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by Christopher Hodapp The National Parks Service has announced it will restore and re-install the iconic bronze statue of Scottish Rite sage Albert Pike on its former plinth in Washington, DC's Judiciary Square. On June 19, 2020, the statue was toppled by rioters, covered in paint, doused...

(Google Maps) by Christopher Hodapp The Scottish Rite Valley of Cincinnati has just sold their 1928 downtown Masonic Center and Taft Theater to real estate development firm Western & Southern. The new owners are currently in the research phase of just how to renovate and develop the...

by Christopher Hodapp I'll be speaking tonight at Crowned Martyrs Lodge 771 in Valparaiso, Indiana on the topic of the William Morgan Affair. The disappearance of Morgan two hundred years ago next year set off the most notorious anti-Masonic period in American history. My presentation will...

Photo: BatesvilleTribune.com by Christopher Hodapp The scope of the death and destruction from the horrific floods in Texas over the weekend continues to grow as recovery and relief efforts increase in the region. In the wake of this disaster, Grand Master Rayborn Reader of the Grand Lodge...

by Christopher Hodapp (For MUCH more background on this continuing story, see Cuban Freemasons Oust Grand Master in Called Session on May 29th.) The government of Cuba has forced the Grand Lodge of Cuba to violate its own internal rules in order to re-install their former Grand Master, Mario...

by Christopher Hodapp Landrum Lodge 48 in Savannah, Georgia is partnering with Lodge Cast Iron to create the first-ever Masonic cast iron mini skillets. As a fundraiser they are offering a unique set of three miniature cast iron skillets made by Lodge Cast Iron representing the degrees of...

by Christopher Hodapp The History network finally got around this week to airing an episode of The Unexplained with William Shatner that I shot a segment for a year ago. Season 7/Episode 9: Secret Societies. Thanks again to the kind folks at Prometheus Productions who have kept calling me...

Photo: WGBH by Christopher Hodapp On Memorial Day, the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts celebrated a true milestone for their unique branch of the fraternity of Freemasonry, marking the 250th anniversary of the raising of Prince Hall and 14 other free black men as...

Photo: National Parks Service by Christopher Hodapp As the 250th anniversary (the Semiquincentennial, in case you were wondering) of the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution gets underway this year, Boston-area Freemasons and the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts A.F.&A.M...

by Christopher Hodapp No, I don't mean ducking out to avoid cooking the monthly breakfast. Not that kind of escape. I'm always looking for unique ways to bring the community into our Masonic halls and get the public interested in just who and what our fraternity is all about. Sometimes you...

by Christopher Hodapp Over the last few years, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows fraternal organization has been growing and reaching out to a younger demographic. Some have been embracing their decidedly offbeat name as a welcoming place for men and women who proudly celebrate themselves as...

by Christopher Hodapp I'll be speaking in Denver, Colorado at the Consistory of the Denver Scottish Rite Masonic Center on Monday, June 16th at 6:00PM. Really looking forward to it - the last time I was there for an event was back in 2009. For more information and tickets, CLICK HERE...

Grand Lodge of Cuba in Havana by Christopher Hodapp The Grand Lodge of Cuba is in what the English used to call a right old bloody mess. First, their former Grand Master, Mario Alberto Urquía Carreño, was arrested last September under accusations of fraud, in collaboration with the former...

by Christopher Hodapp A new Entered Apprentice with the moniker Zealousideal-Hunt242 posted this photo on Reddit of a 'welcome box' of information and Masonic swag he recently received from the Grand Lodge of New York. Looks to be a coffee cup, a set of stickers, a 'Welcome Brother" booklet...

by Christopher Hodapp Alice and I are in Jeffersonville, Indiana this weekend for the arrival Brother General Gilbert Lafayette. (See HERE for my original post in April.) Major General Gilbert du Motier, the Marquis de LaFayette, was invited as ‘the Nation’s Guest’ in 1824-25 to tour America...

by Christopher Hodapp Make plans to join with fellow Freemasons on Monday, May 12th, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky and Jeffersonville, Indiana for a once in a lifetime event! Major General Gilbert du Motier, the Marquis de LaFayette, was invited as ‘the Nation’s Guest’ in 1824-25 to tour...

by Christopher Hodapp Richard 'Dick' Fletcher, long-time Executive Secretary of the Masonic Service Association, has passed away. The following message was sent out on Thursday by James Cole, Sovereign Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite Southern Jurisdiction: (Photo: From left...

by Christopher Hodapp The 75th Midwest Conference on Masonic Education in Indianapolis has wound down for 2025, and I'd like to express my deepest thanks to everyone who helped make it a great success. Not only to the other presenters, but to the attendees, as well. Speakers at the...

by Christopher Hodapp Check out the subway station sign in New York City just outside of the Grand Lodge F&AM of New York's beautiful headquarters building on 23rd Street. "Freemasonry is the Path to 33" It's a big secret conspiracy. Everybody knows about it. (H/T to the Scottish Rite...

by Christopher Hodapp After a prolonged public silence, the officers and directors of the Masonic Society have regretfully issued the following official statement: It’s an unhappy epitaph, but epitaphs always are. I will simply add that this was a point none of us ever wanted to reach. As...