Grand Master's blog

Holiday Message

Grand Master — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 12:00:32 -0500

My Brethren, Family and friends,

We greet this holiday season as a time to be with our families and friends, to find joy in the spirit of giving, and to reflect on the year just passed while anticipating the New Year about to come. It is a time filled with happiness for many of us. Perhaps this year, we can all stop for a moment and think of those who may be experiencing sadness during this season: our Brothers with families who may be struggling through difficult times; a widow spending her first holiday alone; a family with a son or daughter serving overseas. Letâ€™s take time to remember these people in our prayers and in our plans this year, and see if our happiness can lighten their cares, even for a few moments. This, my Brothers, is what Masons do.

Labor Day Message From The Grand Master

Grand Master — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 13:23:31 -0400

My Brothers â€¦

The long days of summer are fading and we are rapidly approaching Labor Day and the start of a new season. Now, as autumn leaves begin to turn to gold, we pause to mark Labor Day â€¦ a national holiday we traditionally celebrate as a family day. But in a larger sense it also honors all us who labor in our great nation and those who preceded us and built the foundations of our great democracy.

Labor Day is a holiday to which all of us as Masons can relate. We who labor in the quarries of Masonry have much to celebrate. Joyce, Brian and I have been fortunate to participate with so many of you this summer in pleasurable Masonic milestones. And now, we all join together in September to begin a year long celebration of the 225th Anniversary of Freemasonry in New York.

July 4th Message

Grand Master — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 16:11:41 -0400

â€œâ€¦ I know that my obligation to community extends beyond my local sphere and is partly fulfilled in my patriotism; love of my country, obedience to its laws and celebration of the freedoms and opportunities it symbolizesâ€¦.â€ *

My Brothers, ladies and friends:

A recent poll of citizens in thirty-four countries around the world found the United States at number one in terms of patriotism. An AP story states, â€œThe U.S. ranked highest overall and in five categories: pride in its democracy, political influence, economy, science and military.â€

St. Johns Day Address

Grand Master — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 15:08:53 -0400

As presented June 24, 2006 at our Utica Campus.

Welcome, my Brothers, ladies, family members and friends, to St. Johnâ€™s Weekend and to our magnificent Masonic Care Community. I hope you have had a great day touring around your campus and enjoying the grounds and visiting our new Health pavilion, the new Wiley Hall and our Masonic Medical Research Laboratory, and our Chancellor Robert R Livingston Masonic Library of Grand Lodge.

We Masons of New York have a lot to be proud of. I would like to thank the members of the Board of Trustees of the Masonic Hall and Home, Directors of the Masonic Medical Research Laboratory and the Trustees of the Chancellor Robert R Livingston Masonic Library of Grand Lodge for making and maintaining these three special entities the fantastic places they are.

The challenges facing our Fraternity are many and sometimes seem impossible to tackle all at once.