Masonic Coin found in Colorado, USA
Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado – Picture by NPS Photo
Our Secretary was recently contacted by an American lady, Michelle Fassler looking for our assistance. She has found a Masonic coin at the top of Trail Ridge Road in the Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, and wants to return it to its owner. The coin has been presented to an Enterered Apprentice Mason to record his date of entry into a “Lodge 669” on 6-3-10, with space for the next two degree dates.
It is not a coin presented by our Lodge 669, so other Lodge 669’s in USA, and Canada have been contacted.
Titanic Centenary Events 13th-14th April 2012
To mark and commemorate the Titanic disaster, Sir George Clark Memorial Lodge No. 669, in conjunction with Belfast Lodge 651, and Tower of Lebanon Lodge No.169 hosted a Titanic First Class Passenger dinner and dance at Stormont Parliament Buildings on Friday 13th April. All proceeds £3,308 went to the
Royal National Lifeboat Institution. CLICK HERE for pictures
Kevin Byers, Bangor RNLI Operations Manager, received the cheque on behalf of the charity:
‘The RNLI is grateful to receive this cheque for £3,308’ he said: ‘Being a charity, we are totally reliant on such donations.
It allows us to provide 24-hour emergency cover and to continue to save lives at sea.
On behalf of all the volunteer crew involved with RNLI Bangor Lifeboat I would like to thank the Belfast Freemasons for their generosity and for visiting our station’.
This event at Stormont was followed on Saturday 14th April 2012, by a Titanic Centenary Masonic meeting , in the Provincial Grand Lodge of Antrim Lodge Room,
15 Rosemary Street, Belfast.
Master Masons from Sir George Clark Memorial 669, Tower of Lebanon 169,and Belfast 651 , conferred an Entered Apprentice Degree in the presence of the Deputy Provincial Grand Master, two Grand Lodge of Ireland Officers, two Assistant Provincial Grand Masters, and many visiting Brethren from English, Scottish, and Irish Constitution Lodges
There was a collection for Masonic charities.
On Saturday evening 14th April, it was an informal 3rd Class Passenger Buffet and Céilidh
This event was held in Freemasons’ Hall, Arthur Square, Belfast.
Music was provided by the Titanic Ulster Scots Group with a”caller” in the band who helped get us dancing.
A raffle was organised in the interval, and Bro.Tura Artura gave a magnificent exhibition of Irish dancing with an African twist!
All proceeds from the Saturday events went to Masonic Charity.
The overall total raised for charity during the weekend of events exceeded £5,000.00
Congratulationd to all who took part, and gave so generously.
It was certainly ” A Weekend to Remember”
Presentation of Working Tools by W. Bro. Brien McBirney PPAGDC (Middx.)
W. Bro. Brien McBirney presents Lodge 669 with a set of Working Tools.
In memory of his wife Ann McBirney who died after a long battle with cancer.
Bro. Brien and his wife Ann were involved from the very beginning of the
LauraLynn Children’s Hospice, in Dublin.
The first ever Children’s Hospice in Ireland
Supporting the charity, and raising funds.
From: Jane Flynn | Fundraising & Marketing, Children’s Sunshine Home & LauraLynn House
May 2012: The Founder of LauraLynn House Jane McKenna asked me to send you an update on the progress of LauraLynn House – Ireland’s First Children’s Hospice. In Dublin back in 2006 on the steps of Grand Lodge, Molesworth St, Brien McBirney and others Freemasons gave us a kind donation.
LauraLynn House – Ireland’s First Children’s Hospice was officially opened in September 2011 by Ireland’s President Mary McAleese. With over 1,400 children with life-limiting conditions and over 300 child deaths a year, a Children’s Hospice (45 in UK!) was desperately needed. However as we’ve no state funding, support from fundraisers like yourselves is vital! Already since September, LauraLynn House has cared for 83 families.
LauraLynn House is located on the lovely grounds of the Children’s Sunshine Home in Leopardstown, Co Dublin.
We provides home-support, respite and end of life care, to children and families of children, with life-limiting conditions. It’s not a sad place, it is a place for living. It is a place of fun and laughter, enjoyment, love and support especially when they need it most. It’s about choices and support for the family. While we cannot change a child’s diagnosis, we can change the quality of a child’s life and their families.
