California Freemason Magazine Spring 2024 Brick by Brick

Bric k by Br ick

INSIDE A LODGE BUILDING BOOM

INDIAN WELLS

MAY 17–19

LAKE TAHOE

APRIL 19–21

SPOUSES AND PARTNERS WELCOME!

Organized and casual gatherings available for Masonic family and friends.

Why attend this year’s retreats?

“At lodge, you have people who can tell you what you should be doing, but here you can learn what you can do—and you meet people who can give you the support to do it.”

—MARTY CUSING, PAST MASTER

NEW! Choose your learning track:

WARDENS TRACK

Focus on planning

MASTER TRACK

Finish the year strong

“I came back to the lodge inspired. It was a very meaningful experience. Even after all the leadership positions I’ve been in, I still find it valuable.”

—GEORGE WHITMORE, PAST MASTER, INSPECTOR, AND AGL

TOPICS INCLUDE:

Meeting and welcoming prospects • Filling the line with energized brothers • Inspiring members with Masonic education and “can’t miss” stated meetings • And plenty of time for meeting Masons from across the state!

IN EVERY ISSUE

2 SNAPSHOT

A moment of quiet before a candidate embarks on the journey of a lifetime.

4 EXECUTIVE MESSAGE

Grand Master Sean Metroka explains why building new lodges is the key to the future of the fraternity.

5 THE MOSAIC

Last fall, the Vatican once again reiterated its position on Freemasonry—one that’s caused confusion for 300 years [page 5] ; the archived papers of California’s Masonic leaders yields important historical insight [page 7] ; at the Masonic Homes, an expansion in eligibility is life-changing news [page 8] ; an East Bay lodge helps a local school develop a chill zone [page 9] ; meet a member with some serious coffee skills [page 10] ; learn the surprising roots of a curious Masonic floral symbol [page 11] ; and more.

33 MASONIC ASSISTANCE

Assisted living and specialized memory care can be complex and intimidating. Here’s what you need to know.

36 DONOR PROFILE

How a familial love of Masonry has inspired one member to give back.

Brick by Brick

New lodges are popping up all across California. But more than just expanding Masonry’s footprint, they’re helping redefine the craft for a new generation. It’s anything but child’s play.

16 BON VIVANTS

From the ashes of Los Angeles’s first Francophone lodge comes La France № 885, a new group “built on old traditions.”

20 CULTURE CLUB

A new lodge pays homage to the national hero of the Philippines— and adds to a growing Pinoy influence in the fraternity.

23 THE CRAFTSMEN

At Logos № 814, they are living in a material world—and that’s just the way they like it.

28 SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW

When two historic Oakland lodges joined forces, they made a decision to develop a brand-new culture.

The Journey Begins

AS A CANDIDATE PREPARES to take the degrees of Masonry and absorb hundreds of years’ worth of tradition and symbology, they are first left alone for a moment of quietude. “In some ways, that was the most memorable part,” says Alexandre Verquin, who was initiated in January at La France № 885. Born in Paris and raised in Geneva, Verquin says he comes from several generations of Masons in France, Germany, and Switzerland. Upon moving to Los Angeles for school, he began researching local lodges. To his great surprise, a brand-new French-speaking group was being founded close to his new home (for more, see page 16). “I was surprised to find that there weren’t just French people there, but also members from Algeria, Morocco—all over,” he says. “I think it’s a great thing to be in contact with people from different backgrounds and different nationalities, to get together and do something that has such an impact. It’s a special feeling.”

—IAN A. STEWART

ALEXANDRE VERQUIN, 19, AWAITS HIS CUE TO BEGIN HIS FIRST-DEGREE CONFERRAL, WITH LA FRANCE № 885, AT THE SUNSET MASONIC TEMPLE IN SANTA MONICA.

EXECUTIVE MESSAGE

IN WITH THE NEW

What the latest crop of new lodges reveals about Masonry in California.

Since being elected as Grand Master of California last fall, I’ve had the privilege of participating in the openings (institutions or constitutions) of nine new lodges.

This achievement is thanks to the concerted effort of our Grand Lodge to support the development of new lodges, which we see as a crucial component to expanding the fraternity’s footprint in California, providing a wider range of options to our new and existing members, and ultimately fortifying our membership for the future.

Since 2017, when this effort began in earnest, we’ve launched an amazing 25 new lodges in California, including groups catering to Hispanic, French, Armenian, and Filipino traditions.

These new lodges are helping us reach into more communities than ever and strengthening the state of the craft in California. More than that, each one of them acts as a laboratory of new ideas that all of us can draw from. That’s the takeaway from this issue of California Freemason Whether it’s the international bonds forged by a group like La France № 885 (for more, see page 16), the balancing of history and change at Oakland № 61 (page 28), or the way that material culture and creativity have helped forge a culture at Logos № 861 (page 23), there are inspiring lessons playing out in real time all around us.

In the middle of that flurry of activity I stepped into last fall, I was also able to attend the 175th anniversary of California № 1, one of the oldest chartered lodges in our jurisdiction. It was a great reminder that what makes our fraternity so special is the mix of old and new. Tradition and evolution. Stability and change. More than anything, it crystalized for me the notion that we should always be open to new ideas and ways of doing things—and that some ideas do indeed stand the test of time.

Sincerely and fraternally,

G. Sean Metroka

Grand Master of Masons in California

EDITORIAL STAFF

Emily Limón Executive Editor

Ian A. Stewart Editorial Director

Pete Ivey Creative Director

Isabelle Guérin Managing Editor

J.R. Sheetz Multimedia Editor

Justin Japitana Assistant Editor

John Dale Online Editor

PUBLICATION COMMITTEE

G. Sean Metroka Grand Master

Russell E. Hennings Editor-in-Chief and PM, Saddleback Laguna № 672

Allan L. Casalou Grand Secretary and PM, Acalanes Fellowship № 480

Ian E. Laurelin South Pasadena № 290

Dagoberto Rodriguez PM, South Pasadena № 290

Emanuel A. Rose PM, Humboldt № 79

James L. Tucker PM, Logos № 861

OFFICERS OF THE GRAND LODGE

Grand Master: G. Sean Metroka, Nevada Lodge № 13

Deputy Grand Master: Arthur L.

Salazar Jr. Irvine Valley Lodge № 671

Senior Grand Warden: Garrett Chan

California № 1

Junior Grand Warden: Ara Maloyan

Santa Monica-Palisades № 307

Grand Treasurer: Charles P. Cross Metropolitan № 352

Grand Secretary: Allan L. Casalou

Acalanes Fellowship № 480

Grand Lecturer: Ricky L. Lawler

Elk Grove № 193

CALIFORNIA FREEMASON

ISSUE 02 VOLUME 72 SPRING 2024

USPS #083-940 is published quarterly by the Masons of California. 1111 California Street, San Francisco, CA 94108-2284. Periodicals

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The Long Shadow

FOR THREE CENTURIES, THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS TAKEN A HARD-LINE STANCE AGAINST FREEMASONRY. IN THE WAKE OF ITS LATEST STATEMENT, THE QUESTION REMAINS: WHY?

BY IAN A. STEWART

▼ HISTORY

Nearly a quarter-century ago, when David Patterson sent a letter to Archbishop Roger Mahony asking for clarity about whether Catholics could in fact be Masons, he had no idea the hornet’s nest he was kicking. Within months, the matter had reached the highest levels of the church, attracted significant international attention, and led to a popular relitigating of a point of contention that has caused nearly 300 years of confusion both within and outside the fraternity. ¶ Patterson, of Wisdom № 202 in Pasadena, is now 91 and retired from his position as president of the Masonic Service Bureau. But he was reminded of his brief brush with fraternal and canonical history last fall, when the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a letter responding to a similar inquiry to Patterson’s, reiterating that “active membership in Freemasonry by a member of the faithful is prohibited … because of the irreconcilability between Catholic doctrine and Freemasonry.” The letter was subsequently covered by the Associated Press and Reuters and republished around the world.

