have realy missed being here, as well as being so upset to miss my first Lodge of the season.

I had a horrible accident at home, you see, which involved a nasty fire....and me being hospitalised for 3 weeks, and I still have a broken right ankle that is still in plaster as we speek!! (it dosen't come off untill the 28th of Oct)

At present, Derek and I are living in a rented house arranged by our insurance company, and although its a pleasent enough place its certainly not "home"... our own house has had all the contence removed to restoration and storage, and has to be totally refurbished! I have lost almost ALL my clothes and shoes, as the upstairs was totally gutted.

Anyway, I am slowly getting back to normal (only just got my laptop back today) and I am realy looking forward to catching up with everyone on here!!
I have missed you all so much!!!!!!

brotherly love (and lots of it!!)
Bro Vicky

The Degrees

Anangel0610 — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:50:42 GMT

Evening all,

As some of you know I have been MM for almost a year now and have recently joined the waiting list for Mark (2 years).

I have read the Dan Brown book and found it interesting. It talks alot about the highest degree being the 33rd.

I think I am 3rd?!?!? Long way to go.

Does anyone have anything that they can email me detailing the degrres and what they are?! If that makes sense. I would like to know where else and what else I can do.

Thank you in advance

Sharon

Why are lady Freemasons called "brother"?

Mike Lawrence — Fri, 22 May 2009 07:10:10 GMT

Could anybody please explain why lady Freemasons are called "brother"?

Co-Masonry in Czech Republic

bowman — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:52:38 GMT

All,

a friend of the female persuasion has asked me about co-masonry, and me being "UGLE", I have limited idea about how she should approach this. Can anyone let me know the e-mail or contact details of the Czech LDH grand lodge, so I can pass the contact information on to her?

Regards,
Bowman

My mother;

Fire Mist — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:11:18 GMT

Totally Cool! :cool:

My mom was with the Rainbow girls when young.

She has asked to petition the co-masonic lodge I belong to. She is definately a woman of her own mind. I'm not surprised. :exclamationmark:

She has her interviews Saturday. This is going to be interesting seeing her go through the same processes I just did. I'm proud of her...as always.

:smooooth:

New Master Mason

Anangel0610 — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 22:44:13 GMT

Evening All,

I passed to a Master Mason in November, and at the time didnt realize the words and also what was being said as a whole.....(who does at the time)........... that was until my Father-in-Law passed away in December and I done a reading for him. 4 weeks later I heard the same reading as a fellow Mason passed..................... it was hard, infact i struggled from the time I heard the words that i read to the end of the meeting. My father-in-Law was a Mason as is my Mother-in Law, on Tuesday she going to participate in a 3rd for the first time since her husband passed away.

I know that she is going to have the support and love of those at the meeting but cant help but want to shield her from the pain that she will feel.

I now know that I have open a while new world and I cant wait to see what it has to offer.

Sharon Smith

The Grand Lodge for Men & Women

Mike Martin — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 14:06:20 GMT

The story of its founding, in 2001, can be found here:

http://www.grandlodge.org.uk/

My Fellow Craft

Sunburst — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:15:56 GMT

Its quite a way off yet, but its been set for November, and I am a little worried!

I have learnt most of the answers to the questions that will be asked of me by my RWGM but I also read that any of the Bretherin can ask me questions, and I am not sure what to do if a Bro asks me somthing I don't know the answer too?
Also I am making one of my stained glass S&C Candle holders for my FC, which will have our lodge name and number on it (I have been told by my RWGM that this will be acceptable) but who do I present this too?

Any help would be lovely! I just don't want to make any mistakes! :blush:

h.g.w
Bro Vicky

Le Droit Humain

Proggy Man — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:57:13 GMT

I had never heard of this order before coming onto this site and being a mason, and therefore curious by nature, I had a quick read up on it. This appears to be an international order but there doesn't appear to be any in Scotland which could explain why I have never came across it. My understanding is that the Grand Lodges do not recognise LDH, and given the oaths we swear this would have to be their stance, but am more interested in how people in general view this and other such 'unaffiliated' orders.

For instance do people automatically toe the Grand Lodge line and refuse to recognize them as freemasons, or do people prefer to recognize their rights to pursue their masonic careers any way they like?

I am not studying this as such, as I said I am just curious (nosey).

Question are co-masonic lodges recognized by the UGLE?

anonwife — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 02:07:31 GMT

Husband and I were discussing co-masonic lodges (they don't exist here) and we were wondering if they were recognized by the UGLE?

moving to LDH from UGLE

Bob Butler — Wed, 27 May 2009 16:56:34 GMT

Has there been a large amount of movement of FM from UGLE to LDH

It is well known on this forum of lauderdale moving over to LDH but I would like to know if this an isolated case or have many other bretheren taken the same path

Is it possible to move back the other way

I would also like to ask lauderdale if he had to be initiated into LDH or did you join as you would if you moved lodge in UGLE

THANKS

A wallpaper I made for LDH!

Sunburst — Fri, 15 May 2009 20:01:20 GMT

I would just like to share a wallpaper I made for my Order LDH!
Including my lodge and number!

Hope you like it!;)

Information required

Iain — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:07:58 GMT

Hi all

I have been on LDh and co freemasonry sites. My daughter is asking me a lot about them but I am not very clued up when it comes to this.

The siites I have looked at put Scotland as a whole for having a lodge, But none more specific than that, This is something I would realy like to find out more about, Like where this lodge or lodges are in Scotland

If anyone can help i will be very gratefull.

My Initiation!

Sunburst — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 09:17:32 GMT

My Initiation is going to be tomorrow at Grand Lodge Golden Rule in south London. I feel so very honoured and indeed privledged that my Initiation is to take place at this Grand Lodge, while taking my first steps into the Light.
I would just like to say a big thank you to all who have helped me begin my journey!
I will do my very best to uphold the high traditions and ancient and very sacred rites of the Craft.
Brotherly love
Vicky
:D

Hello and Help needed!

Sunburst — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 14:59:00 GMT

Firstly may I just say a warm hello to eveyone, and a big wish that I will be excepted here, because I am a woman who wishes to join co Freemasonry in order to become a better woman and help my community.
A much beloved Uncle (Robert Lord) of mine was a Grand Master Mason at the Warrington Lodge untill his sad death in 1994, He was a very decent, kind and loving Uncle and I am sure this was because he was a Mason. Since my teens (many years ago now) I have have studied Free Masonry as a hobby and now I am a retired Travel Advisor would like to take a step further and Petition the Grand Lodge of Freemasonry for Men and Women.
Can anyone here offer me help and advice in this matter?
It would be greatly appreciated!
:)
from Victoria

English Women's Freemasonry 100 years old

Mike Martin — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 13:56:10 GMT

In 2008 England's Order of Women Freemasons celebrated its Centenary.

Here are some links to the coverage:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/court_and_social/article3620126.ece

http://www.freemasonrytoday.com/45/p18.php

http://www.forteantimes.com/strangedays/events/1179/women_and_freemasonry.html

http://www.owf.org.uk/history.htm