163 Years of Scottish Rite Masonry in Pittsburghmost wonderful experi-ences for me, one that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Thank you and God Bless America, God Bless our

163 Years of Scottish Rite Masonry in Pittsburgh

G

VOL. XXIV NO. 2 December 2014H H H

Ronald & Karen Bruce A. Robinson Richard & Bette Don & Ginny Joseph A Schrock, Jr. Plesh Rodibaugh Sauer

The men and organizations pictured tothe right are those who have made a

$10,000 or more commitment to support theValley of Pittsburgh Children’s Dyslexia CenterEndowment Fund.As Freemasons, we have always been

benevolent and charitable. For Scottish RiteMasons, our Charity is to teach children withdyslexia how to read. It is important in givingthem social confidence. The teaching method is the Orton-Gilling-

ham program. It is a one tutor – one studentratio. This method is very expensive but ex-tremely effective. It costs approximately $5,000a year for each child. Our goal is to raise$2,500,000 to endow the Children’s DyslexiaCenter for the future.To make it easier to make this commitment,

you can spread out your $10,000 donation overa ten year period. Call Bro. Ray Dietz, 33°, at412-369-9500 for information. The future of ourchildren is our most important mission. I en-courage each of you to have your picture onthis page and be a BUILDER of this Masonicbenevolence. Your donation is tax-deductible.

Thomas K. Sturgeon, 33°Active Member of Supreme Council

VVaa ll ll eeyy oo ff PP ii tt tt ssbbuurrgghh

Builders Council Enrollment FormI pledge the sum of: � $10,000 � $15,000

� $20,000 � $25,000

With payments in equal installments over a period of:

� 3 years � 5 years � 10 years.

This pledge will be payable: � Annually � Semi-annually � Quarterly � *Monthly

*Monthly payments may be made only by credit card.First payment of $ is enclosed.Deduct my pledge from my credit card when due:

� MasterCard � Visa � American Express

� Discover � Other .

Number Exp. date

Name you would prefer in recognition:

� This gift is anonymous.

Signature

Name

Address

City State Zip

Ph. ( ) Date

Mail to: Builders Council, 3579 Masonic Way, Pittsburgh, PA 15237-2700.

Teaching children with dyslexia

Robert & Janice Emery & Carol David & Carol Robert & Jacqueline Jeff & Susan Amend Anden Bagaley Beatty Biddle

Raymond & Lynn Fred & Kathy Robert Eckbreth James Ecker & James & Ellen Dietz Donatelli Donna Murtha Flanigan

Leland A. Hale, Jr. Jeff & Lauren Raymond & Dorothy James & Lisa Robert & P.J.Heiger James Jenkins Jones

Frank R. Mangery Jack Marsh John & Judy Roy & Sara Jane Jay & Joanne McCombs McCullough McElravy

Gregory Triko George & Norma S. Timothy Warco Bob & Charlene James & Annetta Vance Wells West

Lodge

No. 45

F. & A.M.

Infinity Lodge

No. 546

F. & A.M.

Washington

Lodge No. 164

F. & A.M.

Homestead Amity

McCandles

Lodge No. 582

F. & A.M.

Valley

of

Pittsburgh

to read – one child at a time!BBuu ii ll ddee rr ss CCoouunncc ii ll

Glenn & Mary Dr. Glenn & Roberta Jack & Carol Donald & Barbara John & Valerie Raymond & JoyMiller Miller Miller Murphy Nicklas Nicklas

Mark & Patty George H. Cox Rick & Reneé James & Eda Mario & Linda Bill & HeatherBliler Cross Dean DeBlasio Dickey

Howard & Sharon Donald & Debora Wallace & Leah Eric & Raylene Harvey & Carol John & Ruth Flynn Green Grossett Gumto Gumto Habel

Paul & Penny Paul & Jackie David & Sandy David & Judy John Kovac William & Babara Kappel Kauffman Kearns Kielman Magnotti, Jr.

James W. Seel William Shaw William Slater II Samuel & Judy Thomas & Joan Kurt & NancySpanos Sturgeon Tesche

Unified

Lodge No. 2

IOOF

PittsburghCommandery

No. 1Knights Templar

James & Jill Jeff & SharonWest Wonderling

Valley of PittsburghLegion ofHonor

100% 2,500,000

2,375,000

90% 2,300,000

2,125.000

80% 2,000,000

1,875,000

70% 1,750,000

1,625,000

60% 1,500,000

1,375,000

50% 1,250,000

1,125,000

40% 1,000,000

875,000

30% 750,000

625,000

20% 500,000

375,000

0% 250,000

*RECEIVEDGOAL $2,500,000

Help the Endowment Fund for Dyslexia

GROW!Make a Pledge or a Donation!

GOAL: $2,500,000

*from donations, bequests,pledges & fund raisers.

“We make a living by whatwe get, but we make a life

by what we give.”– Bro. Winston Churchill

Your picture orLodge could be here.

Chartiers

Lodge No. 297

F. & A.M.

30th

Masonic

District

SupremeCouncil Group

Valley of Pittsburgh

OakdaleLodge No.669In Memory ofW. Robert &Marion Jones

Valley

of

Uniontown

The Grand Master of Pennsylvania

when he can be proud of what he doesor rather what he is a part of. Everytime Pennsylvania Masons set goals wealways find ways to achieve them andgrow stronger as a Fraternity. I believewith all my heart, this is due to yourenthusiasm and desire to stand up andbe counted. Please extend a very special thank

you to all the Ladies who were theresupporting the many activities in ourLodges, our Districts and throughout

Chri s tmas Mes sage

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H

December 2014 The Rite News Page 4.H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H

Iwould like to takethis opportunity towish all of you and yourfamilies a very happyand healthy Holiday anda prosperous New Year.Please accept my

deepest heartfelt appre-ciation for all the hardwork and effort everyPennsylvania Freemasonhas given this past year.

I want each andevery one of you toknow how proud youmake me feel knowinghow hard every Lodgehas worked to make theprograms I presented atthe Annual Communica-tion a success. You have certainly

made this year enjoy-able, pleasurable, andmemorable beyondanything I could everimagine.There are special

times in a person’s life

the state. It is a wonder-ful feeling to know somany caring womensupport PennsylvaniaFreemasonry in all thatwe do and stand for.Brethren, I am very

honored to serve as yourGrand Master in theGreatest Masonic Juris-diction in the world. Itis one of the greatest andmost wonderful experi-ences for me, one that Iwill cherish for the restof my life.Thank you and God

Bless America, GodBless our Great andGentle Craft, and GodBless all of you.

Respectfully andFraternally,

Robert J. Bateman R.W. Grand Master

“It’s the 2014 Holiday Season! - Hoping your heart alwaysknows joy, your home always knows love, and your life alwaysknow peace. Wishing you a joyous holiday season andhealth, joy, and peace throughout the New Year.”

Bob

Wishing you all a merry Christmas, a happy Hanukkah, and ahealthy, happy and prosperous new year; peace on earth, andgood will toward ALL men.

Austin

“I wish everyone a most joyous, prosperous and safe holidayseason, and may we all celebrate the bonds of brotherhoodthat bind us as a fraternity during this special time of year.”

Don

As the holiday season approaches, it is easy to get sweptaway in the rising tide of hurried shopping, heavy traffic, andbusy schedules. My wish for each of you is that, no matterhow you celebrate your Holiday, you have blessing enough toenjoy moments of peace and joy, and wisdom enough not tolet them pass you by unnoticed.Pax Vobiscum.

P. J.

H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H

D. William Roberts, 33°, [email protected] - 412-683-0359

The Rite Newsmagazine is the official publication ofthe Valley of Pittsburgh, AASR, District of Pennsyl-vania, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, USA. Opinions expressed are those of the author(s). Information is obtained from correspondence, pressreleases, Masonic publications and miscellaneoussources, which in many cases, cannot be verified. Published four times a year. Copyright© 2014, Valleyof Pittsburgh, 3579 Masonic Way, Pgh, PA, 15237.

In This Issue

The Rite NewsVOL. XXIV NO. 2 December 2014

G

In Memoriam 6

Upon the Checkered Pavement 8by D. Todd Ballenger, 32°Message from the Thrice Potent Master 9by Paul J. Roup, 33°The Modern Vitruvian 10.by P.J. Roup, 33° Message from the Sovereign Prince 12by Austin R. Shifrin, 32°Message from the Valley Secretary 13by Donald M. Murphy, 33°Sharing the Light 16by Rev. John H. Piper, 32° Message from the Most Wise Master 17by Robert F. Dunkle, 32° Your Health 18by Dr. Glenn D. Miller, II, 33° Services Directory 20

Wonderling Wonders 21by Jeffrey M. Wonderling, 33°Farewell My Brother 25by David W. Morgans, 33°Valley Officers/Masonic Calendar 27

December 2014 The Rite News Page 5.

Holiday Greetings from the Presiding Officers

P.J. AustinBob Donald

D. Todd Ballenger, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . .FeaturesDr. Glenn D. Miller, II, 33° . . . . . . . . .ColumnistP.J. Roup, 33° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ColumnistRev. John M. Piper, 32° . . . . . . . . . .ColumnistJeffrey M. Wonderling, 33° . . . . . . . .ColumnistMark E. Bliler, 33° . . . . . . . . . . . .Proof Reader William D. Johnston, 33° . . . . . . .Proof ReaderRobert J. Binnie, 32° . . . . . . . . . .Photographer

Donald W. Boehm, 33°Commander-in-Chief

Paul J. Roup, 33°Thrice Potent Master

Austin R. Shifrin, 32°Sovereign Prince

Robert F. Dunkle, 32°Most Wise Master


Ralph V. AdamsFred E. BairdWarren M. BedillionDaniel R. BolgertGeorge E. BrackenDale E. BraithwaiteDavid D. BubashBernard C. BunettaRobert B. BurtRussell W. BuschRobert M. ButlerWilliam P. CampanaPatrick J. CanavanRichard B. CraigCalvin D. CrawfordGlenn A. CrawfordClarence A. Fryer, Jr.Frederick J. GadelmeyerCharles GautscheJackson E. Graham

Charles M. HawkinsRobert W. HaymanLawrence H. HazeltineDavid W. HeronRobert G. HoffmanCharles W. HolmanDonald IgnatenkoJohn M. Kern, Jr.Charles KlomanWilliam J. KuepperJames N. LardasCharles L. LaubhamJohn E. MaxtonGerald D. McCandlessRobert T. McClernanC. Dennis McLeanWilliam N. MillsFenton M. MitchellElmer J. Nicklas, Jr.Raymond J. NicklasDonald L. Nock

Harry J. Noss, Jr.John J. PanepintoEdward G. ReeseJack B. RicheyJohn R. RoddDale W. SalsgiverCarl A. SchweitzerBarry E. SmithRobert M. SmithWinfield S. Smith, Jr.Manuel G. StoupisLenzie H. StoverWilliam P. StuartJohn O. SwansonJames C. SweeneyPaul W. TerryWiilliam N. Vaupel, MSALouis R. WardJames L. WilsonThomas Yeo

Since our last issue, the following brethren have been called home.

