Masters Message Summer 2024

Greetings My Brothers,

It is a pleasure to write to you in this, my first of a year’s worth of Master’s Messages. As many of you are aware, it takes some time to get used to the honorific “Worshipful Master.” It feels a bit like being a new parent, then walking into a room full of kids, and hearing one of them say “Dad!” No doubt, this excitement will settle, but please know I’m deeply grateful to the lodge for trusting me to lead.

I am especially grateful to the officers and other volunteers who work so closely together to assist us in putting on the many events and programs we enjoy throughout the year. As this next year begins and we set about to achieve our collective goals for the lodge, please know how much joy and pride I take in being Worshipful Master for St. Johns No 1 Providence, specifically. Our lodge is privileged with an exceptional history, blessed beyond measure with hard working brothers, and enjoys a lodge culture which promotes the best of Freemasonry in Rhode Island. There are many great lodges in our jurisdiction, but this is my Mother Lodge, and I sure am proud of her.

The last two weeks of June are historically a very busy time for us, and this year was no exception. In a change from previous years, we held our Past Master’s Dinner at Iron Works on June 13th, which you may notice was BEFORE the annual. This proved beneficial, as I was able to get valuable feedback on my plans for the year sooner than usual. It also gave our past masters one last opportunity to make sure they wanted me in the chair! It was a lovely evening, and as usual, the wisdom of our past masters is unparalleled. My thanks to you, Worshipful brothers, for your constant support and guidance.

Our annual was just a few short weeks ago! Many thanks to the hard work of our District Deputy Grand Master, R∴W∴ Stephan Saraidarian and his Master of Ceremonies, W∴ Jason Rainone, for organizing and conducting an efficient and spectacular installation ceremony for our officers. I also need to thank our three most recent Past Masters of St Johns 1P, W∴ Brothers Joshua Irizarry, John Paliotta, and Joe Bernier, who expertly and deftly delivered the prologue to our semi-public annual. These three brothers mean a great deal to me personally, beyond the exceptional years of service they’ve provided to our lodge, so it was a pleasure to have them begin the semi-public portion of annual.

Of course, with every St Johns 1P Annual comes the St Johns 1P steak Fry, and this year’s event was as top notch as ever. Many thanks go to Brother Ken Norman for heading the steak fry committee, as well as to the many volunteers who annually return to cook and prepare the evening’s meal for our lodge. The steak fry was exceptional in every regard, from the food to the company. The weather even held out in our favor, which is not always a given!

As has become our tradition between outgoing and incoming Masters, W∴ Joe Bernier and I shared a toast from the quaich, lovingly offered by W∴ John Paliotta. The quaich was generously given to the lodge by R∴W∴ Ken Philips some years ago. This tradition, wherein we share a fine scotch between masters, is rooted in a traditional Scottish expression of friendship. This is yet another loving example of the fraternal bonds of affection which carry the Craft through the ages. It was a privilege to participate in this St. Johns 1P tradition.

Looking ahead to the summer, there are a few items of note before we begin in earnest this September. The annual St Johns 1P Family Picnic will be on Sunday, August 4th, at the Masonic Youth Center in Buttonwoods. Please see the flyer for further details, or reach out to myself or Brother Junior Warden Bill Gouge with any questions. The line officers will meet on Wednesday, August 21st, for our Lodge Organizational Meeting, where we will get into the grittier details of the plans for the year. Lastly, I am in the early planning stages of a series of fundraisers to benefit my chosen charitable organization for the year, which is the Friends of the Rhode Island School for the Deaf. It is my hope that, as a lodge, we can help facilitate fundraising efforts for the kids who attend RISDeaf, so that they can maximize their work to raise money for their several school activities. Stay tuned for more on that!

Brothers, it is no small thing to be trusted with the duties of Master, regardless of the lodge. Serving as Master for St Johns No. 1 Providence is an exceptional honor, and you have my promise that I will put all of my energy into leading our lodge with the wisdom and strength befitting our institution. Thank you for your trust. I am looking forward to an extraordinary year!

Fraternally,

Charles Jason Shealy
Worshipful Master, St. Johns 1 Providence