ILLUSTRATION BY EDEL RODRIGUEZ

Like the emergence of cicada broods, the question of Catholicism’s relationship to Freemasonry has reappeared every decade or so reaching all the way back to Pope Clement XII in 1738. His initial condemnation of Masonry has been reiterated by at least seven popes over three centuries, largely on the grounds that the fraternity adheres to an idea described as “religious indifferentism,” according to at least one Catholic publication.

The most recent missive, issued in November in a letter sent from the dicastery to Bishop Julito Cortes of the Diocese of Dumaguete, in the Philippines, reiterated that membership in a Masonic lodge warrants an automatic excommunication that can only be lifted by the Holy See.

Church entered a period of significant reform; many bishops anticipated a relaxing of the ban against Freemasonry.

Indeed, in 1974, a letter from the Vatican’s prefect for the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith seemed to imply that

problems of the modern world are due to such failures,” he said, according to The Pillar, a Catholic news site. “Whatever happened in the past, it should not affect our future.”

That position did not last long.

While the dicastery maintained that the church’s position on Masonry has not changed, you’d forgive a layperson for a bit of confusion. Masons in California and around the world make no prohibition against members of any religion, and indeed many Masons have been practicing Catholics. Further, several attempts at clarification from the Vatican over the years have, in the words of Rev. Thomas Anslow, the judicial vicar who responded to Patterson’s letter back in 2000, “muddied the waters” on the matter.

For instance, in the wake of the Second Vatican Council, in the 1960s, the Catholic

In 1981 (and again in ’83 and ’85), the same Vatican office reversed course, reiterating that the removal of Masonry by name in its Code of Canon Law did not change its position on the fraternity. However, in the U.S. and elsewhere, confusion has lingered.

Catholic laymen were able to join Masonic lodges, provided the lodges were not intrinsically anti-Catholic. Rather than name Freemasonry specifically, the letter suggested that Catholics were simply forbidden from joining “associations which plot against the church.”

In 1976, Cardinal Terence Cooke addressed a dedication breakfast for New York Masons and was quoted as blaming the estrangement between the craft and the church on a failure to communicate. “Many of the

in this country has never sought to be the means for salvation. It is self-improvement in this world for which we strive as Masons.

Arthur L. Salazar Jr., the current deputy grand master of California, is among those who have felt conflicted about reconciling their interest in the fraternity with Catholic dogma. As he first considered submitting his application to join his lodge, he says,

For all that lack of certainty, the Masonic position has remained straightforward: membership is open to candidates of all faiths.

he approached the deacon of his church. “For me, understanding the reasoning, and whether it has relevance in today’s society —or in my life, at least—gave me comfort in knowing that I didn’t

see a contradiction with my faith,” Salazar says.

In the end, Catholic Masons are left with a deeply personal question, just as they are with countless delicate matters. Salazar says his deacon presented him with a piece of advice that he passes along to others in a similar position: “He said if I’m ever a member of any organization and feel like it’s not aligned with my moral compass, that’s when it’s time to walk away.”

For all that lack of certainty, the Masonic position has remained straightforward: membership is open to candidates of all faiths. In the Proceedings of the Grand Lodge in 1993, Grand Master Stephen M. Doan briefly addressed the issue, writing:

Masonry is not a religion. Religion deals with salvation, the preparation of our spirit for its return to the God who gave it. Masonry, on the other hand, is about ethics: right and wrong conduct in the here and now. How should we deal with our fellow creatures. Confusion sometimes arises because religion talks about ethics too but its focus is different. Salvation, not ethics, distinguishes religion.…

Nowhere in our Masonic ritual is there a promise to our members that they will go to heaven if they are good Masons. Recognized Masonry

The Paper Trail

A NEWLY ORGANIZED ARCHIVE OF GRAND LODGE RECORDS BRINGS MASONIC HISTORY TO LIFE.

THE MASONIC FRATERNITY of the early 20th century was an influential institution in California. It was also one that was influenced—deeply—by the world around it. Nowhere are the dynamics of that relationship more evident than in the thousands of letters, contracts, documents, and correspondence between the fraternity’s leadership and local governments, school boards, and other civic groups which have been recently organized by the Grand Lodge of California.

This year Joseph Evans, the Grand Lodge collections manager and head of the Henry Wilson Coil Museum and Library of Freemasonry, has overseen a significant effort to collect and organize the archives of California grand masters, grand secretaries, and Grand Lodge committees dating back to the early 1900s. (Most records prior to then were destroyed in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire.) The vast majority of these records were entirely unaccounted for previously, hidden within unmarked file cabinets. For more than a year, Evans immersed himself in the documents to categorize them by date, subject, or author. The result is that now, for the first time, researchers will have access to the thoughts and words of the fraternity’s past leaders at a time of Masonry's unprecedented growth.

Previously, Evans says, the Grand Lodge archive tended to focus on Masonic objects like aprons, jewels,

books, and so forth. These paper records, on the other hand, “tell us a lot more about not only what the Grand Lodge does, but where it sits in society and how it interacts with everyone else.”

It will be up to researchers of the future to connect those dots. Evans points to correspondence from Earl Warren of Sequoia № 349 (now Pleasanton № 321 )—the grand master of California in 1935–36 who went on to become state governor, and later a Supreme Court justice—that may help illuminate the development of his political mind. There’s also important cultural context to Grand Master Charles Adams’s introduction of Public Schools Week in 1921 and Grand Master Oscar Lawler’s handling of the aftermath of the 1906 earthquake. Says Evans, “I think this is really the jewel in the crown. This is the real stuff. It’s unique material that only we have and that tells the story of the Grand Lodge in a deep and meaningful way.” —IAS

NEWSPAPER HEADLINES FROM THE 1960 s AND 1970 s IN THE WAKE OF VATICAN II.

ARCHIVE

A Profound Relief

THE MASONIC HOMES EXPANDED ELIGIBILITY TO THE PARENTS AND IN-LAWS OF CALIFORNIA MASONS. FOR MANY, IT’S BEEN A LIFE-CHANGER. BY iAN A. STEWART

Last fall, as Tony Alarcon presided over the monthly meeting of his local commandery of the Knights Templar, he took a moment to ask for a prayer for his father. He’d recently had a fall, which precipitated a rapid decline in his overall health. Now 82 and suffering from dementia, his father had been in and out of the hospital and spent three stints in a local assisted living

facility. The ordeal was proving stressful for Alarcon and his family, who were tasked with finding and arranging increasingly acute care for him.

“Before this, we didn’t know what we were going to do. Having an aging parent can really weigh on a family.”

After the meeting, another member pulled Alarcon aside and told him that the Masonic Homes of California had recently updated its eligibility to allow the parents and in-laws of California Masons to access care. So Alarcon made a call, and to his astonishment, just two weeks later, his father was moving into the Masonic Homes of California’s Lorber skilled-nursing residence, just a short drive from his Los Gatos home.

And just like that, Alarcon says, he felt an enormous sense of relief. “Before this, we didn’t know what we were going to do with my dad,” he says. “Having an aging parent can really weigh on a family.”

