Brethren if a may, I have recently as Master of my lodge had to contact the DDGM on felony afars. As I had it explained to me if a brother is convicted of a felony he in Texas is to receive a life time suspension.<snip> Now I thought he could be reinstated when he has served his time but I was told such is not the case.
Worshipful, I'm afraid you were misinformed. A Brother who is convicted of a felony is automatically suspended but, except as provided for in the last two paragraphs of Art. 658,
the former Brother may apply to his parent Lodge for reinstatement & restoration upon having "paid his debt to society".
CHAPTER 20 - TITLE V
REINSTATEMENT AND RESTORATION
Art. 656. Definitions.
Reinstatement and restoration have
generally the same meaning and are often used interchangeably.
In these statutes they are given separate and distinct meanings,
as follows:
Reinstatement is applied to membership in a Lodge or in the
Grand Lodge and carries with it the rights, privileges and honors
attaching to such membership. It means re-establishment of
membership when such membership has been lost through fault
or dereliction.
Restoration is applied to the rights and privileges of
Freemasonry and means the reinvestiture of those rights and
privileges when they have been lost through fault or dereliction.
A Mason so restored, if he is not also reinstated, has the status of
an unaffiliated Mason.
Art. 657. Jurisdiction. The Lodge of which the accused, in a
Masonic disciplinary proceeding, was a member at the time of his
loss of membership has exclusive jurisdiction over his reinstatement
and restoration.
(a) Where a Mason holds a plural membership and that
Brother is expelled or suspended for a Masonic disciplinary
violation, jurisdiction for reinstatement and/or
restoration is vested in the parent Lodge. The parent
Lodge, however, by majority vote at a stated meeting of
that Lodge, can assign its jurisdiction to any other Lodge
where membership was held by that Mason.
(b) The Grand Lodge has exclusive jurisdiction to reinstate
to membership therein, except where automatic
reinstatement is provide for elsewhere in this Title.
Art. 658. Reinstatement Or Restoration By Lodge.
Petition And Vote.
The Lodge having jurisdiction may, by a favorable
ballot of the members of said Lodge present, reinstate or
restore, as the case may be, a suspended or expelled Mason. A
written petition for such reinstatement or restoration, signed by
the petitioner, must be filed with the Secretary and presented to
the Lodge reciting facts showing that he has made expiation for
his offense and has discharged the terms and conditions of his
sentence, including completion of probation, parole, or supervised
release; said petition shall be read at the first stated meeting of
the Lodge after it is filed.
The Worshipful Master shall appoint a committee
on investigation which shall report its findings and
recommendations at a subsequent stated meeting of the Lodge
whereupon a ballot shall be taken upon said petition. Only
members of the Lodge in attendance may vote.
In balloting on a suspended or expelled Mason for reinstatement or restoration,
other than for non-payment of dues, three black balls shall reject
for one year, four blackballs for two years and five or more blackballs
for three years.
Protests shall be allowed in accordance with Article 660, and the ballot
shall be announced accordingly.
Notwithstanding the above, any member who is found guilty
of, or who enters a plea of guilty, or of no contest to the charge of
pedophilia or related charges (such as Indecency with a Child by
sexual contact or any other means, Aggravated Sexual Assault
with a child by any means and Sexual Assault with a Child by any
means) and having been previously expelled from Masonry, shall
not be considered for reinstatement or restoration of any Masonic
membership and said member shall be expelled from Masonry for
life and never again be considered for any Masonic related activity
or membership.
Any current Member having been charged and found guilty of, or
having pleaded no contest to charges of pedophilia (such as Indecency
with a Child by sexual contact or any other means, Aggravated Sexual
Assault with a child by any means, Sexual Assault with a Child by any
means) shall be expelled immediately, for life, from this Grand Jurisdiction.
(Adopted, 2003)