John R. Corey, 33°

In Memoriam

“Well Done, Good and Faithful Brother”

May it be his portion to hear from Him who sitteth as the Judge Supreme


Yes, we have Veterans Day in thefall, and Memorial Day in the

spring. But our service men and womensacrifice their time and safety everysingle day of the year, to preserve ourfreedoms.At many homes, there is an empty seat

for one who is serving, or one who madethe ultimate sacrifice for our Country. Wehonor our veterans every day. And wethink there is no better time to expressour apprecation, than during the hustleand bustle of the holiday season.

We hope you will join us at any of our700+ participating locations, to show ourveterans and their families - that we will notforget. We will never forget.There are a number of ways for volun-

teers to get involved. Please keep in mindthere is NO COST to attend or participate ina Wreaths Across America™ event.

Wreaths Across America™ Day – eachDecember

H Escort of Wreaths to Arlington (or anyof the other locations featuring wreathescorts)

H State House Ceremony – in nearly all50 states and at our Nation’s Capital.

H ‘Thanks-A-Million’ handout card program to thank our veterans and active military.

H WAA Education Program –work withour materials in your local schools.

You can also volunteer to work with alocal group to raise funds for the wreaths foryour local ceremony, or for Arlington.

In the Pittsburgh AreaNational Cemetery of the Alleghenies

Bridgeville, PA 15017Volunteer Location Coordinator:

John & Ethel Kenes - 724-437-1220www.wreathsacrossamerica.org

Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)3organization, so not only are donations taxdeductible, but they also qualify for matchinggifts from many companies.

Wreaths Across AmericaPO Box 249, Columbia Falls, ME 04623Phone: Toll Free: 1-877-385-9504

Remember Our Fallen - One Wreath At A Time

Bonnie Wishner of Washington, PAhas formed a team called the Red,White, and Blue Team. The team ishelping raise money so they can assistin putting as many wreaths as they canon the graves of veterans in theCemetery of the Alleghenies in CecilTownship (Bridgeville area).

On December 13th members of theRed, White, and Blue Team will formand go to the Cemetery of the Alleghe-nies to place wreaths on veteransgraves. Anyone who would like to bepart of this group, please contact herat [email protected]

Washington Lodge No 164 F&AM isparticipating in the program and hasdonated $500.00 to the event.

To make a donation, please contactBro. David Richards 724-263-6218 orby email: [email protected]



Here we goagain! Another

holiday season thattends to sneak up onus while we are notlooking. Those hotand humid summerdays, only a fewmonths removed,seem a distant memory, andbefore you know it, the cycle willrepeat again.I have many things to be

thankful for in life, first and fore-most, the birth of my first grand-child, a lovely little girl. I amthankful for the good health of allmy family, minus a few aches andpains we all experience in ourlater years. I am thankful for thefinancial stability I enjoy, althougha lottery hit wouldn’t hurt. I amthankful for my middle classhome in Bethel Park of 37 yearsand some great neighbors, sev-eral of whom are Masons, but thegrubs I am battling in my frontyard do provoke an explicativefrom my lips at times….sorry.So this holiday season, I have

much to celebrate, but whatabout our fraternal brothers inless fortunate circumstances?We are an aged group for themost part, and I can’t imagine thephysical and mental languish somany of our beloved Masonicbrothers endure. What holidaygreetings do you say to a mem-ber who is battling cancer, or

whose wife is suffering from ill-ness? What cheer can you offerto someone in financial distress,who celebrates paying the billsthis month?I would offer this message to

all less fortunate brethren. Whatyou can be thankful for, is thefraternal love that Masonry pro-vides. The love that exists in ourhearts for each other, the lovethat binds us as travelers towardthat undiscovered country. Fra-ternal love can’t heal an illness,or pay the bills, but a Mason indistress has the satisfaction ofknowing he will always be lovedby his Masonic brothers, eventhose he has never met. As the Valley of Pittsburgh

moves forward, let us not forgetthe beauty of the fraternal lovewithin our hearts for each other,and celebrate the joyous seasonupon us. I wish all a happy,healthy and prosperous holidayseason. v

Sincerely,

Don

Holiday Message from the Commander-in-Chief

Donald W. Boehm, 33°

OnCamera!

Continued on page 11.

Lincoln Degree to be performed atCarnegie Music Hall in CarnegieThe Valley of Pittsburgh has been invited to perform the Lincoln

Degree at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library And Music Hall (inCarnegie) on Saturday, January 10, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. The Degree will be a part of the "Second Saturday" series which

features programs and talks about the Civil War.This will be a stage show production, presented in full costume,

and is FREE to the public. The Andrew Carnegie Library and Music Hall is located at 300

Beechwood Avenue, Carnegie Pa. 15106. (412) 276-3456 Toni & Don Boehm at the Sewickley Masonic Village Open House.

Jane Binley and daughter Lauren attended Open House Dayat the Sewickley Masonic Village.

D. William Roberts presented Past Grand Master James L. Ernette,with Commemorative Plate No. 1 in Westmoreland Lodge No. 518

assisted by Bro. James S. Roberts, WM.



On February 2, 2014, a man died.This in and of itself is not espe-

cially astonishing as I’m certain that manypeople passed away on that very sameday. Of these many people, I’m also certainthat most had families and friends who feltthe pain of their loss and anguished (somestill) over their departed loved ones. On theother hand, it stands to reason that therewere those who gave no pause at all at thedeath of these people. Why? Perhaps theydidn’t know the deceased; perhaps theydidn’t care; or perhaps the way the individ-ual passed simply did not touch the rightnerve to illicit an emotional response.Still, as I said, on February 2, 2014, a

man died.However, this man did not pass unno-

ticed or without an emotional responsefrom both those who knew him as well asthose who did not. Such is the way ofcelebrity. This particular celebrity was PhilipSeymour Hoffman, an Academy Award-winning actor and family man. Despitehis fame and notoriety, however, he strug-gled with and eventually succumbed to anaddiction to drugs. Immediately following Hoffman’s death,

the airwaves and social media were awashwith expressions of sympathy for the tragicloss of this gifted actor. Also present werethe horribly graphic (though no less accu-rate) descriptions of his passing at homedue to an overdose. Some in the celebritycommunity lamented the loss and called forgreater attention to the problem of sub-stance abuse in our society. Others quicklydismissed the media’s eulogizing assensationalism and hype in light of a badperson engaging in a reckless and selfishact and reaping the reward for his foolish-ness.Both are right.Unpleasant as the thought is, both view-

points have merit, and remind me of howfrail we can often be as individuals. I amalso keenly aware of how equally insensi-tive we can be to the struggles of others. Itall depends on your perspective.In a Masonic Lodge, this perspective is

symbolized by the mosaic tile floor, or black

and white checkered pavement. We see itillustrated in books and on tracing boards,but do we ever pause to consider its signifi-cance? In the Lexicon of Freemasonry, Dr.Albert Mackey notes that “the variety ofcolors in the pavement, is a fit emblem ofhuman life, a mingled scene of virtue andvice, of happiness and misery; today ‘ourfeet tread in prosperity, tomorrow we totteron the uneven paths of weakness, tempta-tion, and adversity.’” (p. 309). W. Kirk Mc-Nulty sees the checkered tiles asrepresenting “the universe as it appears tous who are incarnate in the physical world;alternate black and white, active and pas-sive, easy and difficult - at best complimen-tary, often seeming to be in opposition.”(Freemasonry: A Journey through Ritualand Symbol, p. 18). In Masonic symbolism,these black and white squares are set toremind us that the world is indeed full ofboth light and dark, good and bad, and thatas fallible human beings, we are capable ofboth.However, as Freemasons, are we not

also given the means to guide us throughsuch conflicting influences? The Plumb isthat working tool that admonishes us towalk uprightly before God and man, eventhough we travel daily upon the checkeredpavement. Simply said, we are to remainhonorable and upstanding as we carefullynavigate both the good fortune and hard-ships that we are bound to encounterduring our lifetimes.The Chinese see this as balance - yin

and yang - opposing forces in the world,both of which are necessary. In fact,Freemasonry suggests that both of theseforces are present in all of us and that wemust constantly be aware of that internalstruggle between what is right and what iswrong. We must find the balance in our-selves and strive to see the balance in theworld. If you see only tragedy and strife,what outlook do you have? What emo-tional influence do you think you areoffering those with whom you come intocontact? Only seeing the negative in theworld will leave you with a lonely existence. On the contrary, only seeing the happi-

Upon the Checkered Pavement

D.Todd Ballenger,32°, Feature Writer“The web of our life is a mingled yarn, good and ill together: our virtues would be proud,

if our faults whipped them not; and our crimes would despair, if they were not cherishedby our virtues.”

~ William Shakespeare (All’s Well That Ends Well, Act IV, Scene 3)

ness and goodness is unrealistic andleaves you at risk of not being able to copewith tragedy when it appears. The cycle ofthe day has both dark and light. Existenceis comprised not only of life, but also ofdeath. They are opposites, but necessaryto complete the balance in nature. As Masons, we are reminded of the

three lesser lights, the sun (day), the moon(night), and the Worshipful Master (theLodge). The sun governs the day, themoon governs the night, and the Worship-ful Master (in essence, us) governs theLodge. The Great Architect has given usthe sun and moon to govern the light anddark aspects of time. We, as WorshipfulMasters of our own internal Lodges, governthe light and dark aspects in ourselves,keep them within due bounds, and main-tain the beautiful balance that the Creatorestablished in the natural world for us tofollow. v

D. Todd Ballenger, 32°, isa Past Thrice Potent Masterof the Lodge of Perfectionin the Valley of Pittsburgh.A regular contributor to TheRite News, he is pleased tohave this article premier thenew title of this column,

Upon the Checkered Pavement. You canread more from his blog, The Luminosity ofSouls (luminosityofsouls.blogspot.com).