As soon as his father had settled in, Alarcon began working on the application for his mother to move in to the Masonic Homes’ independent living apartments, so his parents could be together again in spite of their differing care needs.

Outcomes like this are precisely the goal of the new policy, says Sabrina Montes, the chief strategic officer of the Masonic Homes. Thanks to its recently completed renovations in both Union City and Covina, the organization now boasts more capacity, more amenities, and more services than ever before, particularly in the fast-growing areas of assisted living, skilled nursing, and memory care. “We saw the need among our membership, and we have the ability, so the timing made sense,” she says of the eligibility update.

The new rules mean that the parents and parents-in-law of all California Masons (including Entered Apprentice and Fellow Craft Masons) are eligible

to live at the Masonic Homes’ 65-and-up senior communities in Union City and Covina, as well as to access other forms of assistance through Masonic Outreach Services—including advice and referrals to in-home care providers and services like the Shared Housing program in Covina. Financial support is also available to those affiliated with a California Mason who’s been in good standing for more than five years, so, if needed, their fees can be partially underwritten by Masonic charitable funds.

That news should come as a relief to many California Masons. The membership today is, on average, younger than in decades past—and less in need of care for themselves. However, they are increasingly focused on securing safe and affordable care for their parents and in-laws. Nationally, the number of adults caring for a parent has grown to about 53 million, according to AARP. At the same time, home health aides and long-term care facilities are prohibitively expensive for most middle-income families. Having a trusted and affordable option in the Masonic Homes of California, with branches in both Los Angeles and the Bay Area, can help fill that gap.

At least it has for one member. “It’s such a relief,” Alarcon says. “We never imagined this was possible. This is why, as Masons, we should do all we can to give back to and support the Masonic Homes.”

For One Bay Area School, a Chamber of Quietude

BEFORE A CAND i DATE receives the degrees of Masonry, he sits in a hushed and darkened space to settle his mind.

For Mark Whatley and his fellow members of Mosaic № 218 in Livermore, that’s a practice that has benefits outside the lodge as well. in fact, last fall Mosaic donated $4,000 to fund a new “sensory room” at Jackson Avenue Elementary School, designed for students who have special needs or are on the autism spectrum. The space, which opened this spring, includes several seating and play areas with textured rugs, dimmable lights, calming color schemes, and tactile elements to help kids with anxiety or other behavioral issues return to a calm state so they can rejoin their classroom. it’s expected that approximately 150 of the school’s 400 students will regularly utilize the facility, although Whatley points out that it ultimately benefits all students.

“We knew from older members that the lodge used to make small donations to the schools, but that had mostly ended,” he says. “So when i came across this need, i thought, Who better to ask? i knew the lodge has been looking to do something like this, and we have the funds allocated for things of this nature. But nobody had come forward.”

The effort was approved unanimously, and in addition to providing the school with an important new space, the donation also helped light a spark within the lodge. “it kind of recharged a lot of people’s batteries,” Whatley says. “This is what we’re all about. Now the question we’re all asking is, What else can we do?” —IAS

MASONIC ASSISTANCE

PHILANTHROPY

Fortunato Chua

California Freemason: You’ve been a Mason for more than 30 years. What’s kept you interested all that time?

Coffee machine technician

Member since 1992

Francis Drake № 376 Peninsula № 168

Phoenix № 144

Fortunato Chua: I was raised as a Master Mason by the Chinese Acacia Club in 1992, but then I took a long break to raise my two sons. All that time, I still read my lodge’s trestleboard messages and received California Freemason magazine, and that made me want to return. Then, one day in 2016, Jay Pon, who was the master of Phoenix № 144 , contacted me as part of an effort to reconnect with inactive members. He was the first person to ever reach out to me like that. When I came back, everyone received me as if I had never left. It was all new people, but what wasn’t different was the brotherhood.

a visit. I’d hate to waste someone’s money on my time if the issue is as simple as cleaning something.

CFM: Do you ever meet other Masons on the job?

FC: If I’m ever near a lodge, I like to stop in and see if I can say hello. During work, I don’t wear anything Masonic like a pin or a hat. But over the years, I’ve met so many people from all walks of life, I’m sure a few were Masons and I just never knew. It helps to keep me humble.

CFM: What do you like most about your work?

CFM: How did you first discover Masonry?

FC: When I was 13, I joined the Philippine Kong Han Athletic Club. It’s a Chinese Five Ancestor Fist–style martial art. Later, when I moved to the U.S., I was always in search of a place where I could find that kind of brotherhood. That’s when I learned about Masonry from a friend. He knew someone at San Carlos № 690 and we both decided to knock.

CFM: I understand you have a pretty specialized job.

FC: I’m a coffee machine technician, so I repair commercial coffee equipment. I visit cafes and restaurants, tech companies, five-star hotels, penthouses—anywhere that has large equipment. I always offer free troubleshooting before scheduling

“Working on a machine at my shop is very meditative. My mind is clear, and there’s no pressure around me.”

FC: Commitment is always at the top of my agenda, because my clients need their machines for their livelihood. I’ve had people greet me and say, “My coffee savior is here!” Also, working on a machine at my shop is very meditative. My mind is clear, and there’s no pressure around me. I can dive into the different parts of a machine like a superhero to locate the main culprit.

CFM: I know you’re also a donor to the California Masonic Foundation. What inspires you to give back?

FC: I believe giving back doesn’t always have to be financial. I enjoy donating my time as well. Francis Drake № 376 adopted Avalon Park in South San Francisco, so we visit there regularly to clean up. At Phoenix № 144, they do a lot of volunteering, whether it’s park cleanups or food bank efforts, and we’ve even worked with Raising a Reader to stuff bags of books. When my work schedule starts to free up, I’d like to connect with other lodges in the area and get more involved in their charity works, as well.

CFM: OK, so as an expert: What’s the perfect cup of coffee?

FC: My perfect cup of coffee will always be the first 16 ounces I drink in my office while I check my email and prepare what needs to be done for the day.

Unforgettable

THE

FORGET-ME-NOT IS A MASONIC SYMBOL OF BROTHERHOOD, SACRIFICE, AND REMEMBRANCE.

BY

NARBEH BAGDASARIAN

MASONRY IS OFTEN DESCRIBED as a system of morality taught through allegory—and certainly there is no shortage of Masonic symbols to decipher. But one that strikes a particular chord with Masons around the world is the forget-me-not.

While it isn’t, strictly speaking, a Masonic symbol like the square or plumb, the forget-me-not flower—often worn as a lapel pin—stands as a testament to Masonic ideals and fraternal solidarity. But why this little blue flower? The origins can be traced to World War II, during which the Nazi regime suppressed Freemasonry, murdering an estimated 80,000 German Masons. Against that backdrop, the forget-me-not came to embody a silent vow of defiance.

The precise reasons for the flower’s adoption are murky, but many historians point to a 1926 meeting during which German Masons received a forget-me-not flower as a reminder of their charitable obligations. (The flower itself has long been associated with remembrance.) By 1934, many German Masons began discreetly wearing the flower pin in place of the square and compass, and in 1947 it was officially adopted as a symbol to honor Masons who’d lost their life in the war.

Today, the pin serves as a tangible reminder of the unbreakable bonds that unite Freemasons across generations and borders. More than a mere accessory, the pin is a pledge to live by a shared set of principles.

This spring, in an echo of the flower’s first association with Freemasonry, the California Masonic Foundation is sending seed packets to members as a reminder of their charitable obligations and the fraternity’s profound commitment to relief. A blue forget-me-not pin is also being given by the Foundation to officers of California lodges that achieved 100 percent officer giving over the past year.

