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Grand Master’s Message
Most Worshipful Brothers, Right Worshipful Brothers, Worshipful Shriners Installation of Officers. Indeed, a running theme of Brothers, and Brethren all! my term has been to demonstrate Grand Lodge support for the Appendent Bodies, which would continue in February with our My theme this year has been the Triple E (EEE) standing for support of the Installation of Officers at the District of Columbia Education, Ethics, and Empathy. This theme has been resonating Scottish Rite and being one of the few speakers to address the 2019 not only in this jurisdiction, but also in other states and in many Biennial Session of the Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction, at the countries throughout the world. This motto has delivered effecCapital Hilton Hotel. In March, tively the strong message of the our Grand Lodge attended the core purpose of our esoteric Royal Arch Installation of Offiphilosophy as men and Masons. cers. Most recently, I rounded I have used the mathematical concepts of our ancient brother and friend the Great Pythagoras to point out the major constituents of the principles on which our distinguished fraternity is out my support of the appendent bodies by participating in the Cryptic Council Banquet celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Cryptic Masonry in Washington, D.C. established. We should walk Our Grand Lodge is small in upright, squaring our actions terms of territorial boundarby the square of virtue, and ies but large in influence, and never step beyond the boundarthus travelling was an important ies of our ancient landmarks. aspect of my term in order to The right Pythagorean triangle make our Grand Lodge and the has a hypotenuse that is the Triple E known throughout the diameter of the circle which Masonic world. This began with represents education as the a trip to Texas in mid-March basis of our improvement in the and New Jersey in mid-April, to art and sciences. The other legs Ohio in the middle of the year, or sides of the triangle always and most recently a trip to Delaform an angle of ninety degrees ware in October. It is no secret no matter how we go round this that our Grand Jurisdiction is circle and on the circumferdiverse and international, and ence line; they are referred to as this was reflected in my offi“ethics” and “empathy,” which cial Masonic visits to Italy, the are essential applications of the Republic of the Philippines, and base or diameter of the circle then in May Quebec, celebrating called “education.” in this year the sesquicentennial I made sure this year, right from the onset, to instill in the mind of our Craft the importance of rituals which inspired me to devise the Triple E in order to nourish our hearts and minds to improve ourselves and help others improve themselves, that we and they may become better men and Masons contributing to the welfare of their families, their friends, our beloved nation, and indeed the whole world. of Freemasonry in the Province. A trip to Armenia followed in June. Perhaps most memorable for me was a Masonic trip to Lebanon, the land of my birth. I shall be visiting Scotland for a Masonic trip late November. Needless to say, I also attended the Conference of Grand Masters in the Midwest during the wintry weather of February and the Northeast Conference in May in the beautiful spring weather of May. Most Worshipful Brother Charbel T. Fahed I would like to share with you, my Brethren, major activities of my term, each dedicated in some way to bringing about awareness of the Triple E. January got things off to a vigorous start balancing duties with fraternal conviviality in the executive meeting and furlough dinner. My officers and I also attended the the Almas While international in outlook and scope, our illustrious Craft has deep roots in American history, boasting fifteen Masonic Presidents who held Masonic membership. In March, the Grand Lodge and I attended a wreath laying at Mt. Vernon in order to remember Brother George Washington, the First President and Father of
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our Country. It is in this spirit honoring the august history of our country and her traditions we held the Masonic Service of Thanksgiving last month at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial. It was a great privilege to remember our Veterans and their sacrifice in the Second World War during D-Day ceremonies at the World War II Memorial on the Sixth of June, in which we honored two Masonic Veterans from the Atlantic and Pacific Theaters.
In all of my travels and events, I emphasized the Triple E, such as in May’s Second Grand Lodge conference on education. Education in particular is a very important message in reaching out to youth – such as when I attended the DeMolay Banquet in July in Maryland and Montgomery Cornerstone Lodge’s Youth Night in September. I am so pleased that during my term DeMolay is being restored to the Nation’s Capital, and my son will be one of the first initiates.
Additional activities of my term include my support of the Deputy Grand Master’s September Leadership Conference, calling a Communication for Al-Sharq Lodge, UD, and attending the Halloween event here at Almas Temple.
It has been one of the greatest honors of my life to serve you, the officers and members of the Grand Lodge and our individual Lodges, for the year 2019! I look forward to actively supporting the Grand Lodge for many years to come, to participation in some of the appendent bodies, promoting and encouraging my love of ritual in all of Masonry’s institutions, and publishing a Masonic-themed book in the future! Best wishes to all of my successors in our enormously talented Grand Line, and my heart will always be with all of you, my Brethren, and with the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the District of Columbia. Godspeed!
Charbel T. Fahed, Grand Master of Masons of Washington, D.C.
The Grand Master, Charbel T. Fahed
Image courtesy of The Supreme Council, 33rd, SJ