He is also DDGM of the 55th MasonicDistrict.

Events Calendaron page 27.

Support Your Valley SocialEvents and

Special Activities!

PROU

D TO BE A 32° FREEMASON

VALLEY OF PITTSBURGH

G� �

Children’s DyslexiaCenter Report

“The unselfish effort to bring cheer toothers will be the beginning of a happierlife for ourselves.”

– Helen Keller

The holiday seasonis once again upon

us. Malls will be swarmingwith shoppers trying to finda perfect gift for that spe-cial someone. It is also atime that we often foregoself-indulgences and take

the time to reach out to others. ManyScottish Rite Brethren and Friends haveprovided special monetary gifts to supportthe children with dyslexia who attend ourCenter. Your gift not only helps studentslearn to read, but you have also giventhem a gift of success, a gift of hope, a giftof self-esteem, and the biggest gift of all:a brighter and more promising future.These are truly special and priceless gifts!Thank you!!On behalf of the Students, Tutors,

Teachers, and Board of Governors, Iwould like to express my gratitude to all ofthose individuals and businesses thathave shared in our Dyslexia Center’s2014 fundraising campaigns. The Scottish Rite Golf Outing and the

Annual Walk to Help Children withDyslexia provided a combined total ofnearly $24,000 to benefit the childrenattending our Learning Center. Hiram’sRiders generously added another$10,000.00 to our endowment fund fromthe success of their fundraising efforts.Appreciative thanks are due to the mem-bers of the Builder’s Council and to all ofour Scottish Rite Brethren, throughoutWestern Pennsylvania, who voluntarilyand faithfully send in contributions justbecause you believed it was the right andcaring thing to do. Thank you!!Please continue to support your

Dyslexia Center, support your Lodge, andsupport your Scottish Rite. We need you.You are the true source of our success.Keep up the good work!!Here’s wishing that each of you may

enjoy the upcoming holiday season andshare in its love and many joys.

Sincerely, Fraternally, and with God’sBlessings!

Richard A. Rodibaugh, 33°Chairman, Board of Governors



In my last column, I promised you thatI would share details of an upcomingevent I described as “a modern telling of atimeless story,” Since I am one who tries todeliver on my promises, that is what I shalldo here.We are all at least somewhat familiar

with the account of Constans, a youngman who aspires to knighthood among theSublime Princes of the Royal Secret. Thestory has typically been set in a cathedralin medieval times, and our hero has to sitvigil over the armor and weaponry of aknight to prove his worthiness.What would it look like if Constans were

alive today? On February 5th, you willhave an opportunity to find out for yourself.Following the Stated Meeting, we willadjourn to the auditorium to see a modern31st Degree.You will enter not a cathedral, but a

chapel at New Orleans Police Headquar-ters where our champion will be asked tosit a vigil over the typical armor and

weaponry of a modern SWAT officer. Thewords you hear will be the ones you havealways heard, but the costumes, images,and sounds will be brand new.Our tempters will be people we see in

today’s world: a close friend who thinksConstans would have more fun partyingwith him on Bourbon Street than sitting avigil; a wealthy and powerful politician whotries to convince Constans to act in hisown self-interest; a neighbor who wantshim to come back and protect the familyhome from looters; and a police chaplainwho feels he would do more good if hesequesters himself in prayer.Because it takes place in today’s world,

modern music (jazz, country, rock, techno,and more) and video will be added to theDegree to enhance the experience.Over the next few months, our troupe

will be working hard in the hopes that thisnew experience comes alive and speaksto you in a special way. We hope that youjoin us for this one-of-a-kind event. v

Gourgas Lodge of PerfectionMessage from the

Thrice Potent MasterPaul J. Roup, 33°

By the time you readthis, we will have

just finished another suc-cessful reunion. There aremany dedicated people whowork very hard to make theweekend operate smoothlyand confer high qualitydegrees. Usually at the end of the

reunion, some of our brand new membersapproach my father, Bob Mellon or myselfand express an interest in getting involvedwith the degree work in some fashion.Unfortunately, a lot of times, I totally forgetabout it and end up finding a slip of paperwith a name and email address in a sportcoat a year later. In an effort to try and eliminate this prob-

lem, I have created an email addressstrictly for the purpose of communicatingwith people who want to get involved withthe degree work. I apologize to anyone whoI talked to in the past and I never got intouch with. Also, I’m reaching out to anyone

who is interested in getting involved andmay have never spoke up. Please send me an email at castmem-

[email protected]. Write me alittle biography with your full name and whatyou are interested in: large or small speak-ing parts, walk-ons, stage crew (movingfurniture and changing sets), or robing andmake-up. We are a little short staffed in the make-

up department and could really use somevolunteers in that area. No experience isrequired; our make-up director would bemore than happy to teach you if you areinterested. I will be monitoring this special email

account, and will respond to you in a timelyfashion. Watch for a return email [email protected]. This isthe email address I use strictly for reunionrelated communications. I’m hoping to get a good response and

look forward to hearing from and workingwith you in the near future. v

Want to Join the Cast or Stage Crew? Send an email to: [email protected]

William G.Johnston, 32°

Calls of Duty: Part One


reverberated off of the old knotty pine walls with such force that hewas certain he woke the whole house. He threw off the covers andbegan to dress himself as Henry shared more details of what hadhappened to Eva. For Henry, just saying it out loud was cathartic,and he calmed a little with each sentence. As of yet, no one hadgiven Henry an official diagnosis, but it was clear that they were in-credibly lucky that Henry insisted on calling 911.“She’s going to be okay, Henry. I know it. Is Junior there with

you,” Dylan asked, squeezing the phone to his ear with his shoulderas he wiggled himself into his jeans. The old wooden floors moanedloudly under his shifting weight. This cabin only has one volume –thunderous, he thought.“You’re the first one I called. I knew you’d know what to do. Can

you come over to the hospital? They’re getting ready to take herthere now.”Dylan hesitated. He realized Henry had forgotten about the fam-

ily reunion. This week was the first in three years that the wholefamily was able to get together in the same place at the same time,and it was usually Dylan’s schedule that was the problem. He re-called the tense phone call with his parents earlier in the summer.

“I can’t get vacation right now, mom. We’re in the middle of ahuge project.”

“But, Dylan, you’re the only one who can’t do it. Please come,Dyl,” she begged.

He heard his father in the background, “Is he coming?”The sound became muffled as his parents began their own con-

versation as if he weren’t there – sidebars, Dylan called them. Hepictured the scene as he listened: His mom held the phone againsther chest in one hand, the other (barely) covering the receiver asshe yelled into the family room to his dad, who was firmly rooted inhis recliner for the evening.

“He says he can’t get vacation. Some big project,” she began.“What does that mean, can’t get vacation? It’s his vacation. He

just needs to take it,” his father insisted. Dylan wished it were thatsimple.

“Dylan,” the phone unmuffled now, “it’s your father. Listen, yourmother is in tears. She’s been planning this for a year. Please dowhat you can to make this happen, okay son?”Dylan’s slight pause was enough to make Henry recall that he

was out of town. “Wait. This is your reunion week, isn’t it? Nevermind. You stay right there with your family. I’ll call Junior; he can behere in an hour. I’ll be okay.” Dylan could hear the disappointmentin his voice.“Henry, listen, maybe I can get there in a couple of days. It would

kill my mom if I left now.” The words felt like acid pouring from hismouth. He could hear them stinging his friend, but he couldn’t evenimagine telling his mother he had to go. “Do you have a ride to thehospital?”“You best stay there, then. As it turns out, half of the Lodge is

working night shift, and they’ve all offered me a ride. Seems I’ll havemy pick of squad cars to follow the ambulance. I better go.”“I wish I could be there, Henry,” he apologized. “You and Eva are

practically family to me. You’re both in my prayers. Please call meas soon as you know something.” Dylan hung up and stared at hisphone. He was in an impossible situation, and he hated it. Henrywas as much a part of his family as his actual blood relatives. Therewas no way of explaining that to his parents, though. They wouldjust stare at him blankly as he tried to put the depth of a fraternalbond into words that made sense to them. He has his own childrento handle it, they would say. It wouldn’t matter to them that Dylan

The ring of the phone was so soft, and hissleep so deep, that Dylan had managed

to work the sound of it into his dream. In hisdream, he was back in high school. He had justmanaged to coax Faith O'Donnell to his lockerunder the guise of showing her his new letter-man jacket. He was proud of his lettermanjacket with the thick embroidered volleyball onthe sleeve, CAPTAIN in big block letters justbelow it. He was proud of it to be sure, but the

truth is that he would have said just about anything to get her tohave a one on one conversation with him, even stand in his generalvicinity, for that matter. Right now Faith was so close to him that hecould smell her strawberry lip gloss. He was astonished by howmuch more beautiful she was at this distance. He showed her thejacket and watched her smile widen. He added with pride that hehad just won an academic scholarship, and that college was defi-nitely going to happen. Dream Dylan was doing incredibly well –Faith was suitably impressed, hanging on his every word.He watched her run her fingers over the stitching of his name,

tracing the cursive letters, her shiny pink fingernail tracing eachletter. “You are so amazing, Dylan.” He raised an eyebrow. Shecontinued, “I mean, you’re an incredible athlete, you’re smart, youvolunteer, you play the piano.” “And guitar,” he added quickly, so as not to interrupt her flattery.“And, you’re not so bad looking.” She felt her cheeks start to

warm – getting hotter with every word – but she continued, “You’resort of the perfect guy.”Dylan felt like he was floating. Her litany of compliments gave

him enough nerve to finally ask her out. He drew a deep, calmingbreath to try and steady the quiver he knew he would have in hisvoice. “Faith, would you like to go to the homecoming dance withme?”Before she could answer, the third period bell rang.And rang.And rang. Faith began to vaporize before his eyes as the school bell grad-

ually morphed into the pestering ring of his phone. He begrudginglyleft Faith behind, standing at the locker and about to say yes (hehoped). With any luck, he thought, they would meet again soon. Dylan glanced at the clock, 3:25am. He answered the phone

without even looking to see who it was. He knew that a call at thishour would probably not be good.“I don’t know what to do, Dylan. . . she’s my world. . .she can’t

go yet. . . I love her so much. . .” Henry’s voice was barely recog-nizable through the sobs. “Henry? What? Wait. Slow down. What happened?”He spoke in fragments, the long pauses where he was obviously

trying, with little success, to gain composure. “It’s my Eva. . . shegot out of bed. . . complained she didn’t feel well. . .they say herheart stopped. . .what if she dies, Dylan?”Without even realizing it, Dylan rotated the brass switch on the

hurricane lamp that sat on his night table. The mechanical click

The Modern Vitruvianby P. J. Roup, 33°




was the first one he called.He pulled the lace curtain back and glanced out his bedroom window.