Please find attached below the links to our 2 short video’s: Click on the Title to View
· The recent opening of LauraLynn House http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwLl-SLkrMM
· Inside LL House http://www.youtube.com/user/dakphotography?blend=7&ob=5#p/u/2/s1sz5BYu-EQ
As Jane McKenna always says it about “Putting Life into a Child’s Day.
Filipino Floods Disaster Appeal
Container Shipment despatched 10th February 2012
Feb. 2012: Irish Freemasons filled a twenty foot container of clothing and toys donated by Brethren and their families from several Irish Provinces.
They say many hands make light work, don’t believe it, but it was completed in just over 2 hours..
The container destined for the flood stricken Philippines arrived in Manila early April 2012, and distribution of the clothing and toys was arrangeded by the Grand Lodge of the Philippines.
RW Bro John Dickson, Provincial Grand Master of Antrim has offered his full support to an appeal by Antrim Freemasons to help in the latest flood calamity which has devastated the Philippines.
The appeal is also supported by M.W.Bro. George Dunlop, Grand Master of M.W.Grand Lodge of Ireland.
Financial donations to the appeal have been received from Lodges and individuals throughout Ireland.
Message from the Grand Master of the M.W. Grand Lodge of the Philippines
Bro. Bal Madrid, I acknowledge your text message about the 20 footer container you are sending, of used clothing for the relief of our people and our brothers affected by the severe flooding due to typoon Sendong.
This aid will go a long long way. The Grand Master and the officers of the MW GL of the PHL appreciate very much the help you and other brothers of that jurisdiction extended to our kababayan and the Masonic families.
Pleases extend to the Grand Lodge of Ireland, Provincial Grand Lodge of Antrim, St George Clark Mem Lodge no 669 and other Lodges who donated, our outmost thanks. (MW Juanito P Abergas,GM)
Installation Meeting 28th January 2012
A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS
An acrylic painting of Freemasons’ Hall, Arthur Square, Belfast, was donated to the Arthur Square Charity Committee by local artist
Nichola Coogan, as a means of raising money for the Masonic Benevolent Funds and the “Shine a Light”organisation (Helping Children With Cancer).
Christmas cards and limited edition prints of
the painting were produced, and the origonal painting was successfully raffled.
Almost £1400.00 was raised by the project.
At the recent AGM of the Charity Committee,
the Chairman David Beggs presented
Mr Billy McCrory from the Shine a Light organisation with £720.00.
This money will go towards a family holiday in Spain for the children .
This will be a break for the families and a treat for the children as most of them have been in and out of hospital for treatment.
A big thank you has to go to Nichola Coogan
for donating her beautiful painting to charity.
From Left to right:
W.Bro Stephen Duffield, Treasurer, RW.Bro Dennis Millen, PDGM, W.Bro David Beggs, Chairman, Mr Billy McCrory, Founder “Shine A Light”, W.Bro Derek Sloan, Secretary.
Demolay International
Some of our new Brethren are from the Philippines, and grew up with Freemasonry as members of Demolay International(Junior Freemasons)
DeMolay International (also known as the Order of DeMolay), founded in Kansas City, Missouri in 1919, is an international youth fraternity for young men. DeMolay derives its name from Jacques DeMolay, the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar.
DeMolay is open for membership to young men between the ages of 12 to 21, and currently has about 36,000 members in the United States and Canada and several thousand more world wide. It uses a model of mentoring; adult men and women called advisors, often past DeMolay members or fathers and mothers of DeMolays, mentor the active Demolay members. An advisor is referred to as ‘Dad Smith’ instead of ‘Mr. Smith’, in respect of Frank Land and his fatherly role to the founding members. The mentoring focuses on the development of civic awareness, leadership skills and personal responsibility.
Founded by a Freemason, DeMolay is closely modelled after Freemasonry, and like Freemasonry, members are initiated into DeMolay through ritual and an allegorical program. However, it is not directly connected to Freemasonry. DeMolay is considered to be part of the Masonic Family along with other youth groups like Job’s Daughters, and the Rainbow Girls. Unlike in Job’s Daughters, a young man does not need to have a family tie or sponsor in a Masonic organization to join DeMolay.
DeMolay has seven Cardinal Virtues, which are the soul structure of what they follow. Those Cardinal Virtues are:
Love between a parent and child (Filial Love)
Reverence for sacred things
Courtesy
Comradeship
Fidelity
Cleanness
Patriotism
An aspiring member would be referred to as a “petitioner” or “Prospect”
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