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DGM's Messages

2009

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2009 January February March April May June July August September October November December

RW DGM' s MESSAGE FOR December 2009

SERVING THE COMMUNITY

For long, we as Masons, hid our Charitable Light under a bushel perhaps in extension of our ‘secretive’ origins. Why that was so is not known to me, and the reasoning behind it as explained to me in years gone by, never quite convinced me that such confidentiality over good intentions was warranted.

However, in the opening up of the Brotherhood as commanded by our M.W. Grand Master we have ‘seen’ our Charity at work through public announcements, open Charity Meetings and such public relations initiatives. There is yet another less obvious aspect of serving the communities we live in, by sharing our facilities and expertise with those in need of such assistance.

The recent (Autumn) issue of Freemasonry Today, the official journal of the United Grand Lodge, reports the address rendered by the Grand Secretary to Grand Lodge at its September 2009 meeting which lays out the manner in which Freemasons’ Hall in Great Queen Street is being used by the local community. This, according to the Grand Secretary, builds bridges with non-Masons.

Closer to home we have many Masonic Properties in central locations in our principal cities which are hardly used by the general public, which besides opening ourselves to the local community and assisting in their social activities, assures valuable income necessary for the maintenance of these properties. As these buildings are located in Central Business Districts, in property management parlance, they also attract frequent and considerable revisions in municipal and property taxes, which are estimated on rated or market value.

Therefore while reaching out to the communities we live in we can also defray the costs of taxation and maintenance, by public use.

Overall we should re-visit our charity initiatives and see what more can be done on a project or sector-oriented basis to help our neighbouring communities, be it in supporting the girl-child, the prevention of child-abuse, geriatric and palliative care etc. However, it’s necessary to pick one area per Lodge which will receive our contributions of time and money to avoid spreading ourselves too thin. Can we for instance use part of our various premises for day-care for the elderly, to support their adult progeny who have (husband and wife) to go off to work ? Some social activity could be organized to keep them engaged until they are collected by their sons / daughters after their day’s work.

We have now to cast our eyes and engage our hearts and minds to the needs of the twenty-first Century and discard our intellectual baggage of the last. For this to happen we need to set goals which are derived from the growing needs of our rapidly expanding society, and to see how our available resources, financial and human, can achieve them. Thereby we can enhance the public’s understanding of what Freemasonry stands for, and above all, show that we have grown from being mere Masons to builders of relationships with our communities.

As I write this we have witnessed the installation of a new Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of India, M.W.Bro. Capt. Dr. B. Biswakumar, OSM to whom we all send our warmest good wishes as he ascends this prestigious seat.

It is a pity that Christmas counts but once a year for the spirit of peace and goodwill that it embodies should envelop us throughout our days. Anyway as the season of bonhomie approaches let me wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Prosperous and Healthy New Year.