3rd Wednesdays in the West

Witnessing the enthusiasm that greeted the Independence Day webinar last 12 June 2020 when VW Teddy Kalaw again presented his centennial Masonic lecture on “Freemasonry is Being Filipino”, MW Jun Suan instantly saw an opportunity to provide Brethren with a regular and accessible way to continually engage in the Craft despite the suspension of all Masonic Work due to the current public health crisis. Thus was born the “3rd Wednesdays in the West” webinar series, where essentially VW Teddy would summarize, on the 3rd Wednesday evening of each month, significant topics from the five disciplines of Freemasonry taught in the Diploma Program of the Institute of Masonic Education & Studies but repackaged to be understandable not just by Brethren but also the general public.

As originally envisioned to be composed of 2 rounds of the five disciplines, participation in the seven episodes presented so far has greatly exceeded all expectations of the organizers.

Below are the metrics of the ten episodes live streamed so far on The Cable Tow Facebook Page: Peak Live Views describes the highest number of viewers who were watching the video while it was live. The episode with the highest peak live views (602) is Episode No. 3 (August 19, 2020) on Lodge Management – Sponsoring and Recommending Candidates to the Craft. Three-Second Views is a metric that shows how viewers are not simply scrolling through their feeds and actually show intent to watch the video. The maiden episode streamed last Independence Day (June 12, 2020) entitled Freemasonry is Being Filipino got the highest 3s views with 17,006. Estimated Reach is the number of unique users who had any portion of the video enter their screen, or simply the count of Facebook users who came into contact with the video. The highest estimated reached was also the Independence Day Episode with 32,000. Post Engagement is any action someone takes on the video, such as likes/reactions, comments, and shares. The August episode on Lodge Management has the highest post engagement with 2,251. The top location of users coming from Metro Manila.

Each webinar is hosted by VW Dennis Cunanan, Chief of Staff to the Grand Master, and begins with a monthly message from MW Jun. VW Teddy follows with his presentation, made lively with three quizzes to test attendee participation as well as banter between VW Teddy, VW Dennis, and VW Oliver Yabut, Assistant Grand Secretary. Quiz questions are so tricky even those watching the webinar from the Cable Tow Facebook page often end up offering their own answers in the

Metric

Average Highest Figure Peak Live Views 300 602 Three-Second Views 9,681 17,006 Estimated Reach 17,000 32,000 Post Engagement 1,524 2,251

comments section. The webinar attribute that has far and away received the most praises, however, is the provision in each topic of practical take-aways to use the teachings of the Craft in the daily lives of Brethren. Such content has also provided those outside the Fraternity with a more understandable and accurate picture of what is practiced in the Craft.

Due to the scheduling of the 2021 Annual Communication, the last episode has been moved one week earlier to 14 April 2021.

Below is the list of episodes completed and planned until the end of this extended term:

• Those who have missed the episodes to date are encouraged to view recordings of the topics they are interested in on the Facebook page of the Cable Tow, where these remain stored. In the future, there are plans to move these recordings to a more permanent site on the Internet so that Brethren and lodges can continue to make use of these for their reference.

• To give an idea of the content of episodes webcast so far, below are summaries of their objectives and content as well as a sample application taken directly from each presentation.

A. Episode Objectives

• Understand and be familiar with the system of laws, regulations, and Masonic traditions that is bundled together as the “Masonic Law Book” [MLB]. • Obtain and practice a consistent and reliable approach to determine the Masonic law, regulation, or tradition likely applicable to a specific situation.

• Comprehend how the MLB is changed thru amendment and contrast such with when the text of such is updated to facilitate reference.

B. Episode Content

• Where Should One Start?