In the gloaming, he saw the grass, needle-like with frost. The sun wasstill below the horizon but had already begun to paint the bottoms of theimpossibly high cirrus clouds with a hundred shades of gold and orange.There was no way he was getting back to sleep at this point, so he de-cided to go make some coffee, to feed his inner caff-fiend, as he likedto say. He desperately needed to come up with a way to at least broachthe subject with his parents so that he could, at the very least, leave aday early without a whole lot of grief. He crept down the well-worn stairs of the cabin shoeless, placing his

feet at the extreme edges of the treads so they would be less likely tosqueak. Even the slightest noises carried through here as if the housewere wired for sound and he had microphones on his feet. He was des-perate not to wake anyone. His plan, when he reached the bottom, was to switch on the pot and

retire to the porch to watch the sun continually re-imagine the palette ofthe sky. There, alone, he hoped an answer might come to him.He imagined the scent of coffee as he reached the main floor and

headed toward the kitchen. I drink way too much of this stuff if I cansmell it before it brews, he thought.He rounded the corner toward the kitchen and saw first one, then a

second cup of coffee sitting on the long oak table, the steam rising andcurling from both. He looked up from the mugs to see his mother’s sil-houette framed perfectly in the soft yellow light of the open refrigerator.“What are you doing up,” he asked.She closed the door and turned toward him. He wasn’t sure how to

read the look on her face, it seemed both happy and sad. He noticedher eyes glistening, a little wetter than usual. She gestured for him to sitand he obeyed.“I heard you on the phone, and I thought maybe we should talk.”

To be continued. . . (For a sneak peak at what happens next, visitThe Modern Vitruvian online at www.themodernvitruvian.blogspot.com)

Sooner or later, we will each face a situation like the one you justread. In today’s world, time is our most precious commodity, and(somewhat ironically), the one with the most demands on it. Dylan’smom sees her son being swept into his own life. Dylan feels the pull ofloyalty to two families – biological and fraternal. And Henry is facing theuncertainty of his wife’s illness in her later years, and perhaps by exten-sion, his own mortality.

How will they handle it? We each have our own hierarchy of impor-tantcies. The pressing need of one person may be the last thing on earthanother would want to do. Successful interaction with others often relieson our ability to view any given situation from atop the other’s hierarchi-cal pyramid. Remember, Modern Vitruvians, that we are judged not onlyby who we are, but by who we are in the presence of others.

In the next issue, we will see how it all goes for Dylan and his lovedones. Until then, think about how well you handle situations where youhave competing loyalties. Do you attempt to force your will, or do youcompromise? Does one desire always take precedence or can you re-arrange your hierarchy to accommodate difficult circumstances? Whatwould you do in Dylan’s situation? His mom’s? Henry’s?

Login to The Modern Vitruvianwww.themodernvitruvian.blogspot.com to weigh in, share your ownstory, or ask questions.

P.J. Roup, 33° is Thrice Potent Master of The Gourgas Lodge of Perfec-tion, Valley of Pittsburgh. In addition to The Modern Vitruvian, www.themod-ernvitruvian.blogspot.com, he owns The Point Within the Circle,www.district54.blogspot.com. He is also DDGM of the 54th MasonicDistrict. He can be reached at [email protected].

Spes Mea In Deo Est

Who said the Grand Master wasn’t a Steeler Fan?

PA Governor, Tom Corbett chats with Bro. Jay Ernette, Past GrandMaster at the Eternal Flame dedication.

Rev. John Piper, George Dering and Tony Gennaccaro dressed forthe Oktoberfest social event.


OnCamera!Continued from page 7.

them, these plays demonstrated ethicalprecepts in the course of allegories, onlyin this case instead of being related by alone storyteller, each of the roles wereportrayed by actors. These were popularin Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries,which we should also remember is an erawhere most people were not literate; sothis would have been an important form ofmoral teaching and learning, which sup-plemented instruction in church. If youconsider also that the Halliwell manuscriptof the Regius Poem – from which we de-rive “so mote it be” – dates to 1390, andScottish Rite masonry is said (see scot-tishritenmj.org) to originate in the mid1700s, this relationship does not seemfar-fetched.In our modern times, we consider our

degree work to serve a similar purpose.The Scottish Rite is supposed to teach itsmembers 5 core values: Reverence forGod; integrity; justice; tolerance; devotionto country; and service to humanity. All 29degrees are supposed to convey somecombination of those ideals. Perhaps youcould even pick out which ones are beingconveyed, as you watch.So, maybe you agree that ritual is nec-

essary for the initiation of new candidates,but question the value for existing mem-bers to return for reunions to see degreework being conferred (let’s set aside fornow, the fact that it was once necessary tosee all of the degrees before you wereproclaimed a 32nd-degree mason, whichcould easily be the beginning of a wholeseparate discussion. I am a person whoperformed in live theater when I was a kid,and more recently have enjoyed seeingvarious professional and semi-profes-sional productions, all before my involve-ment with Scottish Rite. So, even though Ihave now seen all of the degrees, there isa curiosity as a theater-goer that makesme want to know: Will I see the sameactor try something new and different witha role when he plays it again? Will I see acompletely different actor bring a new and

unexpected interpretation to the part? Iknow not everyone may already be inter-ested in such questions – but perhapsthey might be interested if they havesimply never thought of it, before.As I alluded to in my introduction, I

know that theater is just not everyone’schoice of entertainment. If we want toexamine what we offer to our member-ship, and we choose to compare our-selves with movies, television, or theinternet, I don’t believe we can expect towin the competition for people’s attention.However, I also don’t think that “entertain-ment” is the relevant arena for compari-son: Scottish Rite degrees are aneducation. I firmly believe that all mem-bers should make the effort, over time, tosee all the degrees – because they allcontain worthwhile values and lessons.You might very well be a member who

wishes to see more of our ritual, but findscertain technical or logistical aspects ofthe productions off-putting. Those of uswho confer these degrees (onstage andoff) are emotionally invested in the work,and could be sensitive about criticism; but,we are aware of the kinks that exist. Theproblems, and a few approaches to solu-tions, are being discussed among the offi-cers. More backstage assistance wouldhelp address some issues, and if that’s anarena where you wish to lend a hand youshould approach any officer to discuss it.There are already alternatives to live

productions with our in-house cast mem-bers. We have seen the video of the fourthdegree produced by Supreme Council,which has elicited some not-so-positivefeedback from members. However, im-provements on that are already in theworks, as well as quality productions ofvideos of other degrees. While we haveconfidence in our ability to portray thesedegrees with the personnel and resources

This is an attempt on my part, tocontinue from the last article, my

concept of Freemasonry, invested with re-newed enthusiasm, as well as to addressa subject which I think is important tomany masons; as such it has the potentialto be a complex topic that may stir up de-bate. I hope you will indulge me in mychoice. I also acknowledge that some ofwhat I am doing here is “thinking outloud”, reasoning through and clarifying myown positions, again, I ask your indul-gence.If you ask Scottish Rite masons what

makes this appendant body especiallyenjoyable, you will undoubtedly come upwith a wide range of answers. I will gladlyrespond that our various social and fellow-ship activities – some traditional, extend-ing back before I was even a member,and some newer innovations we’ve at-tempted – appeal to me very much. I willalso proudly share that I enjoy our ritualdegree work a great deal. I will not imme-diately assume the same feeling about rit-ual is shared by all… nor should Iprobably assume I would be opposed byall… I will return to questions of enjoymentand taste, a little later.I am well aware that the experience is a

very different one for performers versusaudience. In fact, the question has beenraised in executive committee meetings,“are we performing degree work mainly asa benefit for the audience, or the partici-pants?” (asked with some humor, but alsosome sincerity). I do think that logically wehave to look at that question in the contextof what makes us a Masonic body in thefirst place. I think the initiatic experience isfundamentally tied to the degree work;might even argue that this is a “landmark”,and to alter that would fundamentally alterthe nature of Scottish Rite. But, I concedethat this too might be open to debate.The degrees may owe some of their

heritage to morality plays, a form of me-dieval - and early Tudor-era entertain-ment. Much like Aesop’s fables before


Message from theSovereign Prince

Austin Reed Shifrin, 32°

Princes of Jerusalem


SCOTTISH RITE RITUAL:Past, Present and Future



Check our Valley Facebook page. Goto Facebook.com and keep up-to-datewith news, discussions, and events.

we have on hand, we may agree that suchvideos could be a great boon to valleysthat might not have similar advantages.The more I have thought about it, I

gradually came to wonder if my instinct topreserve ritual in its live-performance formis overly conservative or reactionary. Earlier, I may have been emphasizing

the difference between entertainment andeducation, but there is something theyhave in common: Much like the entertain-ment options available to the public havechanged and expanded as a result ofmodern technology, so too have educa-tional tools: consider the current popularityof internet-based classes, or Open OnlineCourses; think of the way the military andemergency responders make use of simu-lation technology for training.So really, who can imagine what form

Scottish Rite degree work might need totake in the future, in order to best meetthe needs and expectations of modernman? Could the degree work end upbeing a simulation, an immersive experi-ence in Virtual Reality, where the candi-date plays a role in the action himself, andin the style of “Choose Your Own Adven-ture”, the actions he selects have variousoutcomes? This might be even better thanhaving a class exemplar for some de-grees, giving every candidate the opportu-nity to feel like the protagonist.I share these conjectures not to be ab-

surd or sarcastic; and not out of any cer-tainty whether such a scenario mightcome true, nor when. I raise this possibil-ity because I think it is well worth thinkingabout, and discussing, some questionsabout our ritual: What purpose does it serve?How does it accomplish that goal? What are the tools we use to deliver

that content or experience? Are there other tools we could use to

deliver that content or experience?How would other alternatives stack up,

in terms of quality and value to the candi-date, compared to our traditional method?I urge those of you who are interested

in Scottish Rite ritual to ponder thesequestions and share your conclusions withothers. This discourse may be challengingor uncomfortable, but I believe it is byconfronting these questions that we maypreserve the values and message that hailfrom the beginning of the Scottish Rite,and deliver them well into the future. v

A:.M:.A:.G:.

