Author archive
for jjapitana

Why Is St. John the Patron Saint of Freemasonry?

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For centuries, Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist have been the patron saints of Freemasonry. But why?

At Ye Olde Cup & Ball Lodge, Magic Meets Masonry

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At Ye Olde Cup & Ball No. 880, California’s first affinity Masonic lodge, members are dedicated to mastering two crafts: Masonry and magic.

At Paradise Park, a Masonic Club in the Woods

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In Santa Cruz, a historic Masonic getaway prepares for its 100th anniversary while maintaining a unique ownership arrangement.

How Richard Potter Vanished From History

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For 200 years, magician Richard Potter—once the most famous performer in America, and a Prince Hall Mason—has kept the public guessing.

When Masonic Relief Meets the Snow Patrol

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When a once-in-a-lifetime storm dumped 100 inches of snow on the San Bernardino Mountains, local Masonic lodges stepped up to deliver crucial relief.

Donor Profile: Dennis Yen

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A sometimes-magician with Ye Olde Cup & Ball Lodge No. 880 on the thrill of performing and the joy of giving back.

At Round Table Masonic Lodge, It’s On to the Next One

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Round Table No. 876 performed 33 degrees last year. Only one of them was for a member of their own lodge.

In Masonic Ritual, Performance as Progress

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Author and “manliness” expert Brett McKay explains how ritual helps us make sense of life’s progressions.

At the Masonic Center for Youth and Families, A Chance to Begin Again

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For families in crisis, MCYAF offers a chance to regroup, reset, and restart.

Did Banksy Visit a Sonoma County Masonic Lodge?

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Could a piece of stencil art at Windsor No. 181 be a genuine Banksy?

In Vancouver, a Masonic Lodge Redevelopment

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In Vancouver, a pair of lodges are reborn as mixed-use developments.

The Masonic Homes of California: 125 Years and Still Growing

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This June, the Masonic Homes of California celebrates its sesquicentennial—and reflects on its next chapter of life.

In Hulu’s ‘Lodge 49,’ Jim Gavin Creates His Lodge of Perfection

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AMC comedy series Lodge 49 showrunner Jim Gavin explains his fraternal influences.

Donor Profile: Hercules Valdez

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A former priest on what his world travels have taught him and how Masonic relief ties it all together.

The Common Denominator

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Examining the divisive issue of religion that’s unified the fraternity.

In the Face of Fire, a Heroic Act of Masonic Relief

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When fire threatened their community, members of Kern River Valley No. 827 turned to their greatest asset to provide Masonic relief.

Millard Sheets Is the Artist Behind the L.A. Scottish Rite Temple

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At the Los Angeles Scottish Rite Temple, a Masonic landmark is a testament to a the artistic vision of Millard Sheets.

Meet Shinji Hara: Masonic Lowrider Artist

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Shinji Hara, a member of Anaheim Masonic Lodge No. 207, is one of the most in-demand lowrider artists in the state.

At the Masonic Lodge, Gen Z Is in Charge Now

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A new, younger generation of Masons is increasingly rising through the leadership ranks of the fraternity.

For Masonic Trivia, Jeopardy Is Clued In

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When it comes to the venerable quiz show Jeopardy!, Freemasonry and other Masonic themes are well-trod territory.

Donor Profile: Mike Tagulao

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How a Filipino culture of generosity has transformed California Mason Mike Tagulao’s approach to philanthropy and relief.

In Today’s Fraternal Societies, Traces of Freemasonry’s Family Tree

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Fraternal societies like the Freemasons were born out of ancient, operative trade guilds. They weren’t the only ones.

Grand Master Randy Brill: In Small Towns, A Lodge Is a Civic Center

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Grand Master Randy Brill explains what small-town Masonry can teach us all.

At the California Masonic Memorial Temple, a Community Treasure

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For 64 years, the California Masonic Memorial Temple in San Francisco has been the home of the Masons of California. But it’s so much more.

Emile Norman’s Endomosaic: A Window of Wonder

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Artist Emile Norman never became a household name. But his massive artwork remains a treasure of California Freemasonry in San Francisco.

In Freemasons’ Hall, What’s Old is New Again

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At Freemasons’ Hall, inside the Grand Lodge of California temple in San Francisco, the past and future of Masonic lodge rooms collide.

In Yucca Valley, an Art-Making, Skateboarding Mason

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A skateboarding Mason and installation artist at Yucca Valley No. 802 is shredding perceptions about Freemasonry.

At Downey United, a Mason Leaves an Artistic Legacy

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There’s no missing the massive, Egyptian-inspired wall art known as the Raj Mahal, executed by Mason artist Raj Champieri, at Downey United No. 220.

Donor Profile: CMMT Board Chairman Mark Pressey

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California Masonic Memorial Temple chairman Mark Pressey has a special connection with the home of California Masonry.

Wonders of Masonic America

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These colorful Masonic destinations are on the must-see list of every Masonic traveler and admirer of the craft.

Neighbors, Friends, Hermanos: Freemasonry in Mexico Today

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A history-spanning, forward-looking celebration of the fraternal and cultural connections between California and Mexican Freemasonry.

In California’s Spanish-Speaking Lodges, a Masonic Culture Club

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For members of California’s two official Spanish-speaking Masonic lodges, the sense of brotherhood is twice as strong.

Latin America’s Masonic Liberators

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In the revolutionary movements of Latin America, Central America, and South America, Freemasons were front and center.

The Famous Masonic ‘Traveling Trowel Train’ to Mexico of 1909

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In 1909, a special delegation of California Masons set for Mexico City to deliver a world-famous Masonic traveling “Unity” trowel.

For Argentina: Five Times the Masons, Half the Age

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In just the past decade, Argentina has seen a burst of Masonic activity: From only 2,200 Freemasons in 2008 to more than 10,000 today.

Hammer, Sickle, Square, Compass: Freemasonry in Cuba

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A road trip through Cuba reveals a thriving—and colorful—Masonic community full of eye-catching Masonic lodges.