Sunday With The Secretary – Summer Edition #3

[Daniel Giacomelli]

Brethren-

There has been much going on in recent weeks which is affecting how we will be operating moving into the Fall months. When we left for the Summer back in June, it was under the premise that the world was slowly getting back to some level of normal. Even my work life was starting to achieve some balance as we hadn’t seen any positive cases in months at my Senior Life Community, almost all of our associates and 100% of our residents were fully vaccinated and we generally saw all pre-pandemic activity returning. Even in Lodge the positive feeling was present as we had our first public banquet celebrating our scholarship recipients and honoring the life of our late Brother Joseph A. Fletcher, Jr., P.M. Petitions were coming in strong, our attendance at Summer sessions at school was outstanding and our presumptive WM-elect constructed a plan for next year that really showed the Lodge was poised for an amazing year of growth and prosperity. Plans were finalized for our return to the Temple in September and the caterer had also returned so we were able to reserve our first dinner in our beloved Broad St. Temple in 18 months.

In recent weeks we have seen an uptick in positive COVID cases, even among those who are fully vaccinated. 3 of my own employees (fully vaccinated) recently tested positive and this past week I had to place my entire workplace in a state of quarantine and order all employees to resume weekly testing. Most viruses figure out a way to mutate into stronger variants which is the reason why we take a different flu vaccine each year. The only bright note seems to be that fully vaccinated persons, although still susceptible to catch and transmit the virus to others, are not getting dangerously ill or requiring hospitalization.

I’m not here to lecture you all on the benefits of vaccination.. my purpose is to let you know what is happening in our greater world and its impact on our Fraternity. This past week, the R.W.G.M., Thomas Gamon, IV, issued an edict that the Masonic Temple in Philadelphia will become a fully vaccinated environment effective immediately and that anyone entering for a meeting, etc must provide proof of their vaccinated status. I have included a copy of the edict with this update. The edict follows a city wide proclamation that in order to allow persons to enter without masks, all businesses in the city must also require proof of vaccination or to mandate masks for everyone. The G.M. has chosen that the Masonic Temple on Broad St. will become a fully vaccinated building. As I understand it, other Masonic Lodge buildings within the City limits or in the greater Philadelphia region are not subject to this same edict. I also do not wish to engage in a political debate, but I must remind everyone that we are all Brothers and one thing we have all sworn to is our allegiance to the Grand Lodge and the edicts of our R.W.G.M. as well as tolerance of our individual beliefs. Hence.. we must move forward….

Our stated meeting for September is scheduled for Wednesday, September 8th. We are slated to have dinner in the lower banquet room at 6pm and the meeting will start at 7:30p. We have a busy agenda with several new petitions to read. There will be no rehearsal meeting this month as that day falls on Labor Day and a date for an Extra Meeting is still pending. Please note that this Stated Meeting will be held in Norman Hall at the request of the Grand Lodge.

The Lodge Notice will be going out this week, so please check your emails with details on our September events.

Thanks Brethren and stay safe..

Frats- Jim

—
James T. Clancy, P.M., Secretary
St. Alban Lodge No. 529

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