To the Greater Glory of God

Brethren, a new challengingScottish Rite year is upon us.

The officers are working to serve theneeds of the members while maintain-ing the quality organization we are allaccustom to seeing. ICE – Inspiration,Convenience and Entertaining is theconcept behind all of our activities.The new Scottish Rite video is avail-

able in the office. Please ask for a copyto use in your effort to recruit your fellowmasons to join the Scottish Rite. Asalways, recruiting new members for theValley is an important challenge. Haveyou replaced yourself? Have you signedat least one or two petitions? Our fall

class is coming up onNovember 21, 22, 2014. We would like to have a

large class to help replacethe losses we have sufferedover the past year. EveryLodge in the area has many

members who are not Scottish RiteMasons. In fact most lodges have onlyaround 30% of the lodge membershipwho belong to the Valley. That leaves about 70% of the member-

ship who are potential Valley members.Help your Valley grow by asking a friendto consider petitioning for membership inthe Valley. Our last notice and this maga-zine contained a petition that can be usedby anyone. However, if you need severalpetitions or any other membership sup-plies, please call the office and we willsend any membership materials that youmight need.Finally, come to some of the Valley

activities. We have something for every-one. Bring your Masonic and Non Ma-sonic friends. It’s a good way to introducea potential member to the Valley of Pitts-burgh. We look forward to seeing moreand more members take advantage of theopportunities for fellowship and enjoymentthat we have to offer. Make it a point tojoin with your friends in the Valley at leastone of the activities during the year.Coming up in the near future is the

Christmas Luncheon and the Children’sChristmas Party.Information on these activities can be

found in this issue on page 24. Bring yourwife to the Luncheon and bring the wholefamily to the Children’s Christmas Party. We, in the Valley office, extend to our

brethren in Freemasonry a most joyous,prosperous and happy new year 2015. v

God Bless America!

From the Secretary’s DeskDonald M. Murphy, 33°, Secretary

Fall Reunion 2014Class Conferral Schedule

Friday Evening November 21

5:00 Registration and Dinner6:00 Welcome by Thrice

Potent Master; Declaration of PrinciplesCommunication of 5th& 7th thru 13th Degrees

6:10 4th Degree Ceremonial 6:20 4th Degree Allegory7:00 6th Degree - DVD8:30 14th Degree

Saturday Morning November 22

7:00 Coffee and Donuts8:15 16th Degree9:00 Class Picture9:30 18th Degree11:15 19th Degree12:00 Lunch

Saturday Afternoon November 22

1:00 Communication of 20ththru 29th Degrees

1:10 30th Degree Speaker-Secretary

3:30 32nd Degree4:00 31st Degree5:00 Official Reception

Speaker-Hospitaler5:30 Dinner

Have a Safe Trip Home!

An eternal flame monument was installedat the Veterans Grove at the Masonic

Village at Elizabethtown and dedicated onAutumn Day, Sept. 20, 2014. The eternal flameserves as a 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-yeartribute and symbol of gratitude to the braveservice men and women who preserve ourfreedom, including those who have paid theultimate sacrifice.Bro. Donald S. Wood, Youghiogheny Lodge

No. 583, McKeesport, generously contributeda major gift toward the construction of theEternal Flame. “I did this to honor our fellowveterans,” he said.The monument stands 8’ 8 1/4” tall and 6’ 6

3/4” wide. A plaque on the front of the eternalflame states:

“All gave some ... Some gave all.”All Masons, as well as family members and

friends and all veterans, are invited to helpmaintain the eternal flame. For those whowould like to honor or remember a belovedveteran, 468 pavers (size 12” x 18”) around theeternal flame can be inscribed with a specialmessage for a $500 donation. Additionally, 1,104 bricks (size 8” x 12”)

leading to and around the monument can beinscribed for a $250 donation. Contributions tothe Masonic Charities are tax-deductible to theextent of the law.Any funding received above what is needed

for the preservation of the Veterans Grove willbe used to fund special programming at theMasonic Villages for veterans on Veterans Dayand Memorial Day.Bro. Franklin D. Caltagirone, Reading

Lodge No. 549, West Reading, and past

Masonic Villages board member, is helping tospearhead this initiative on behalf of R.W.Grand Master Robert J. Bateman.Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to

become a part of this meaningful tribute forposterity. Reservations for pavers are nowavailable, so be sure to order yours today!

Eternal Flame Donation FormAs a way of honoring or memorializing an individual, apaver surrounding the eternal flame and/or a brick on thepathway to the Veterans Grove can be inscribed to perma-nently honor an individual’s service to our country. Pleasecomplete the form below and send it along with your checkpayable to: Masonic Charities.Name(donor) Address City State Zip Phone ( ) Email Choose a paver size:� 12”x18” Paver ($500) will accommodate 5 lines with no

more than 20 characters per line. (see sample on right)� 8”x12” Brick ($250) will accommodate 4 lines with no

more than 14 characters per line. Please print paver inscription below exactly as you wouldlike it to appear; spaces are included in character count._____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Please return both completed form and check payable to:Masonic CharitiesOffice of Gift Planning • Masonic Village • One MasonicDrive, Elizabethtown, PA 17022 • 1-800-599-6454

Grand Master Robert J. Bateman Dedicates Masonic Eternal Flame

Thousands attend Lighting of the Eternal Flame of Freedom

Grand Master Robert J. Bateman Dedicates Masonic Eternal Flame


We are in thedarkest time of

the year in December.December 20 is the short-est day of the year. It isdark when many of usmake our way home fromwork. In this time of dark-ness we all long for, and desirelight.Genesis1:1-3 proclaims that

when "God created the earth... itwas a formless void and dark-ness covered the face of thedeep... then God said, "let therebe light" and there was light.Our masonic journey also

began in darkness but then therewas light.This world has much darkness

in it, but in December our Jewishbrothers celebrate Hanukkah,which is a festival of lights re-membering the one vial of oil thatburned for eight days. And later in December, Chris-

tians remember wise men follow-ing the light of a star to a littletown in Judea called Bethlehemto see a special child. Religion is in the business of

June 2014 The Rite News Page 21.

bringing light to a darkworld, but so are weMasons. A few years ago, Past

Grand Master, WilliamSlater, had as his theme"Sharing the Light ofFreemasonry."

This holiday season I invite themembers of the Valley of Pittsburghto be bearers of light as we supportsuch causes as the Hospitaler'sfund, the Dyslexia Center, local FoodBanks and other worthy charities. This would also be a good time of

the year to invite someone in yourlodge to further his masonic journeyby joining the Scottish Rite.The light of freemasonry has

blessed each of us in so manyways. Let us share that light and bea blessing to others in this holy timeof the year. v


FELLOWSHIPFELLOWSHIP

Greater PittsburghMasonic CenterLast Saturday of

the Month(except December)

Served by Ohio Valley Rainbow Girls

Steel City Chapter, Order of Demolay

$6.00 per personHosted by:

The Valley of Pittsburgh

by Rev. John H. Piper, 32°Sharing the Light OnCamera!

Continued from page 11.

David Reiner, DDGM 46; William Kratzenberg, PDDGMP.J. Roup, DDGM 54 at Autumn Day ceremonies.

Bro. William B. Hornberger, a resident at the Masonic Villagein Elizabethtown, was presented with a Quilt of Valor for hisservice during World War II. The quilt was presented at theLighting of the Masonic Flame of Freedom ceremony. To date over105,000 quilts have been awarded by the National Organization.

Valley Brothers Robert H. Stanley and Thomas E. Barlow receivedthe Masonic Service Award for excellence at the annual Councilof Deliberation meeting in Hershey, PA in July.

Want some tick-ets to use as

stocking stuffers orgift giving?By the time you

read this, the ticketswill have been printed. To order,send check payable to Hiram’sRiders in the amount of $10 perticket (2 numbers on a ticket) to:Hiram’s Riders, 3579 Masonic

Way, Pittsbugh, PA 15237.Please enclose a self-addressed,

stamped envelope for return of thetickets. Questions? 412-576-5856 or

[email protected]. v

The Motorcycle Rafflefor Charity is Back!

Iwould like to congratulate all of themembers who attended the statedmeeting in September. We had a greatcrowd who enjoyed our picnic fare fordinner. During the meeting we recognized

and honored our fifty and sixty yearmembers. Congratulations to each ofyou upon reaching this masonic mile-stone. The ladies enjoyed Bingo during the

meeting and all had a great time. On Saturday October 4, we had our

annual “Walk for Dyslexia” at the GreaterPittsburgh Masonic Center. The eventwas a great success with some newfaces from University of Pittsburgh Sor-ties and Fraternities. Thank you to Brothers Eric Cohen,

Austin Shifrin, Rich Rodibaugh, Don

Murphy and Ladies for all your work tomake the event happen. Lastly toBrother Cab Whitaker who offered up hisface for a few pies to raise money for ourdyslexia center. I found a poem that fits our masonic

tenants which reminds me of the lessonstaught in the 18th degree. I do not knowanything about the author and believe itwas written in 2007 and posted online.

“Bonds of Brotherhood”by Segun Kanyinsola Oluwa, Nigeria

The strongest link in the world,Is that of brotherhood,An oath so powerful,Nothing can break,The sacred oath,Link by blood is not enough,Love, honesty and trust is what it entails.It's like most phenominas, Of our time, Comes with its ups and downs,Its twist and turns,Those trivial moments,Are what makes the oath stronger,A brother is not just your friend,He is the one you share your,Deepest secrets with,The one who can read you, In and out,The one who you,Can never lie to.The one who stands by you,Through thick and thin,A friend not only in need, But a friend indeed,No one's else comes close,Than your brother,He loves you as you love him,So says the law,That binds you to him,As him to you, The law of brotherhood. During the holiday season should you

know of a Brother in need don’t hesitateto extend your helping hand. On behalf of the Officers of the Pitts-

burgh Chapter of Rose Croix, we wishyou and your family the most blessedand joyous Holiday Season. v


Message from the

Most Wise MasterRobert F. Dunkle, 32°

Chapter of Rose Croix


Scottish Rite Social &Charitable Events .