Brick by Brick

NEW LODGES ARE GOING UP ALL OVER THE STATE, PROVIDING MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MASONRY. BUT BUILDING A LODGE FROM SCRATCH ISN ’ T EXACTLY CHILD ’ S PLAY.

BY EDDIE GUY

ILLUSTRATION

The Builders

A SPATE OF NEW LODGES HAVE GONE UP ACROSS THE STATE IN RECENT YEARS. WHAT THEY ARE CREATING IS RESHAPING THE LANDSCAPE OF CALIFORNIA MASONRY.

BY IAN A. STEWART

AAs he sat down with the prospective charter members of what would soon become Pilares del Rey Salomon № 886, Danny Foxx started with the hard stuff. He laid out his vision for a Spanish-speaking lodge that wouldn’t just meet and confer the degrees of Freemasonry. It would also be a hub of Masonic education and involve itself in the community. Members would be expected to attend a range of private and public lodge events. They would hold themselves to high standards of personal decorum, with gossip and cliques strictly prohibited.

Most of all, he stressed, it would require work— lots of it. “That way each brother had the chance to decide if this felt right for them,” Foxx recalls. The result was an incredibly tight-knit group—and now the 331st active Masonic lodge in the state.

Since 2015, the Grand Lodge of California has made a priority of developing new lodges in order to establish a wider presence and offer a greater range of choices to members. This followed a particularly fallow period for the fraternity: Between 1997 and 2004, no new lodges were chartered in California. Only five lodges that launched from 1970 to 2000 are still in existence. However, in the time since then, a whopping 36 new lodges have opened up (including two research lodges), along with four more under dispensation. Of those, 25 were established since 2017.

Rather than simply expanding the fraternity’s footprint, these new lodges have in many ways redefined Freemasonry in California—not only in terms of how it works but also what it looks like.

Chartered just last fall, Pilares del Rey Salomon № 886 is emblematic of this new approach, one that emphasizes intimate groups guided by clearly defined goals. Whereas many lodges—particularly those established during the Gold Rush—are undergirded by tradition (and membership rolls in the hundreds),

these new lodges are built on ideas. As a rule they’re nimble and agile, often moving between meeting spaces. Many cater to a constituency not historically represented within California Masonry. And they’re decidedly forward-looking.

Mark McNee, who helped found Seven Hills № 881 in San Francisco in 2021, says he’s seen members reinvigorated by the challenge of forging a new culture from scratch. “We sought an environment where change and adaptation are embraced as the norm,” he says. “Our aim was to avoid being constrained by the notion that we had to adhere to traditional practices simply because that’s how things have always been done.”

Without their own hall or an endowment to fall back on, these lodges face significant challenges, both psychically and financially. Charlie Cailao, the current master of Palos Verdes № 883, points out that his lodge received its charter over Zoom. As a lodge without a home, his group relied on an unusual commitment from its members to stay together.

That was certainly the case for the eclectic band behind Ye Olde Cup and Ball № 880. Formed as the first “affinity” lodge in the state, Cup and Ball is made up of Mason-magicians, who, like traveling performers, initially moved from lodge to lodge around Southern California as a sort of road show, finally setting up shop at Los Angeles’s venerable Magic Castle, which secretary Rob Pepple now describes as “not just a background but a character in the story of our lodge culture.” Meeting there, he says, “gives the lodge a sort of double layer of mystery to it—one that we’re thrilled to share.”

Ethnically diverse, culturally attuned, sometimes proudly eccentric, these groups show that while building a lodge is no easy feat, it’s also worth the reward .

Right: Members of Palos Verdes No 883 celebrate the lodge′s charter ceremony on February 4 in Gardena.

When Narbeh Bagdasarian and Philippe Milgrom got together to discuss their particular patch of California Masonry, they didn’t like what they saw. Or rather, they didn’t like what they didn’t see.

That’s because in fall 2023, the historic Vallée de France Lodge № 329 in Glendale was consolidated out of existence—extinguishing the flame on what had been a 125-year run for French Masonry in Southern California. For French and Francophone members like Bagdasarian and Milgrom, the loss left a gaping hole in California Freemasonry.

Although it’s a relatively small niche in this state, French Masonry has a long and proud history in California, beginning with the formation of the venerable La Parfaite Union № 17 in San Francisco in 1852. In 1897, a charter was granted to Vallée de France № 329, establishing a foothold for French-style Masonry in the state’s northern and southern metropolises.

Beyond the linguistic and cultural connections those lodges helped preserve, they also offered a ritualistic link to the old country by performing the first degree according to the Scottish Rite ritual, as is common in France and much of Europe and Latin America. (Other California lodges use the Preston–Webb Ritual, which is based on the York Rite; one major difference is that the Scottish Rite emphasizes the first degree, whereas the California ritual emphasizes the third.)

For the pair, who had both belonged to Vallée de France № 329, that loss was too much to bear. So in 2021, as the group was facing consolidation, Bagdasarian, Milgrom, and several other members met for dinner and decided to form an unofficial French ritual club. Outside lodge meetings, they met monthly to practice both the California ritual (which has been translated into French), as well as the Scottish Rite ritual used by the National Grand Lodge of France (GLNF), which is the French body recognized by the Grand Lodge of California.

With wine flowing freely, conversation naturally moved to how to keep a more than centuryold Masonic tradition in Southern California alive. Further meetings were held, and in 2022 the group applied for a dispensation to form a new lodge, what

B o n V iv a nt s

ultimately became La France № 885. On November 2, 2023, just weeks after Vallée de France № 329 was formally absorbed into Round Table № 876, La France received its charter, with Bagdasarian listed as master and Milgrom as secretary.

Despite its founders’ history in Vallée de France, they stress that the new group isn’t simply a reboot of the old. For one, the lodge trimmed its membership from 65 to 45, and it picked up stakes from its longtime

ROBIN

home in Glendale for Santa Monica, where membership is more densely packed. (The group is currently meeting in the hall of the Sunset Masonic Temple.)

With Milgrom, whom Bagdasarian calls “the beating heart of La France № 885,” doing much of the legwork, the founders had to build the lodge from the ground up—and to follow the rules to a T. That meant, at least initially, only performing the California Masonic ritual. To the group’s surprise, however,

the nascent lodge proved popular, gaining six new Entered Apprentices in its first year. At last fall’s Annual Communication in San Francisco, a group made up of members from La France № 885 and La Parfaite Union № 17 staged an “exemplification,” or demonstration, of the first degree of the French ritual for an audience of more than 100 California Masons. From there, word of the new Francophone group spread like gossip.

Above: Founding members of La France No 885 inside the library of the Sunset Masonic Temple.

PHOTOS BY TOM STORY

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Meanwhile, La France № 885 cleared a major legislative hurdle: At the same Annual Communication, more than 92 percent of the Grand Lodge voted to allow the group to inherit Vallée de France’s grandfathered-in right to perform the French ritual. After that, “the news exploded and now everyone knows about this lodge,” Bagdasarian says. “We became famous.”

To him, that makes sense. Because while the group is understandably proud of its Gallic heritage, the fact that it is now one of the only outfits permitted to perform the Scottish Rite degrees in California gives it a distinctly international flavor. Fittingly, the new group is remarkably global, with members hailing from 10 different nations, including Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Bulgaria, several countries in the Middle East, and, of course, France.

In fact, several members of French lodges both in the United States and abroad, including Grand Master Jean-Pierre Rollet of the GLNF, even signed up as charter members.

