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Masonry in the Military

Brother JB

Registered User
I joined a lodge AF AM would I be able to visit a PHA lodge or is that against Masonic law or would I have to join the PHA lodge just to attend meetings and stay active in Masonry which is something I would want to do while in the Army I was considering construction or becoming an electrician and learning thoses trades and be able to use the experience in the civilian world

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crono782

Premium Member
Which Grand Lodge jurisdiction? PHA - mainstream visitation is jurisdiction specific and the AFAM vs other designations doesn't really tell you that. Supposing your GL jurisdiction allows visitation with PHA, then you should be fine to visit. If the PHA lodge does not allow visitation, well then it's a moot point. I've never thought of the situation before: could one be a plural member of both mainstream *and* PHA in a jurisdiction that has full recognition and visitation? I don't know.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but this example would be right:
If your jurisdiction does not allow PHA visitation, then you could attend NO PHA lodges
If your jurisdiction does allow visitation, but the PHA jurisdiction (like texas) does not allow visitation, then you could not attend that lodge.
If both your jurisdiction and the jurisdiction of the PHA lodge allows visitation, then you should be golden.
 
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Brother JB

Registered User
That's a great question Brother and I don't know either I will ask the Worshipful Master of my lodge or any other Brother who knows the answer to that question

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Brother JB

Registered User
What if the lodges don't recognize eachother and are not in the same jurisdiction can a Mason be both a Mainstream Mason and PHA Mason at the same time and do work in and participate in both lodges? I have always wondered and thought about it

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crono782

Premium Member
Well, I did look at your profile. You have listed as your lodge Sons of Moses #1 under the MW Sons of Light GL in California. Not to point fingers , but a quick google search (phylaxis site, masonic info, and a few other hits) states that this GL (and thus all chartered lodges) is irregular and thus clandestine. That would pretty much bar you from any visitation to any regular lodges (and any regular lodges from visiting or even having masonic communication with you). Some food for thought. If that is incorrect, I apologize.

If your jurisdiction does not allow visitation, then visiting would be a masonic offense no matter if in another jurisdiction.
EDIT: (for example, my jurisdiction is GL of Texas which does not allow PHA visitation. If I travel to NM which does allow it, I cannot visit PHA as, even though I am in another jurisidiction at the time, I would be committing an offense to my jurisdiction. Likewise, if I lived in NM which does allow visitation, I could not visit a PHA lodge in Texas. I am obliged to follow the rules of any other GL if in their jurisdiction. If I break the rules while visiting another jurisdiction, it is also breaking the rules in my own) Kinda like breaking the law in another country even though it's legal in yours.. and technically breaking the law in another country is against the law here..)
 
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Ordsman

Registered User
Which Grand Lodge jurisdiction? PHA - mainstream visitation is jurisdiction specific and the AFAM vs other designations doesn't really tell you that. Supposing your GL jurisdiction allows visitation with PHA, then you should be fine to visit. If the PHA lodge does not allow visitation, well then it's a moot point. I've never thought of the situation before: could one be a plural member of both mainstream *and* PHA in a jurisdiction that has full recognition and visitation? I don't know.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but this example would be right:
If your jurisdiction does not allow PHA visitation, then you could attend NO PHA lodges
If your jurisdiction does allow visitation, but the PHA jurisdiction (like texas) does not allow visitation, then you could not attend that lodge.
If both your jurisdiction and the jurisdiction of the PHA lodge allows visitation, then you should be golden.

Neither GL allows visitation in texas right now. I wish they would.


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Colby K

Premium Member
I was initiated, passed, and raised in a military blue lodge in Italy. There are many military blue lodges here in Europe and many military Prince Hall Lodges. I am Navy, but from what I hear many of the army based in Europe have blue lodges too.
 