Saturday, December 6 Valley Christmas Luncheon

Shanoppin Country ClubThe Valley Christmas Luncheon party is

held every year at the Shanoppin CountryClub, where you can enjoy an excellentlunch, holiday music and plenty of poinsettasto be given away. The Shriners LuncheonClub usually joins with us for this event, andonce again, any family, friends or neighborsof Scottish Rite Masons are more than wel-come to us “Ring in the Holiday!” Check outthe ad on page 24 and send in your reserva-tion form quickly. Call 412-939-3579 for anyquestions you may have.

Saturday, December 13 - GPMCKids Christmas Party

The Princes of Jerusalemhave traditionally run this verysuccessful event that drawshundreds of kids, parents,grandparents and about every-

one else. The fun begins at 10:30 a.m. and of

course Santa will appear for the little ones,and all get to pick a toy. Pizza is served andthe price is right . . . FREE FOR EVERYONE!Bring your kid, grandkid or even a neighbor’skid with their mom and dad if you like, andenjoy some Valley holiday cheer. We ask forreservations, even though this is a free event,so we can plan for food and gifts. Call theValley office at 412-939-3579l

Saturday, December 20Hiram’s Riders

Christmas LuncheonGrant’s Bar & Grill

All Masons and their guests are welcome!A great Food-filled Christmas Luncheon

with shrimp & cheese tray hors d’oeuvres,soup, salad, steak & shrimp, onion rings,dessert, gifts and fellowship.

You do not have to be member to enjoythis special Holiday Luncheon treat!Questions? 412-576-5856 or by email at

[email protected]. See ad on page 24.

Grant St. Millvale

Happy Hanukkah

Are Your Valley2014/2015 Dues Paid?

Did you know youcan pay your annualdues by credit card online? The Scottish Rite

year runs from August 1to July 31. If you have not paid your2014/15 dues please go to:

www.scottishritenmj.org




The topic of this issue’s column willbe abdominal aortic aneurysm,

otherwise known as AAA or “triple A”. Ananeurysm is a localized widening or dilata-tion of a blood vessel. The wordaneurysm is taken from the Greek word“aneurysma” which means “a widening”.In fact, historical records reveal that Greeksurgeons tried unsuccessfully to surgicallyrepair AAA’s in the 2nd century AD. Theaorta is the large artery that carries bloodto the body when your heart contracts andpumps blood. The abdominal aorta is thatsegment of the aorta that extends from thediaphragm down to the mid abdomen be-fore it splits at the level of the pelvis intothe left and right iliac arteries which supplyblood to the legs. An abdominal aorticaneurysm (AAA) is therefore a dilatation ofthat segment of the aorta between the di-aphragm and the point at which it splitsinto the iliac arteries (although aneurysmscan sometimes involve one or both iliacarteries).Abdominal aortic aneurysms occur in

approximately 2-4% of the population inthe United States. They occur most com-monly in people between 65 and 75 yearsof age. They are more common in menthan women, and more common in Cau-casians than African Americans, Asians,and Hispanics. Established risk factors forAAA include tobacco usage, high bloodpressure (hypertension), more than casualalcohol consumption, elevated blood cho-lesterol levels which can cause arte-riosclerosis (hardening of the arteries),diabetes mellitus, blunt force trauma, ar-teritis (inflammation of the arteries), fungalinfections, connective tissue diseasessuch as Marfan Syndrome (tall peoplewith hands that extend to knee level orbelow - ie Abraham Lincoln), and heredity.Greater than 90% of people who developAAA have used tobacco at some point intheir lifetime, and there is an 8:1 increasein frequency of developing an AAA forsmokers versus non-smokers. If you have

had a first degree relative with an AAA, thechance of developing one yourself can beas high as 25%. The U.S. PreventiveServices Task Force recommends a one-time screening ultrasound for AAA inmales aged 65-75 who have a history oftobacco usage. It is uncertain as towhether screening is useful in femalesaged 65-75 who have a history of tobaccousage. Screening in females who do nothave a history of tobacco usage is not rec-ommended.An abdominal aortic aneurysm is de-

fined as a localized dilatation exceeding50% of the normal aortic diameter. Thenormal aortic diameter is usually in the 2centimeters (cm) range so an aneurysm isusually defined as an outer aortic diameterexceeding 3 cm. Abdominal aorticaneurysms are usually classified by theirsize, how slow or fast they are enlarging,and whether or not they are leaking blood.They are also classified by their location inrelation to where the renal arteries branchoff from the aorta. Approximately 90% ofAAA occur infrarenally (below the kidneys),but they can also occur pararenally (at thelevel of kidneys) or suprarenally (abovethe kidneys). The diagnostic tests that aretypically used to diagnose and monitor ab-dominal aortic aneurysms include abdomi-

nal ultrasound, computerized tomographyscan (CT scan), and magnetic resonanceimaging (MRI).The major complication of an AAA is

rupture which most often leads to massiveblood loss into the abdominal cavity whichresults in hypovolemic shock (loss of anadequate blood pressure to perfuse thebrain and other organs) and subsequentdeath. The signs and symptoms that anAAA has ruptured include the suddenonset of intense abdominal or back painthat may radiate into the legs, suddenonset of shortness of breath, sweatiness,clamminess, nausea/vomiting, sudden sig-nificant drop in blood pressure, and sud-den significant increase in heart rate. Themortality of AAA rupture is approximately70-95% with roughly 9000 deaths per yearin the U.S. 65-75% of patients die beforethey arrive at the hospital and up to 90%die before they can be taken to the operat-ing room. The post-operative mortality fora surgically repaired ruptured AAA isgreater than 40% while the post-operativemortality for a surgically repaired AAA thathas not ruptured is in the 1-6% range de-pending upon the patient’s comorbidities(coexisting conditions).The treatment options for an asympto-

matic AAA include conservative manage-ment, surveillance with plans for repair atsome point in the future, and immediaterepair. The size of the AAA plays a signifi-cant role in which treatment option is pur-sued. Small sized AAA’s are classified as4.0 centimeters (1.6 inches) in diameter orsmaller. These size aneurysms are typically

monitored with ultrasound examinationsevery 6-12 months. Surgery usually is notindicated because the risk of surgery mostlikely outweighs the risk of rupture.Medium sized AAA’s are classified asmeasuring 4.0-5.3 centimeters (1.6-2.1inches). These size aneurysms are alsooften monitored with ultrasound examina-tions every 6-12 months although the risksof surgery versus waiting and continuedmonitoring are less clear and the decisionabout which option to pursue is more indi-vidualized. Large sized AAA’s are classi-fied as measuring 5.5 cm (2.2 inches) orgreater. These size aneurysms, as wellas rapidly growing aneurysms which ex-pand by more than 0.5 cm in 6 months,should be referred to a Cardiothoracic

Your HealthDr. Glenn D. Miller, II, 33°, Chairman

Valley of Pittsburgh Medical Committee

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm


Surgeon (CT Surgeon) for repair evalua-tion. The two types of surgical procedures

for AAA that are available are open ab-dominal surgery and endovasculargraft/stent implantation. Open abdominalsurgical repair has been the gold standardsince the 1950’s. This is a major surgicalprocedure which involves a large abdomi-nal incision which is used to remove theaneurismal segment of the aorta. Thissegment is then replaced with a syntheticHelvetica covered by a metal mesh sup-port structure that is attached to thecatheter. The endovascular graft/stent ispositioned at the site of the aneurysm andreinforces the weakened section of theaorta to prevent rupture of the aneurysm.Endovascular grafts/stents were previ-ously limited for use in patients with in-frarenal AAA’s because the graft/stentwould “block off” blood flow to the kidneysif they were positioned across the renal ar-teries. However, some institutions like theCleveland Clinic are now involved in clini-cal trials with endovascular grafts/stentsthat have branches for the renal arterieswhich will allow patients with the othertypes of AAA’s to be candidates for thisless invasive procedure.Conservative management is reserved

for patients where surgical repair of anAAA would result in an unacceptably highrisk of mortality and in patients where sur-gical repair is unlikely to improve life ex-pectancy. The mainstay of conservativemanagement is cessation of tobaccousage. The risk of AAA rupture slowly de-creases after smoking cessation. Otherstrategies include tight control of bloodpressure, blood cholesterol, and diabetesmellitus parameters. However, it shouldbe noted that there is no definitive evi-dence that any medical therapy is effec-tive at decreasing the growth rate orrupture rate of asymptomatic AAA’s. v

The purpose of this column is to providean overview of a particular condition and tostimulate you to discuss the matter furtherwith your personal physician should youhave any concerns. If only one of ourbrothers, or their family members, is stimu-lated enough to seek medical evaluationwhich results in the prevention of a lifethreatening condition, then I will considerthis column to be a resounding success.


Fidelity, Masonry & Christmas

There it sat, wrapped in greenpaper with drawings of little

candy canes, surrounded by a carefully-tied broad red ribbon. The smell of thecookies inside the package lingered inthe air. The Master’s wife had baked sev-eral dozen of the Christmas treats andput them into little parcels to be deliveredto the widows of members of the Lodge.The Master had driven around to dropthem off, along with a card and a holiday

wish from their late husband’s brothers inMasonry. But one package remained onthe dining room table.“All of the guys jumped up and volun-

teered at the last meeting to take these tothe widows, but I’m the only one who’sbeen doing it,” thought the Master to him-self. “I know! I’ll call around and see whocan deliver the last one.”He punched some numbers into his


After the frigid, bitterly cold, andsnow-filled winter last year, many

of you are wondering just what this win-ter might bring. Could it possibly be asbad as last?According to the 2015 edition of the

Farmers’ Almanac, the winter of 2014 –2015 will see below normal tempera-tures for about three-quarters of thenation. A large zone of very cold temper-atures will be found from east of theContinental Divide east to the Ap-palachians. The most frigid temperatureswill be found from the Northern Plainsinto the Great Lakes. The coldest out-break of the season will come during thefinal week of January into the beginningof February, when frigid arctic air dropstemperatures across the Northern Plainsto perhaps 40 below zero. As the frigidair blows across the Great Lakes, snowshowers and squalls will drop heavyamounts of snow to the lee of the Lakes.No region will see prolonged spells of

above normal temperatures; only nearthe West and East Coasts will tempera-tures average close to normal.Over the eastern third of the country,

we are expecting an active storm trackwith a number of storms delivering copi-ous amounts of snow and rain. Near-normal precipitation is expected for thePacific Northwest, the Southwest States,

and Northern Plains, while below-normalprecipitation values are forecast for theSouthwest States as well as the UpperMidwest and the Great Lakes. The Cen-tral and Southern Plains are expected toreceive above-average precipitation.We are “red flagging” the first 10 days

of January and the first week of Februaryalong the Atlantic Seaboard for activewintry weather featuring bouts of heavyprecipitation and strong winds. Anotherred flag timeframe for widespread wintryconditions is the middle part of Marchfrom the nation’s midsection to the EastCoast.As we were putting the finishing

touches on this year’s long-range projec-tions, the National Oceanic Atmosphericand Administration issued an official ElNiño watch. An El Niño is a warming of the central

Pacific once every few years, from acombination of wind and waves in thetropics. It shakes up climate around theworld, changing rain and temperaturepatterns. An El Niño could result in more rain

this winter for drought-stricken Californiaand Southern States, and a milder winterfor the nation’s frigid northern tier. ElNiños are usually strongest from Decem-ber to April, but there’s no guarantee thatwe will see one this winter. We’ll justhave to wait and see, but in the meantime, all of us at the Farmers’ Almanacsuggest you stock up on firewood,sweaters, and hot cocoa. It certainlylooks like another long winter of shiveryand shovelry is on tap. Plan warmweather vacations accordingly. v

Winter Forecast 2014 - 2015

- Advertising Insertion Order Form -Enclosed is my check in the amount of $ for insertions as indicated below.