That cross-jurisdictional membership is emblematic of members’ passion about the need to preserve French-style Masonry in America, which has a more than 300-year-old legacy. In fact, no less a figure than the Marquis de Lafayette, the hero of the French and American Revolutions, is believed to have been made a Mason at Valley Forge in 1777 by his lodge brother, the Continental Army general George Washington. L’Union FranÇaise № 17 in New York City is the oldest French-American lodge, having received its charter in 1798. That group was invited to be the first Masonic delegation at Washington’s funeral procession.

Today, historic Francophone-American lodges like that are rare but not unheard of. (An important distinction: There are several Masonic lodges throughout the country, including in California, that are sponsored by French Masonic bodies, including the Grand Orient de France, Le Droit Humain, and more. These lodges are not formally recognized by most American grand lodges, including the Grand Lodge of California, although they often share halls and

Right: Lodge members gather for a first-degree conferral.

Below: Narbeh Bagdasarian (center) speaks with fellow members before a lodge meeting.

meeting spaces with recognized California groups.)

San Francisco’s La Union Parfaite № 17, one of the most significant of those historic groups, actually predates the formation of the Grand Lodge of California, having received its charter from the Grande Lodge Symbolique Écossaise in Paris. (It subsequently relinquished that charter and joined the California body in 1855.) That group counted several prominent figures among its members, including the famous San Francisco chocolatier Dominico Ghirardelli.

Among more recently construed bodies, there’s La France № 93 in Washington, D.C., formed in 1992, which has become something like a flagship for French-American Masonry. Its 80 members hail from all over the world, and it works closely with five GLNF lodges in France, as well as lodges from as far away as Gabon and Benin, in Africa.

It’s that sort of international profile that Bagdasarian, Milgrom, and others want to continue with La France № 885. Seeing that legacy disappear was inconceivable to Bagdasarian, an energetic and outgoing attorney who speaks four languages (English, French, Armenian, and Farsi, as a native Iranian) and has served as master of three lodges. As a former grand lecturer for the Grand Lodge of Iran in Exile, as well as past Grand Bible Bearer for the Grand Lodge of California, he was a natural diplomatic choice to lead the new endeavor.

Beyond the lodge’s historical significance, he says

there’s something moving about seeing a Masonic degree ceremony performed in another tongue. “French degrees are beautiful,” he says. “They are dramatic and elegant, and we want that to survive. The French ritual has a unique flavor to it.”

Therein lies one of the new lodge’s main draws, he says: “It’s a great experience to go through [the French degree] and become initiated—or if you’ve already been initiated, it’s a great experience to see it performed. I know people who come and don’t understand French, but they always enjoy seeing it.”

For Milgrom, that point is key: “It’s really an open lodge,” he says. “The link is the French language and the ritual. But it’s really an international lodge. Anyone is welcome.”

As he describes his vision for thd group, Bagdasarian talks about not only taking the French first-degree ceremonies on the road, but also coordinating projects and events with French-speaking lodges around the country. “We’re building a new lodge on old traditions,” he says.

As if to underline that idea, when the lodge met to celebrate receiving its charter last fall, Milgrom read aloud a message sent to the group from Rollet, the French grand master. “I am delighted that its role is to strengthen the links between the French National Grand Lodge and the Grand Lodge of California,” Rollet wrote. “Belonging to this lodge is, for me, a great honor and a great pleasure. Vive La France № 885!”

I Culture Club

AT GAT JOS É RIZAL N o 882 , A NEW LODGE IS DEDICATED TO PRESERVING—AND PUSHING FORWARD—A PINOY LEGACY. BY TONY PIERUCCI

In Romeo and Juliet , Shakespeare famously asked, “What’s in a name?” Back then, the suggestion was: not much. It’s the quality of the thing that counts. (“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”) Don’t tell that to the founding members of Gat José Rizal № 882 in Menifee. Because for them, their lodge moniker is a badge they’re proud to wear.

Of course, Rizal № 882 takes its appellation from José Rizal, the poet, writer, and national hero of the Philippines, who was, like many of the most famous figures of Filipino independence, a Freemason. As a writer and journalist, Rizal became a figurehead of resistance to the Spanish occupation of the islands in the late 19th century. In 1896, he was arrested and sentenced to death. His martyrdom became a rallying cry for the rebellion that finally earned Filipinos their freedom. After his death, Rizal was given the title gatdula (abbreviated as “gat”), meaning “honorable.”

To the Filipino American Masons behind the new lodge, the inspiration for their name was never in doubt. “It’s a way of honoring our culture and saying to the world that we’re proud Filipinos,” explains J.P. Cariaga, the first master of the lodge.

For the large and growing share of Fil-Am Masons in California, groups like Rizal № 882, which received its dispensation in 2021 and was formally constituted a year later, are a welcome sight. It’s estimated that as many as a third of all new members in California have roots in the Philippines. And while several lodges throughout the state have significant Filipino membership, it’s only recently that lodges have emerged to specifically honor that heritage.

That development comes against a backdrop of increasing diversity within the fraternity, as well as an eagerness to recognize and build lodges around various ethnic subcultures. In recent years, that has included the formation of lodges like Pilares del Rey Salomon № 886 in Long Beach, Raven’s Rock № 870 in Burbank, and La France № 885 in Santa Monica. Those lodges cater to Spanish, Armenian,

and French speakers, respectively. Of course, there’s also MW Manuel Luis Quezon № 874 in San Diego, Andres Bonifacio № 879 in Long Beach, and Gen. Douglas MacArthur № 853 in Sacramento—all of which have significant Filipino memberships and take their names, like Rizal, from historical figures of importance to the islands.

“I think Filipinos are drawn to Freemasonry because our culture values camaraderie and fellowship,” says Cariaga, who is also past master of Hemet San Jacinto № 338, another lodge with a large Filipino American membership. It’s also true that the fraternity counts a sizable share of current and former military men among its Filipino contingent. (Since the early 1900s, Filipino men have been eligible to serve in the U.S. Navy, and for many years that was the surest path to American citizenship. Today, there are more than 15,000 Filipino American servicemen in the Navy.) Cariaga notes that those members doubly cherish their membership in the fraternity.

After a conversation in 2020 with district inspector Mark Nielson, Cariaga began talking within his own network of Filipino Masons to gauge interest in starting a new lodge in Riverside County. The response was universally positive. “I definitely saw the potential,” Cariaga says.

What he didn’t see—at least then—was how it would work.

“The first big challenge was finding a home—and finances, of course,” Cariaga says. The group was able to solve the former problem when nearby Menifee Valley № 289 offered its space to the new lodge, though it meant adjusting each lodge’s schedule around the other’s.

There was also the matter of building a distinct lodge character—something that Cariaga and others acknowledge takes time. “I think all of us charter members saw this as a chance to develop a lodge with a unique culture that we all wanted,” says Vonn DeGuzman, who is now the lodge’s junior warden.

PHOTOS BY MATTHEW REAMER

Left: Amorsolo Ledina ( center ) , master of Gat Jos e Rizal N º 882, with senior warden Angelo Alano left and junior warden Vonn DeGuzman. ´

Angelo Alano, another charter member, who is now serving as senior warden, echoes that sentiment. “We sometimes have trouble distinguishing ourselves from Menifee Valley Lodge in terms of how the public sees us,” he says. “When we meet in a lodge with a name that’s not our own, how are we supposed to differentiate ourselves?”

having been constituted for less than two years, it has already achieved 100 percent officer giving to the California Masonic Foundation in support of public education and senior care.

AT LOGOS N o MATERIAL CULTURE IS PART OF THE FABRIC OF THE LODGE. BY JAMES TUCKER, P.M.