• Structure & Rationale: A Guided Tour of the MLB’s Components • Part I: Constitution • Part II: Ordinances • Part III: Uniform Code of By-Laws of Subordinate Lodges • Part IV: Regulations Appertaining to the Work and Life in the Craft • Part V: Masonic Sovereignty, Traditions, & Forms

• How the MLB is Amended and Updated

• The 3 Ways the MLB is Amended

• Updating the MLB as a Publication

• Applying Masonic Law & Regulations: A 3-Way Test

A. Episode Objectives

• Be oriented on how to guide likely petitioners based on their potential source of entry into the Craft, as well as prevent entry of those who cannot join the organization. • Become familiar with how a petition is processed, leading to a petitioner receiving the craft degrees of Freemasonry. • Understand the respective roles of candidate proposers and the committee on investigation constituted for each petition. B. Episode Content

• Knocking on the 4 Doors Into Freemasonry • How a Petition for Degrees of Freemasonry is

Processed • Reconsideration / Objections / Standard Petition Form • The Significance and 3 Fundamental Roles of

Candidate Proposers • The Committee On Investigation: Purpose,

Role, & Functions • What the Committee Report Contains

C. Sample Application: How a Petition for Degrees of Freemasonry is Processed

A. Episode Objectives

• Understand the concept and traditional roles of Masonic lecturers, from the origin of the office to its modern forms at present. • Know the mandate and functions of the Corps of Grand Lecturers in the Philippine Masonic

Jurisdiction today, and distinguish what they do from those commissioned as grand lodge inspectors. • Appreciate the fundamental significance and value of Masonic Lecturers today and why you as a Brother in the Craft should aspire to perhaps become one.

B. Episode Content

• Origins & 3 Traditional Roles • Grand Lecturers in the Philippine Masonic Jurisdiction • Mandate and Functions • Distinguished from Grand Lodge Inspectors (GLIs) • The Significance & Value of Masonic Lecturers

Today

A. Episode Objectives

• Define Regular Freemasonry in terms of its characteristics, practice, and ultimate objective. • Understand the major schools of Masonic thought and how these approach the interpretation and application of Freemasonry as a comprehensive system of morality requiring belief in a supreme being. • Comprehend why the Craft Degrees as performed as an initiatic tradition constitute the conceptual foundation of Regular Freemasonry. • Know and apply the 7 Core Pillars of Masonic

Philosophy in the Craft Degrees.

B. Episode Content

• The Masonic Initiatic Experience: A Guided

Tour • So When is a Man Truly A Freemason?

C. Sample Application: The Major Schools of Masonic Thought

A. Episode Objectives

• Understand the significance and proper application of the principal tenet of Truth in Freemasonry, particularly in terms of its application as a comprehensive system of practical ethics and in contrast to 4 erroneous misapplications found in fraternalism as a movement. • Identify, assess, and address the 3 major forces influencing errors in depicting the Craft found in Philippine historical works. • Identify, assess, and address the 4 major sources of “fake news” about the Craft through a

comprehensive issues management framework (“ICEA”). • Appreciate 3 illustrative approaches for highlighting Masonic Truth.

B. Episode Content

• The Significance and Practical Application of the Masonic Principal Tenet of Truth • Major Forces Influencing Error About the

Craft in Philippine Historical Works • Addressing Fake News About the Fraternity • Highlighting Masonic Truth: 3 Illustrative

Approaches

C. Sample Application: ICEA Framework for Addressing Fake News About the Fraternity

A. Episode Objectives

• Understand that true Masonic scholarship involves 4 core functions, pursuant to the mentoring mission of the Institution, and that learning and practicing the Craft is a lifetime journey for all Brethren – not just Masonic writers. • Revisit the 4 Schools of Masonic Thought from the perspective of the speculative purpose of the Craft and begin to build your Masonic library with 8 core works representing all these schools. • Know how to create a credible Masonic paper, with the initiatic focus of the Lodge as guiding pillars and additional suggestions from other

Masonic luminaries. • Consider joining a new inclusive initiative to promoting the objective study of fraternalism and the Craft, with a particular focus on the

Philippines, launching this 27 March 2021.