Leopard

Registered User
Hello,

i am member of the only German military blue lodge.
Some of my brethren are in Afghanistan on Duty and they meet each other.
We initiated this year an officer from Austrian Army. So feel free.
This lodge is recognized by the Grandlodge of Texas because this lodge is part of the United Gradlodges of Germany.
The holder ist the Grandlodge "3WK" ("Zu den 3 Weltkugeln")
http://militaerloge.de
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
If your jurisdiction does not allow PHA visitation, then you could attend NO PHA lodges

Technical nit - Texas is the only one that recognizes but does not allow visitation. When outside of Texas you'd need to look up the Texas list to see if you are allowed to present yourself for a visit. The brothers in the lodge you're trying to visit need to look up Texas in their list to see if they can allow you in. The answer has to be yes from both directions. But the Texas restriction only applies to members of either jurisdiction wanting to visit the other Texas jurisdiction. As recognition is in place there are no restrictions against visiting while outside of Texas in those states that have recognition. The compact is between the two Texas jurisdictions not among all of the rest of the world. In the rest of the world recognition automatically includes visitation.

If your jurisdiction does allow visitation, but the PHA jurisdiction (like texas) does not allow visitation, then you could not attend that lodge.

I'm a member in California and Illinois. Both have recognition with visitation. As Texas PHA has recognition I was allowed to visit a Texas PHA lodge. This makes me in no hurry to affiliate with either Texas jurisdiction as I'd have to stop doing that the day I hand in my petition for dual affiliation to any Texas lodge. At this point I've visited lodges in both Texas jurisdictions.

If both your jurisdiction and the jurisdiction of the PHA lodge allows visitation, then you should be golden.

Right.
 

Ryan16222

Registered User
Most military bases have 4-letter "mainstream" lodges nearby. I am stationed in Germany and there are 4-letter American lodges all over. I would ask your lodge secretary to look in the "Book of Lodges" for where you are going to be stationed and find a nearby lodge that you can visit.


Bro. Ryan, 32°
AF & AM
 

usmc05

Registered User
Not all lodges on base are PHA. I was stationed in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. I was raised Kentucky, and visited Semper Fi lodge 680 in Jacksonville NC while I was stationed there. Just look up the base an see if they have a lodge on base or in town outside of base.
 

cjapgar

Premium Member
I visited Semper Fidelis Lodge 680 myself while I was TAD there last year. Great Lodge! Where are you stationed now Brother?

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Freemasonry mobile app
 

jumpmasterjoel

Registered User
I am an active duty officer. I have been stations at bases all over the world. I have never been at a post where the is not a lodge in the city the base is in. I have had no issues finding great brothers at or near post.


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BryanMaloney

Premium Member
Most military bases have 4-letter "mainstream" lodges nearby. I am stationed in Germany and there are 4-letter American lodges all over. I would ask your lodge secretary to look in the "Book of Lodges" for where you are going to be stationed and find a nearby lodge that you can visit.


Bro. Ryan, 32°
AF & AM

The number of letters DO NOT MATTER for "mainstream" Grand Lodges. Louisiana is F&AM. Texas is AF&AM. Both fully recognize each other and have Masonic communication freely.
 

marty15chris

Premium Member
I recently returned from a deployment to Afghanistan and we had both a PHA lodge and the Canadian Lodge on base.

I would also say that it never hurts to check with your "mother" lodge if any lodge no matter how many letters it has is legit. With some of the "Freemason" organizations popping up it never hurts to double check.


My Freemasonry HD
 

cemab4y

Premium Member
(I am a civilian contractor, I have been working in Afghanistan). There are lodges on some (but not all) military bases. In the USA, there are almost always lodges in the cities near the bases. Unhappily, there were no mainstream lodges working on the military bases in Iraq, during Operation Iraqi Freedom. (Except for a brief period in 2005 see http://www.esmason.com Fall 2005 issue page 32). There has never been any USA lodges operating on any base in Afghanistan (Only Prince Hall and Canadian).

Often, there are informal "Square and Compasses" clubs, which operate on Forward Operating Bases in Afghanistan (and other places). I am returning to Kabul, Afghanistan, and I intend to start an informal Masonic group, there.

Unhappily, if your Grand Lodge is not in fraternal relations with Prince Hall, you cannot visit a PH lodge in a foreign country.

Read more about it at http://www.cemb4y.blogspot.com
 
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