“It’s a way of honoring our culture and saying to the world that we’re proud Filipinos.”

Both say that a lodge’s culture is always changing. However, their group’s shared ancestry and deep commitment to being family-centered remain at the heart of the lodge character. “Our heritage means a lot to us and binds us together,” Cariaga says. “But at the end of the day, we’re also Masons and that matters just as much.”

Members are quick to point out that while the lodge is proudly Filipino, members aren’t required to be. “We welcome all Masons,” Cariaga says. The true prerequisite is for prospects to be willing and able to pitch in and help with the considerable effort of building a lodge from scratch. After all, there’s still plenty of work to do.

One of the biggest ways the lodge has aimed to make its name is through philanthropy. Despite

Rizal № 882 has also made an effort to get its name out in the surrounding community, underwriting scholarships for local students and collecting donations for a nearby food pantry. Last year the lodge was even able to extend its philanthropy across the Pacific to the Philippines. “We had an opportunity to work with an elementary school there to donate clothes and other essential items,” Alano explains. It was a galvanizing effort that he says brought the lodge closer together.

That kind of work requires dedication and planning—and sacrifice. “Since we don’t have a savings account to pull from for our efforts, every cent we spend has to be raised either through our dues or fundraisers,” Cariaga says. That means new members come in with the expectation that charity will be a top priority; the lodge holds four annual fundraisers to facilitate its growing relief program.

And although members say it’s been hard work getting the lodge established, each of them agrees that it’s worth the effort. “At the end of the day, we’re building something important,” Cariaga says. Indeed, it was Rizal himself who said, “It is a useless life that is not consecrated to a great ideal.”

T h eCraftsmen

“A free people, forgetting that it has a soul to be cared for, devotes all its energies to its material advancement.”

—ALBERT PIKE

M“We are living in a material world.”

MADONNA

Masons tend to love stuff . Our lodges are filled with it—objects of curious and sometimes unknown origin, some of which members can be very attached to, or barely notice at all. Whether it’s the ubiquitous boat on the wall (a strange custom whose basis is widely argued over) or a simple set of working tools or a portrait of George Washington in Masonic regalia, we’ve all encountered numerous examples of Masonic material culture. ¶ I’ve always been fascinated by this stuff—particularly the sentimental and handmade. I remember in particular a silver punch bowl I once saw at the Freemason Museum in London that had been brought back from a lodge in India in the 1800s. Even items of much more humble origin can contain an element of beauty and tell a story—like the hand-cut officers’ jewels I’ve seen at the historic Columbia Lodge room that were crafted from food tins during the Gold Rush. ¶ When I first got together with a small group of Masons in 2016 to form a new lodge in downtown San Francisco—what would soon become Logos № 861—it soon became clear that

Right: Members of the new lodge gather at the Menifee Valley Masonic Temple in Riverside County.

Items of Importance

JAMES TUCKER ON THE LODGE S PRIZED POSSESSIONS.

LODGE BANNER

PREVIOUS PAGE

“This banner has our lodge s newer symbol on it. We wanted to focus on what really defines Logos Lodge. What are we striving for? I think we re searching for our place in the universe— the great questions. Who are we? Why are we here?”

SECOND-DEGREE

FLOOR CLOTH

FAR LEFT

“Each step is a lesson in the Fellow Craft degree. The candidate walks across it and is imparted the lessons of the degree. It s all handpainted by me and Robert Haines, another charter member of the lodge.”

TRACING BOARDS (3)

ABOVE LEFT

“I designed and letterpressed these tracing boards myself. We give them to candidates to study the lessons. They re five by

we’d need a a certain number of these objects for ourselves. Unlike most new groups, though, we faced two particular considerations: First, we did not have a hall of our own. Initially, we met inside the University Club on Nob Hill, while today we’re one of seven lodges that call Freemasons’ Hall our home. That meant any lodge paraphernalia would need to be mobile enough to set up and break down before and after our meetings.

More importantly, many of our members came from backgrounds in art and design. So rather than inherit or purchase lodge adornments, we decided early that we would craft our own ceremonial objects—and that they would play an important role in defining our culture.

seven inches—much smaller than the trestleboards you see in a lodge. They re like personal, travel-sized ones.”

MASTER MASON APRON

LEFT

“T he double-sided apron is really fun. It started out as a watercolor I did, and now they re digitally printed onto the leather apron by Brother Patrick Craddock at the Craftsman ’ s Apron. The memento mori on the inner side is never really shown; you re bringing that toward yourself as a personal reminder. The front is our call to arms: ‘Green adorns the earth and never dallies, nor does it wait to plot or conspire. Forever it s on the move.’”

OFFICERS GAVELS

ABOVE

“I designed these gavels and setting mauls to be emblematic of the three degrees of Masonry. The first one is the common gavel; the second has a winding design on the handle; the third one is darker and made of acacia wood.”

That decision was like a flood of creative energy breaking a dam. It wasn’t just our material possessions: Wherever and however we could, our members would put their artistic signature on our lodge. Then–junior warden Benjamin Soler, a carpenter, carved the setting maul we use for the third degree. Joe Rezendes, our current master, designed and coded our website. Valdeir Faria wrote festive board ceremonies for each degree. Robert Haines, our first senior warden, created our second-degree floor cloth. As a professional printmaker and designer, I worked on our banner, aprons, and tracing boards. Then there’s the pièce de résistance: Freemasons’ Hall was designed by architect Kevin Hackett, our lodge brother.

“That decision was like a flood of creative energy breaking a dam.”

To anchor us in this culture, we made a pact that this creativity would live on in the lodge as candidates progressed through the degrees. Today, members present “workpieces” when they’re ready for their next degree. These tend to be more artwork than homework. Pat Clos, a musician, wrote and performed songs for each of his degrees. Kevin Jones, a videographer, made his presentations as—you guessed it—videos. Most recently, Adam Dexter created an immersive audio experience for his entered apprentice workpiece (see page 27). This culture of making has defined Logos № 861, and I hope it will continue to do so for years to come. Rather than simply adding to a growing collection of stuff, I see this as a way to impart the teachings of Masonry to future members. By creating our own Masonic objects and traditions, we not only tap into our creative potential but also contribute to the ongoing narrative of Masonry.

James Tucker is an artist, designer, and past master of Logos № 861.

THIRD-DEGREE FLOOR CLOTH

FAR LEFT, TOP

“We showed this a few years ago at Annual Communication. It s a Master Mason floor cloth that made for my third-degree workpiece. When we were chartered, this was the only piece we had. Everything else has been created since then.”

FESTIVE BOARD PAMPHLETS (3)

FAR LEFT, BOTTOM

“These tracing boards were illustrated by Freida Harris, who designed the Thoth tarot deck. The festive boards were written by a former member—there are toasts and opening and closing remarks in them. We have these festive boards after every degree.”

CIRCLE WITHIN A POINT

TOP LEFT

“The circumpunct symbol is represented in every lodge room

to remind us to circumscribe our desires toward all mankind. This one is just a little watercolor did, in an antique frame.”

LODGE JEWEL

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“This is our charter-member lodge jewel, which I designed. Those are Greek letters spelling LOGOS inside the star. The circle represents the universe or cosmos; the triangle is divinity, or creation; and the star represents humankind within it. This was sort of a proto-symbol for our lodge—our new symbol, on the banner, is a lot simpler. But it s fun to see its evolution over time.”

