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Michael Schiavello

Bloke

Premium Member
Update - sad to advise Deepdene Balwyn is going to hand it's warrant back. Do you still get their summons Bro Michael ? We've got Aldo in our lodge, it's his mother lodge..
 

Michael Schiavello

Registered User
This makes me very sad. WBro Bob Ashe told me this may happen. Yes I still get the summons. Please say hi to Bro Aldo from me. So sad for my mother lodge.
 

Bloke

Premium Member
This makes me very sad. WBro Bob Ashe told me this may happen. Yes I still get the summons. Please say hi to Bro Aldo from me. So sad for my mother lodge.
Shall do. I know other guys there, I think Choco (and Indian Bro and that's a contraction of his name) was a member too.. became WM at some point I think...
 

Bloke

Premium Member
When a lodge is no longer viable on its own and must turn its charter/warrent does it merge with another lodge? That is how it works in both my jurisdictions?

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Depends. A merger is generally that - two (or more) lodges get together, maybe one hands in its warrant, maybe they all do and get a new one using the lowest number in the group merging. Maybe they keep a name, merge them or get a new one.

A straight warrants going in, the closing lodge will normally pay the first years dues at another lodge. Often a lodge will join another on mass ( its often called merging but its really absorption). Maybe the members of the closing lodge just go their own way... some will already be in other lodges. At one point i was financial in two Craft lodges and an honourary member in another two- i would have been absorbed elsewhere... i've been directly involved in 3 warrants going in, two were the lodges i was honourary in: one had just run its course and only initiated one guy in 30 years, the other was just exhausted, the third was ripped apart from within... i'm a big fan of preserving warrànts, but some should die...
 

dfreybur

Premium Member
When a lodge is no longer viable on its own and must turn its charter/warrent does it merge with another lodge? That is how it works in both my jurisdictions?

A lodge has to vote to consolidate. If the members can't agree or if the lodge can't manage a quorum for the issue to come to vote then the charter is lost.

My mother lodge absorbed a bunch of lodges in trouble. Both lodges have to vote. On the absorbing side I don't remember a single no vote. Sure, we're happy to take on a bunch of Brothers. Plug a hole in the line, add a nice social event to our annual calendar, you name it.

My first Illinois lodge couldn't afford the maintenance bill so we had to sell our building and become a tenant lodge. Once we knew we were in trouble we started the work to consolidate with another lodge in our district. It had to be voted on twice in two years before it was approved. Having been through consolidations on both sides it was far easier to welcome a bunch of new friends and Brothers that it was to be on the absorbed side.

Think of what would have happened if the group who showed up to vote no also showed up the second time to vote no - Several officers would have demited to other lodges. The no-vote Brothers mostly had not shown up for any other meeting in years so it was not like they would fill up the line. The next Stated meeting would have failed to achieve quorum. Fail to achieve quorum several meetings in a row and say goodbye to your charter.
 

Michael Schiavello

Registered User
Thank you Frederci and Elena from PHOENIX FREEMASONRY for their wonderful and in depth 1 hour interview with me. An awesome experience and the feedback has been overwhelming. It starts as a "THIS IS YOUR LIFE" and branches into some very deep and eye opening discussion on all things Freemasonry, in particular symbolism, conspiracy theorists, the true purpose of Freemasonry and more. Plus chat about my new book. ENJOY!

 
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