1st Line

2nd Line

Heading requested

Business or Service name

Address Phone

City State Zip

October 2013 The Rite News Page 22.

ACCOUNTING & TAXATION Richard A. Reynolds, CPA 412-795-4194

www.RichReynoldsCPA.ComADVERTISING SPECIALITIES Grimes Advertising 412-921-1325 Eddie GrimesAIR AMBULANCE SERVICE Ross & Ross, Ltd. 804-516-4602 Allen W. Ross www.rnr2insure.us

ATTORNEYS Ecker, Ecker & Ecker 412-261-4444 All Cases Robert X. Medonis & Associates Wills, Estates, Litigation 412-531-3131

AUCTION SERVICES Johnson Auction Service 724-457-1100 Mark K. Giles 147 Flaugherty Run Rd.AUTOMOTIVE American Classics – Street Rods Dennis A. Liegey 814-797-2136 Flynn’s Tire & Auto Service 724-346-3701

18 Locations www.FlynnsTire.Com W. L. Davison Forensic Services Since 1986 724-625-6210BEARINGS & POWER TRANSMISSION Gipson Bearing & Supply Co. 412-462-7960 Craig Gipson www.gipsonbearing.comCATERING Mary Anne’s 412-331-2322 Mary Anne Hudson’s Catering 724-4438-2025 Richard Hudson www.UniontownCatering.com Party Line Catering 412-882-7110 Brian MeadorCHIMNEY REPOINTING & REBUILDING Coffey Contracting Co. Inc. 412-341-1127 Tom Coffey [email protected] JOCKEY

DJ Nick Barcio 814-860-1258www.DJBarcio.com

FINANCIAL PLANNING Allegheny Investors Ltd 412-831-3159 Donald E. Sauer, CFP Daley & Associates 724-926-8588 John T. Daley www.daleyplanning.netFLORAL SERVICES Wallace Floral Shoppe 412-381-1000 Chuck WallaceFUNERAL SERVICE Jefferson Memorial Cemetery & Funeral Home Pleasant Hills 412-655-4500 George Irvin Green Funeral Home Munhall, West Mifflin 412-461-6394

FUNERAL SERVICE cont’dSlater Funeral Homes 412-563-2800

Mt. Washington, Scott Twp., Bethel Park Warco-Falvo Funeral Home 724-225-1500 Tim Warco, Washington, PA Young Funeral Home Ltd 724-283-3333

William F. Young, Jr., Butler, PAHEATING & AIR CONDITIONING Bergfelt Heating, Cooling & Remodeling Bro. Eric Bergfelt, Sr. 412-761-5774 Ralph Dankmyer, Inc. 412-431-5326 Installation & Service 412-600-7070HOME REMODELERS

Unglo Construction LLC 412-977-8924Building, Renovation & Remodeling PA069933

INSURANCE Colonial-Fleming Insurance, Inc.

Michael Misour 724-274-6333 Doege Insurance Agency, Inc.

Buzz Doege 412-351-8820 Rodgers Insurance Group

James M. Wehur 412-922-1651JANITORIAL SUPPLIES Paper - Ice Melt

Dr. Nathan Savitz 412-243-2121Products at Economical Prices idealsoap.com

JEWELERWerner Jewelers Since 1969 412-367-2336Pines Plaza Shopping Center

LANDSCAPING Alex Landscaping 724-327-2539 Alex Walters [email protected] SHOP Johnston Machine Works, Inc. Bob Johnston 724-695-7730MEN’S CLOTHING & FORMALWEAR Chilbert & Co. Formalwear & More Ray Petronio 412-264-3700MOTORCOACH TRANSPORTATION Budget Charters 724-246-1982 Gary F. ShimshockMOTORCYCLE DEALERS Three Rivers Harley-Davidson George Gatto 412-487-3377MORTGAGES Paul E. Klaus, President/CEO 412-559-4030 Wholesale Rates [email protected]

PHOTOGRAPHY Bob Binnie 412-298-3568 www.bobbinnie.com [email protected] McCarrison Plumbing Co. 412-795-2529 Ronald L. McCarrison

John R. Meyers Plumbing, Inc. 412-787-2370Since 1972, John R. Meyers

PRINTING Unity Printing 724-537-5800 Jay Ernette www.unityprinting.comREALTOR Harry Anderson - Northwood 412-487-3200 [email protected] Coffey Contracting Co. Inc. 412-341-1127 Tom Coffey [email protected] REPAIRS Mazza Shoe Repairing 412-341-7493

Vincent M. Mazza 618 Brookline Blvd. SIGNS QuickSigns [email protected] Coraopolis, Pa 412-269-9753STEEL BUILDINGS Bennett Buildings Inc. 1-888-827-8335 Bob Bennett [email protected] TOWING Marchand Auto Service’s 724-222-2580 24 Hr. Towing & RecoveryTRAILERS Barnyard Trailer Sales

Gregg Wilson 724-438-7658TRUCKING Bee Mac Trucking 1-800-282-8781

Rick MacklinKirk Trucking Service Inc. 724-468-8100Donald Cox [email protected]

VIDEO SECURITY Enterprise Video Systems 724-940-2333 Tim Heeter www.evideosystems.comVIDEOGRAPHY SERVICE The Perfect Image 1-866-438-5146

Gregory S. Wilson PerfectImageDVD.com

Valley of Pittsburgh Masonic Services DirectoryValley

of Pittsburgh

Spes Mea In DeoEst

“The Valley of Pittsburgh Masonic Services Directory’s advertisers subscribeto providing high quality customer service, delivered with a sense of warmth,friendliness, individual pride, respect, honesty, and fraternal spirit.”

Certified Home RemodelersBob Bruno 412-276-7757

Windows - Siding - RoofingBasement Remodeling

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Vince Merlot • 1-800-443-827710 Plum St. Verona, PA 15147

MASONIC SERVICES DIRECTORY

FOR OFFICE USE

West & Associates, P.C.C. Arthur West III, Attorney at Law

Ph. 412-486-2800Website: www.west-legal.com

Real Estate, Personal Injury, Estates

Mail to: The Rite News, 3579 Masonic Way, Pittsburgh, PA 15237

2 line listing($40.00 - 4 issues)




by Jeffrey M. Wonderling, 33°

Wonderlingonders !

Iwonder . . . Alright already-enough about you, let’s talk

about me. Some 22 years ago itstarted. Every time I would visit Her-man’s Tire in Connellsville Pennsyl-vania, Bob would talk about this“Lodge thing.” He would say thingssuch as; “I have Lodge tonight,” or,“My Lodge is having this or thatevent.” I really didn’t pay too much at-

tention to his comments. Over 18months or so the references “TheLodge” or “The Masons” becamemore and more frequent. During avisit one day I noticed that wheneverhe broached the subject we were inhis shop alone. So I finally askedthe question, “Just exactly what isthis Lodge stuff you have been talk-ing about?”He gave me a detailed description

of what Freemasonry is and thepurpose of the Lodge. I was, to saythe least, intrigued. I made many,many queries regarding Freema-sonry, learned as much about theFraternity as possible. Could it bethat I could really become a Freema-son? I was honored that my friendBobby would think so highly of methat he would invite me into hisLodge. The idea of a group of mentaking care of each other was rightup my alley. I eventually asked how Icould become a Freemason. What have I learned in the last 22

years?In order to understand our pur-

pose as I see it I offer the definitionof the word Fraternity.

1: a group of people associatedor formally organized for a commonpurpose, interest, or pleasure: as afraternal order.

2: the quality or state of beingbrothers.To me the key words here are

“being brothers”. My Masonic broth-ers are like family and should betreated as such. Now I dare to enter into a conver-

sation that is ”taboo”, so brace your-self, here it comes.Why should I join this Fraternity of

Masons? What’s in it for me?Over the years, this idea of assis-

tance and relief has lost its impor-tance. When I was in retail sales,one on one with consumers, the ex-planation of benefits and featureswas key to ringing the cash register: For example, “This particular tire willgive you enhanced traction for thefull life of the tire because of the fulldepth siping in the tread blocks thatsimilar tires may not have.”The truth is that there must be a

benefit for people to buy into a con-cept or product. What’s in it for me? The question

must be, “what do we do for eachother?” When, was the last time thatyou helped a Brother get a job, gavehim or his widow a few bucks duringa rough time, or drove the extra mileto patronize his business? Maybeyou have had the opportunity to helphim with a project. I have been for-tunate to participate in countlessinstances where I was privileged toassist a Brother and/or his family. Ihave also been on the receiving end.One night I was telling a MasonicBrother that I was going to put a roofon my house. On the day of theproject I had 13 volunteers on myroof with all the necessary equip-ment to get the job done. We had agreat time of fun and fellowship and

OnCamera!Continued from page 16.

it didn’t seem very much like work. When you experi-ence such a show of support you tend to want to helpa brother so that they have the same feeling. It is thenthat you will “GET IT”. The irony is that the true bene-fit of the Fraternity is the incredible pride, satisfactionand self-worth you feel when you help a Brother. Theadditional benefit of the friendships and networks thatnaturally develop through participation is simply icingon the cake.It is admirable the amount of time, talent, and

finances that the Masons donate to a myriad of chari-ties. Please do not misunderstand, our belovedschool for Dyslexia has done yeomen’s work. Itchanged the life of the daughter of a friend of mine.The schools contribution to society cannot be over-stated but it is merely a byproduct of what good mendo. We give back. However, that cannot and will nothelp us grow. It is high time that we get back to ourroots. My Brothers, we all “talk the talk” but how many

“walk the walk?” It is very easy to ACT like a Masonbut much more difficult to BE a Mason? It is hardwork. If we actually make it a point to assist eachother as Brothers, good men will be knocking on ourdoors to get in. I wonder when it will no longer be a hardship to

serve a Brother Master Mason. v

“FOOT TO FOOT”

Don’t miss the next Valley Car Club Cruise - June 7.