B. Episode Content

• The Rationale for Masonic Scholarship: The

Mentoring Mission of the Institution in the 4

Core Functions of Students of Freemasonry • Revisiting the 4 Schools of Masonic Thought:

Illustrating the Speculative Purpose of the Craft • Creating a Credible Masonic Paper: Producing Scholarship with the Initiatic Focus of the

Lodge as a Guide

The final episode of the webinar series will be conducted and webcast one week early as the Annual Communication for 2021 will be held the next week. It is projected that this final session will contain the following content:

• The Role and Place of Appendant Bodies in Regular Masonic Jurisdictions

• The Descriptive Approach of the York Rite

• The Prescriptive Approach of the Scottish Rite

• More Paths Provided by Invitational & Specialized Bodies

• The Greater Masonic Family and Social

Clubs for Brethren

The Cable Tow team led by the Grand Scribe, VW Harold Santiago, demonstrated both commitment and creativity by ensuring the regular webcast of each episode, allowing Brethren and the general public to not only simultaneously view each session but also review the episode or watch it after its live webcast. Arrangements are being made to provide a permanent home for the series after its conclusion so that such can serve as a continuing reference and virtual memorial to this extended Masonic term.

On a final note, Brethren must understand when watching the episodes that these are meant to be reviews of fundamental points of the Craft. The webinar series alone will not make anyone an expert in Freemasonry. Further and deeper studies are required beginning with the courses on these subjects that form part of the Diploma Program of the Institute of Masonic Education & Studies (“IMES”) as well as critical independent study of classic works by acknowledged Masonic authors.

Simply put for both Brethren and friends of the Craft, the webinar series is not a comprehensive dissertation but really an accessible invitation to more light in Masonry.

A .Episode Objectives

• Understand the concept of Craft Ritual in Regular Freemasonry in terms of its origins, purpose, ten (10) core elements, modes of adoption, and preference against innovation. • Appreciate how Craft Ritual Work influenced

Filipino Freemasons before the Fusion of 1917 and facilitated the formation of our national identity. • Comprehend the origins, development, and prospective future of Craft Ritual Work since the

Philippines became a truly unified Regular Masonic Jurisdiction in 1917. • Know why the Masonic Obligation is the cornerstone of our present Craft Ritual AND be oriented on how the concept is applied by Freemasons in daily life.

B. Episode Content

• The Concept of Ritual in Regular Freemasonry • Craft Ritual Work of Filipino Freemasons Before the Fusion of 1917 • Modern GLP Ritual: Origins & Development from Mother Grand Lodges • The Masonic Obligation as the Cornerstone of our present Craft Ritual

C. Sample Application: Spectrum of Masonic Affiliations

It should be clarified as to non-masonic entities that groups identified as pseudo-masons do NOT make a claim to actually be Freemasons, unlike groups identified as Masonic frauds, which DO attempt to promote some FALSE affiliation with the Craft.

A. Episode Objectives

• Understand why TRUST is the foundation for all forms of Masonic Governance and learn to recognize the hierarchy and different classes of

Masonic legislation in the Philippine Masonic

Jurisdiction. • Comprehend the concept, functions, and role of Masonic Landmarks within the Context of

Masonic Traditional Law. • Appreciate how the concept of Masonic Landmarks is developing in the Regular Masonic

World. • Explore how the concept of Masonic Landmarks continues to be relevant in Regular

Freemasonry today.

B. Episode Content

• The Foundation of Masonic Governance • Masonic Landmarks in the Context of Masonic

Traditional Law • Masonic Landmarks Across the Regular Masonic World • Why Masonic Landmarks Continue to be C. Sample Application: 7 Masonic Landmarks Relating to Life in the Craft

A. Episode Objectives

• Understand why Masonic Harmony is an important foundation of our Fraternity and how such is promoted in this Masonic jurisdiction through our Fraternal Conciliation System. • Learn how to assess and proactively facilitate harmony within the lodge, particularly when one is in the role of a lodge harmony officer. • Explore how Masonic mediation is actually

conducted in practice. • Comprehend the significance of the Harmony

Officer’s Triangular Cornerstone and the 3 benchmarks of a Wise Masonic mediator.

B. Episode Content

• Harmony and the Masonic Fraternity • Proactively Facilitating Lodge Harmony • Masonic Mediation In Practice

C. Sample Application: The Harmony Officer’s Triangular Cornerstone