VOLUME OF SACRED LAW

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“Rather than a Bible, we use a Volume of Sacred Law for our stated meetings. It contains excerpts from every major religion. It s more inclusive, since we have members from

AUDIO INSTALLATION

“For Adam Dexter s Entered Apprentice degree workpiece, he designed a sound installation. It was super cool; we all wore headphones and blindfolds and listened to this sensory piece he created that felt like he was sitting right next to us. It explored the trust element of the first degree. It was creepy—in a good way.”

different faiths. Plus, Masonry is a universal thing, right?

I wanted for us to make this ourselves, but then I found one made by Columbia University s Theological department in the 1940s. It was probably better than whatever we could make!”

LODGE

AT OAKLAND N O 61 , TWO HISTORIC EAST BAY LODGES ARE TEAMING UP TO FORM A NEW KIND OF GROUP.

BY TONY GILBERT

Members of the two consolidated lodges—Live Oak N o 61 and Oakland Durant Rockridge N o 188—go through the groups ’ collection of paraphernalia.

Something Old, Something New

PHOTOS BY WINNI WINTERMEYER

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OOakland № 61 is a lodge that reflects the modern-meets-traditional character of its neighborhood. Nestled at the foot of the Oakland Hills, Rockridge is a place where trendy coffee shops and hip gastropubs sit among Victorian-style homes and Art Deco storefronts built in the 1920s. It’s a fitting locale for the new lodge, which held its first stated meeting in December 2023. In fact, old-meets-new is something of a calling card for the group: Even though the ink is still drying on its new charter, the lodge’s history stretches back to Oakland’s earliest days.

That much is visible from the lodge’s façade on College Avenue, a little slice of old-town charm that recalls a time when Masonic lodges were one of the most visible anchors of any community. And yet, despite the lodge’s deep roots here, there’s a palpable sense of newness to the endeavor. “I really enjoy the process of dreaming out loud and building teams who independently set and achieve goals for the organization,” says Cal Gilbert, the lodge’s first master.

Oakland № 61 started as a proposal to combine two existing lodges, each with its own storied identity and unique culture: Live Oak № 61 and OaklandDurant-Rockridge № 188 (itself the result of several mergers in the 1980s). In most cases, consolidation

“I wanted to convey a sense of opportunity and to inspire brothers to join in on the creation of a new culture. Since we ’ re new, everything is a first and we celebrate that.”

is a last resort for lodges—particularly for those with as much tradition as the two Oakland groups. (The lodges trace their charters back to 1855 and 1868, respectively. In fact, Live Oak № 61 was the first Masonic lodge in Alameda County and counts some of the most influential early Oaklanders, including Francis K. Shattuck, among its past members.) But more than a simple takeover, the idea in Rockridge was to form something new—a third identity, unique and apart from its two progenitors. “I’m not sure what the culture of the lodge will end up being,” says Ben Newsom, the first senior warden of Oakland № 61. “But if I know these brothers like I do, it will be one of great fellowship and hard work.”

The group already had a leg up on that front. Many members of the nascent group were already dual members of the two heritage lodges, including Gilbert and Newsom, so many of the lodge brothers already knew one another well, dining together and supporting one another’s practice nights and degree conferrals.

So, following the sale of the Oakland Masonic Center on Broadway in 2022, Live Oak № 61 began holding its meetings in Rockridge. The conversation soon pivoted to joining forces with its sister group. They were welcomed with open arms. “There are traditions from each lodge that will still be there to be celebrated, but we’ve left room to create new ones,” Newsom says. “Our mindset now is that we are Oakland № 61.”

That’s not just talk: Beginning this year with the junior warden, the lodge has an officer line made up of all first-timers—further emphasizing the sense of a fresh start. With new leadership, members say, comes the hope of fresh ideas and a willingness to

Right: The new Oakland N o 61 meets at the circa1926 Rockridge Masonic Temple.

Cal Gilbert (center) is the inaugural master of Oakland N o 61. Tigran Agadzhanyan left ) was past master of Oakland-Durant-Rockridge N o 188; Tyrone Davis-Eugene right was the last master of Live Oak N o 61.

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create a new history. “The future of this new lodge belongs to them,” Gilbert says of the current crop of officers. “I wanted to convey a sense of opportunity and to inspire brothers to join in on the creation of a new culture. Since we’re new, everything is a first and we celebrate that.”

So far, members say the reformed lodge is committed to making its mark through philanthropy. With a roster of more than 300 thanks to the consolidation, it certainly has the manpower. Already, the group has held a pancake breakfast to benefit nearby Claremont Middle School, and members have coordinated clean-up days with Friends of the RockridgeTemescal Greenbelt Park. The lodge also plans to continue its predecessors’ support of Masonic youth groups, Raising a Reader, and Oakland Little League.

Within Masonry, the group has also set out to make its new name known. The lodge hosts a monthly book club (open to all Masons), plus frequent lectures, dinners, and social events including the annual Feast of St. John the Evangelist.

This may be the only new lodge with such a fabled past. The connection between yesterday and today is a profound one for Gilbert and Newsom; both men feel that their lodge affiliation amounts to a deeper, more intimate bond, connecting each to previous generations. Newsom says his father, two of his uncles,

Left: Nicholas Hayworth leads the combined membership in for its first stated meeting as Oakland N o 61.

Below: A staircase at the Rockridge Masonic Temple details the lodge's long and winding history.

and both of his grandfathers were members of Live Oak № 61. Gilbert recalls that when he was raised as a Master Mason in Oakland-Durant-Rockridge № 188, his mother gave him his father’s Masonic ring.

Family connections like those—and the deep roots running through the lodge like the symbol of Oakland itself, the Live Oak tree—mean that Oakland № 61 is unlike just about any other new lodge in the state. And this one is just sprouting. Gilbert, for one, says he can’t wait to see what it grows into.

“In the end, I just hope to be a small part of the formation of something extraordinary in Masonry,” he says.

The Ins and Outs of Assisted Living

GETTING TO KNOW THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF SENIOR CARE.

BY LAURA BENYS

If your loved one needs help with certain day-to-day activities, assisted living may be right for them. But how do you know if it’s time to switch from in-home care to an assisted living community? Here are some helpful pointers.

WHAT IS ASSISTED LIVING?

Assisted living is for older adults who need help with certain day-to-day tasks (known as “activities of daily living”), but who can still manage some activities on their own. This level of care is provided in a residential setting, which offers senior-friendly housing and the peace of mind that comes from

knowing someone’s there to help if needed. Here, residents receive more support than they would in a senior independent living community, but less than they would in a skilled-nursing facility. For example, assisted living communities usually offer:

• Caregivers on staff to help with things like dressing, bathing, medication, and getting around

• Access to 24/7 on-site nursing services

• Transportation to medical appointments

To see if this level of care could be right for your loved one, talk to their doctor or a geriatric specialist.

MASONIC ASSISTANCE

WHEN SHOULD I CONSIDER ASSISTED LIVING?

In general, if your loved one needs help with daily tasks or has safety concerns like a tendency to wander, their doctor may recommend a full-time senior memory care or assisted living facility.

The Masonic Homes of California offers three level of care to best fit your loved one’s current situation.

For example, the Pavilion at the Masonic Homes in Union City provides:

• Round-the-clock supervision and care

• Special dementia-safe layout and design to minimize confusion and prevent wandering

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•

•

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CAN MY LOVED ONE RECEIVE ASSISTED LIVING AT HOME, OR DO THEY NEED TO BE IN A FACILITY?

Typically, assisted living is provided in a residential facility, where seniors live in their own rooms or apartments. In addition to 24/7 security and nursing services, these facilities usually offer a range of convenient services, such as:

• Meals

WHAT ARE THE COSTS, AND HOW DO THEY COMPARE TO IN-HOME CARE?

