The Herald
January 2003
Dear
Companions:
It
is with humility and personal honor that I accepted the nomination, election
and installation to this High Office. I pledge to you my best effort to
continue in the footsteps of our distinguished Past Grand High Priests; however
I will attempt to have new and innovative ideas and plans in my term as Grand
High Priest.
My
theme will be Communication. As I said in my remarks after being installed, I
have seen in my Masonic travels a distinct lack of communication between some
Grand Bodies and their subordinate bodies. I also have seen a lack of
communication between the subordinate bodies and their individual members.
This lack of communication I hope to diminish within our Grand Royal Arch
Chapter.
Beginning
this month I will have a Message in the form of this newsletter called the
Herald. In this newsletter I hope to communicate some of my concerns and of
course some concerns of the individual Companions. Any companion should feel
free to call me at home area code (978) 452-6677 or at the Grand Chapter Office
area code (617) 426-1079 with their concerns for our great Fraternity. If you
are on the web please e-mail me at ghpma@attbi.com.
Note: I said concerns, not official business that must go through the proper
channels!
My
first Official Function occurred the day after my installation. I was a guest
of the Grand Lodge at their Annual Meeting. I also was their guest at the
annual St. John=s Day
which includes the installation of their new Grand Officers. The Grand Master
M.W. Donald Gardner Hicks, Jr. is also a York Rite Mason! He is a wonderful
and respected man who all Masons should be proud to have as the Grand Master of
the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts.
My
first Visitation was January 7th at Mt. Horeb Royal Arch Chapter in
Lowell, Massachusetts. This occasion was to present a fifty year veterans
medal to one of the most active, respected, and honored masons in Lowell, RˆEˆMax
Ludwig, Jr. It was my personal privilege and honor to present this jewel to
him, as we have been friends for many years, even before I was active in York
Rite Masonry.
The
Grand High Priest=s
calendar is beginning to fill with important fraternal visits. I wish that all
chapters in our jurisdiction would invite me to visit them some time during my
term as Grand High Priest!
When
I served as your Deputy Grand High Priest I had the pleasure of visiting every
chapter in our jurisdiction B
I hope to duplicate this effort.
The
Grand Chapter held a workshop for the new Grand Officers at the Lowell Masonic
Center on Saturday, January 11th. I want to thank all ten District
Deputy Grand High Priests for their dedication as well as the other Grand
Officers who were in attendance.
January
18 Reception
of the Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts at the Lowell
Masonic Center. R.W. W. Warren Richardson and I have known each other for many
years before I became a master mason and I look forward to being with him often
in our travels.
January
22 Grand
Master=s Alliance
Meeting. The Alliance is made up of the leaders of the Grand Masonic Bodies of
Massachusetts including The Prince Hall Grand Lodge. It is a long range
planning committee, but also intended to keep all Masonic bodies aware of the
activities in our state.
January
25 Annual
Meeting and Installation of Officers of Aleppo Shriners in Wilmington,
Massachusetts.
February
1& 8 Scottish
Rite Bodies in the Valley of Boston.
March
15 A
reception will be held for your Grand High Priest at the Lowell Masonic Center.
Final plans will be forth coming.
The
month of April will be busy, as one day festivals will be held as follows:
April
5 One
day class for The Grand Royal Arch Chapter.
April
12 One
day class for the Grand Council of the Royal and Select Master Masons of
Massachusetts.
April
26 (Tentative)
One day class for The Grand Commandery of Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Do
not forget companions! If any chapters wish to have candidates for these
classes their applications must be read and voted upon in each chapter
before these dates. Please contact the Grand Chapter office if you have any
questions.
April
12 Annual
Charity Dinner at the Indian Ranch in Webster, Massachusetts. Your District
Deputy Grand High Priests have the details of this event.
Our
past Grand High Priest John M. MacNeill was in Boston Medical Hospital
undergoing triple bypass surgery. He is now recuperating at home, and I am sure
he would appreciate cards to his home at 752 Jerusalem Road, Cohassett, MA 02025.
Please call our Grand Chapter office if you know of illness or death of our
permanent members.
Until
next month I remain,
Yours
fraternally,
M.E.
Charles A. O'Wril, Jr.
Grand
High Priest
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