DO SOME FACILITIES OFFER BOTH ASSISTED LIVING AND MEMORY CARE?

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• Housekeeping, maintenance, and linen service

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• Transportation arrangements

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• Recreational and spiritual activities

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• Exercise and wellness programs

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For many residents, these communities also provide social connection, an important aspect of healthy aging.

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The cost of assisted living facilities can vary greatly, depending on the exact level of services required and the location of the facility. The most recent survey from the National Council on Aging put the average cost in California at more than $5,000 per month, as of 2021. (In San Francisco, it was $6,319.) That doesn’t necessarily take into account one-time entrance fees. For seniors who need round-the-clock supervision and care, assisted living residences still usually pencil out to being less than the cost of 24/7 inhome care. Remember, though, that costs can vary widely based on location, amenities, your loved one’s needs, and whether they’re eligible for Medicaid.

The Next Generation of Masonic Leaders Needs YOU!

Yes, some assisted living communities also offer  memory care. So if you or your loved one needs support for Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, make inquiring about memory care one of your first objectives. The Masonic Homes of California offers both assisted living and memory care services.

HOW CAN I FIND AN ASSISTED LIVING RESIDENCE NEAR ME?

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The Next Generation of Masonic Leaders Needs

As part of the Masonic family, the young people in your life deserve the benefits of being a Job’s Daughter, Rainbow Girl, or DeMolay.

Check out online tools like caring.com. If you’re in California, visit the Masonic Homes to learn about the range of assisted living and memory care services offered there.

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The Next Generation of Masonic Leaders Needs

The Next Generation of Masonic Leaders Needs

As part of the Masonic family, the young people in your life deserve the benefits of being a Job’s Daughter, Rainbow Girl, or DeMolay.

The Next Generation of Masonic Leaders Needs YOU!

For more about the Masonic Homes of California, visit masonichome.org.

YOU!

The Next Generation of Masonic Leaders Needs

The Next Generation of Masonic Leaders Needs

Learn about ways you and your family can support

The Next Generation

FORALLSHASTACOUNTYMASONICFAMILYANDFRIENDS

Reuben Zari

California Freemason : You’ve been in the fraternity more than 20 years. What has kept you so engaged?

Reuben Zari: I truly enjoy the company and brotherhood. It gives me the opportunity to find true friendships with people who share the same values and interests as me. My interest in the ritual also gives me the chance to meet and guide new members.

CFM: How did you first learn about Masonry?

RZ: I joined DeMolay in 1975 and was elected as a junior counselor before my family came to the United States in 1979. My father was master of his lodge in the Philippines; my sister is a majority member of Rainbow for Girls and one of my brothers is a senior DeMolay.

CFM: How has Masonry impacted your life?

RZ: Coming from a family that’s very familiar with Freema sonry, the practice of giving was instilled in me very early. I have learned through Masonry—as well as through my faith—about the importance of providing aid and comfort to those less fortunate. I’m proud to say my personal beliefs align with the California Masonic Foundation. During my nine years as a Foundation trustee, I met a lot of passionate members who shared their ideas about giving with me.

Masons know that a bequest through your estate plan can be

Masons know that a bequest through your estate plan can be one of the most meaningful things you can do to cement your legacy to the fraternity you love. This commitment has been handed down through generations of Masons.

CFM: Can you tell me about your line of work?

RZ: I retired from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power as a lead utility services specialist. Part of my responsibility was to help promote electric and water conservation programs. I’ve actually worked with Masons as customers, and thankfully, I find them to be patient and understanding.

CFM: You’re still involved with the Masonic youth orders. Can you tell me more about that?

The process is simple. Have your estate planner add language to your existing estate plan that includes a simple bequest to the California Masonic Foundation. Then notify us and be welcomed into the Cornerstone Society.

—Justin Japitana

RZ: I am currently the chapter dad of Atwater DeMolay and associate bethel guardian of Bethel № 43 in Los Angeles. I remember in 1999, when I was lodge master, my four-yearold daughter wandered in right as I was about to gavel the lodge into labor. So I came down the steps, embraced her, and led her out of the lodge room with my master’s hat on. Years later, when she was a member of Bethel № 43, I was there with her as she witnessed the cross formation for the first time. It was quite a moment.

The Cornerstone Society drives our fraternity’s impact on our communities. Masons who make a bequest demonstrate leadership and generosity, establishing a legacy that will be felt for generations.

The Cornerstone Society drives our fraternity’s impact on our communities. Masons who make a bequest demonstrate leadership and generosity, establishing a legacy that will be felt for generations.

The Cornerstone Society drives our fraternity’s impact on our communities. Masons who make a bequest demonstrate leadership and generosity, establishing a legacy that will be felt for generations.

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KEEP YOUR INFORMATION CURRENT

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KEEP YOUR INFORMATION CURRENT

To receive special member email and other important information, please keep your contact information current. Log in and update it today at freemason.org !

2020-2021

M ASONS 4M ITTS S EASON IS O PEN !

Arthur Harold Weiss Grand Master

Jeffery Michael Wilkins Deputy Grand Master

• Independent living in a Masonic community

Randall Louis Brill Senior Grand Warden

G. Sean Metroka Junior Grand Warden

Arthur Lupe Salazar, Jr. Grand Treasurer

Allan Lesley Casalou Grand Secretary

G rand L odge O fficers

• Shared Housing program in Southern California, offering affordable apartments with shared space in a gated community

• Assisted living and memory care

• Short-term rehabilitation care

Ricky Lee Lawler Grand Lecturer

Mark James McNee Grand Chaplain

Gary Richard Quintrell Asst Grand Lecturer Div I

David Mickel Edwards Asst Grand Lec turer Div II

• Statewide resources, support, and Masonic relief

• Mental

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Antonio G. Cimarra, Jr. Asst Grand Lecturer Div III

Jairo Jesus Gomez, Jr. Asst Grand Lecturer Div IV

Robert Glenn Beeson, III Asst Grand Lecturer Div V

Charles P. Cross Asst Grand Lecturer Div VI

Elvan Dale Moen Asst Grand Lecturer Div VII

John Hays Crago, III Asst Grand Lecturer Div IX

W ith the pandemic disrupting schools and all aspects of students’ lives, kids need our help now more than ever before.

Victor Michael Ropac, Jr. Asst Grand Lecturer Div VIII

Michael David Thibodeaux Grand Orator

Jordan Tyler Yelinek Assistant Grand Secretary

Mark Edson Pressey Grand Marshal

Paul Boghes Bazerkanian Grand Standard Bearer

That’s why this year, in addition to our classic leather baseball mitts, M asons 4 M itts will provide children in need with a Super Summer Book Bag : A one-stop goodie bag filled with expertly vetted and age-appropriate reading and math material, compiled by the literacy experts at Raising A Reader.

Alberto Luke Casanova, Jr. Grand Sword Bearer

Frank Rickey Young Grand Bible Bearer

Mark Alexander Nielsen Senior Grand Deacon

David Andrew Forsyth Junior Grand Deacon

Micheal Anthony Padilla Senior Grand Steward

Thomas Lester Pryor, Jr. Junior Grand Steward

Andrew Leroy Rieland Grand Pursuivant

This summer, let’s rally together for California youth!

Stephen Richard Miller Grand Organist

Vinz Olivar Tolentino Grand Tiler

Jonathan Shane Davis Assistant Grand Organist

Scotty Joe Christian Assistant Grand Tiler