Dick & Carol Stemmler at Westmoreland Lodge No. 518for the Commemorative Plate presentation to Brother

James L. Ernette, Past Grand Master.

G

A Tailgate Party starts at 6:00p.m. at the Greater PittsburghMasonic Center featuring ChefDon Murphy’s famous hot dogs,hamburgers, salads, dessertsand beverages.

After the ‘dinner party’ sitback, relax, have a beer, andenjoy the 49th exciting NFLSuperbowl on the BIG, BIG(9’ x 12’) TV screen.

Cost? Only $5.00Family and Friends are invited to join you, if you desire.

Please RSVP to the Valley Office: 412-939-3579.



Place a ‘Masonic License Plate’ on your car.(call 412-939-3579 for application)

Proud to be a MasonLapel Pin – $5.00

Proud to be Americans3.5” Vinyl – $1.50

Show You’re Proud to be a Mason

Vinyl 3” fade resistant Car Badges. - $9.00

Valley T-Shirt - all sizesavailable – $14.00

Valley Golf Shirt all sizesavailable – $35.00

- ORDER FORM - Please send me items as indicated: Sheet/s of car badges @ $9 each = $ Valley T-Shirt/s @ $14 each = $

Sm M L XL Valley Golf Shirt/s @ $35 each = $

Sm M L XL XXL Proud to be a Mason @ $5 each = $ Proud to be Americans @ $1.50 = $ Name Address Ph. City State Zip Mail to: GPMC, 3579 Masonic Way, Pgh. PA 15237

• PENNSYLVANIA •

BLUE LODGE

M B00000Sunday

February 1, 2015

Sunday, February 22, 2015

SUPERBOWL XLIX

NASCAR NEXTEL CUP

Sponsored by the Valley of Pittsburgh and the Grotto

Sponsored by the Valley of Pittsburgh

2 BIG FEBRUARY SPECIAL EVENTS

Doors open at 12:30 p.m. FOX TV broadcast begins at 1:00p.m. on the (9’ x 12’) TV screen in the Grotto room at theGreater Pittsburgh Masonic Center.H Refreshments H 50/50 Drawing H Cards H Fellowship

Call the Valley Office at 412-939-3579 for reservations.

Cost? Only $5.00 (for members)FREE TO POTENTIAL SPRING CLASS CANDIDATES



Hello membersof the Valley

of Pittsburgh! Myname is ShaunaJohnston and I am thewife of William G.Johnston, Past ThricePotent Master of theGourgas Lodge ofPerfection, and best known forhis work on stage with theDirector’s Staff. I have lived in the Bur-

gettstown area my whole life,graduating from BurgettstownHigh School in 2001. I alsoattended Western Area Careerand Technology Center duringthat time, where I majored incosmetology. I am currentlyemployed as a machine opera-tor at Duerr Packaging Com-pany in Imperial, PA. In my free time, I like spend-

ing time with my family and

being outdoors. My wonderful son

Logan, is now 8 yearsold and in the 3rd gradeat Burgettstown Ele-mentary School. He iscurrently involved in theBear Den at Cub ScoutPack 1396 in Baving-

ton, PA. In 2007, I met my hus-band at the Sears Auto Center,and we got married on May26th, 2012. At our wedding, there were

over 50 masons and theirwives in attendance, most ofwhich were members of theValley! It truly shows howfamily friendly the Valley ofPittsburgh is! I have met many of you at

Valley social functions, and if Ihaven’t met you yet, I look for-ward to meeting you in the nearfuture! v

Choose a hairconditioner that

matches your hairtype. For thickercoarse hair, pick onethat has extra moistur-izing ingredients, asthis type of hair sup-ports these agents. For thinner hair, a lighter,

volume enhancing one thatwon't weigh down your hair isrecommended. Thin hair conditioner should

be applied toward theends and not at theroots. Avoid using a com-

bination shampoo/con-ditioner all in one asthey are more effectivewhen used separately.Over time, combined

use may not clean as well, andleave a residue build up on yourhair.

Always rinse well whenusing any type of conditioner. v

The Rite Ladies

Toni’s Hair Tips

Members Feedback"I want to compliment the Val-ley of Pittsburgh on a wonder-ful time my wife and I had atthe September Stated Meeting.The food was great, and every-one I sat with enjoyed the burg-ers, dogs and beans as well.The door prizes and 50/50

were also a hit, even though Ididn't win anything. My wifeLOVED the bingo, and wehope the valley will do thatagain in the future."

Thomas C. Scottish Rite Mason

Toni Boehm

Having a daughter whois the head Banquet

Pastry Chef at the Wynn /Encore Resort in Las VegasNevada means that my wifeand I must bear the burden oftraveling there for desserts,casinos and warm weathervacations. It’s a tough job,but somebody has to do it!I’ve never attended Lodge

there, so I looked up andcontacted Nellis Lodge No. 46,which invited me to attend a2nd Degree on a Tuesdaynight. I was warmly greeted and

offered a Pizza dinner, compli-mentary of course, and thengiven the examination. It issimilar to our visitor examina-tion, but requiring moreknowledge of specific aspectsof Masonry.The Lodge was opened,

much differently from ours,and the Deacons went toevery member to receive the2nd Degree word. Visitorsand Past Masters were recog-nized and welcomed as wedo, and then an unusualcustom unfolded. Some Nevada Lodges have

a symbol such as a statue orgavel or something with theirname that can be claimed byanother Lodge who visits withat least 5 members. OasisLodge No. 41 came andclaimed Nellis’s statue, arooster on a platform, whichled to much good natured ban-tering among the members.It’s also a great way to encour-age members to return thevisit and steal back their lodgeproperty.

Then the2nd Degreewas con-ferred onfour candi-dates simul-taneously.This means that all four wereprepared, much like we do,and four Bibles were openedat the large altar so all couldassume the obligation at thesame time. The candidateswere marched around theLodge room and given someeducation about the 2ndDegree, and then exited. A 20minute recess was called andthen the Fellow Craft werereturned for the lecture. While our lecture is a recap,

they choose to give a detailedexplanation about the fiveprinciple orders of architectureand the seven liberal arts,which we only mention in the2nd Degree. This is done in arather unusual manner aswell, compared to our presen-tation. Although very differentfrom our 2nd, the meaning isthe same. I would say wehave a formal and streamlinedpresentation, while theirs ismore relaxed, less structured,but a bit long. This ended upbeing a three hour night forone Degree.It was an eye opening and

enjoyable experience to seehow Masonry changes fromstate to state, but the warmgreetings and fraternal broth-erhood will always be stan-dard of our beautiful fraternity,and I will certainly visit NellisLodge No. 46 on my nextburdensome trip to Las Vegas.

Masonry, Nevada Styleby Donald W. Boehm, 33°

Commander-in-Chief

WHENALL

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READ

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TIONS

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s

MAKE RESERVATIONS NOW!Enclosed is my check payable to Hiram’s Riders in the amount of:

$ for reservations.

Name

Name

Phone ( ) Information - 412-576-5856

E-Mail

Mail to: Hiram’s Riders, GPMC, 3579 Masonic Way, Pgh. PA 15237

Saturday, December 20Fellowship Hour: 11:00 a.m.

H Onion Rings, Cocktail Shrimp, Cheese TrayLunch: 12:00 noon

H Surf & Turf (8oz Filet Mignon & Shrimp)Soup, Salad, Vegetable, Dessert

H Door Prizes H Change of Watch H AwardsALL MASONS & FRIENDS WELCOME!

ChristmasLuncheon

Shannopin Country Club

Windmere Road, Ben Avon Heights

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2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Children’sChristmas Party

Saturday, December 13

Hiram’s RidersChristmas Luncheon

$25per

person

$25per

person

CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON RESV. FORMEnclosed is my check payable to Lodge of Perfection in theamount of $ for reservations for

the annual Christmas Luncheon at Shannopin Country Club.

Name

Phone ( ) For info. call 412-939-3579

Entree Choices: Fowl Fish Vegetarian

Note: If you desire to sit with a particular party, please includetheir name/s with your Reservation. [ ] check if table of 8

Mail to: GPMC, 3579 Masonic Way, Pgh. PA 15237

10:30 a.m.Cookies Pizza Soft Drinks

Photos with Santa H Gift for each Child

Greater Pittsburgh Masonic CenterEntertainment by Magician TJ Hill

A FREE Children’s Party for Scottish Rite Masons & Guestssponsored by the Valley of Pittsburgh

Hosted by Pennsylvania Council Princes of JerusalemAustin R.Shifrin, 32°, Sovereign Prince

Christmas in the Valley

Grants Grill & LoungeGrant St. Millvale

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Holiday EntertainmentAssigned Seating(tables of 8 available)

Please List Guests (first & last name)

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d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d

Saturday, December 6Social Hour 11:00 a.m. H Door Prizes

Choice of Entree:Chicken Saltimbocca H Herb Crusted Tilapia

Vegetarian Plate




We will all getthe call or

have already receivedthe call that a belovedBrother is in bad healthand will not be with us

much longer. It is a call that is met with allsorts of emotions. How do you say good-bye? Certainly this is not a question thathas some sort of pat answer. Each farewelldepends on many variables, the closenessof the relationship and the amount ofshared experiences are two such variables.On one occasion, the call came aboutBrother Jim.Jim fought the good fight in battling his ill-

ness but the battle was now lost. VisitingJim in the hospital was difficult for me andfor the two Brethren who accompanied me.Jim had progressed to the point that hecould no longer speak but was still able tomake eye contact from time to time. Jimwas on my examining committee when Ipetitioned my Lodge, he was my mentoras I progressed through the degrees, he of-fered council as I worked through the chairsof the Blue Lodge, and he gave me a Scot-tish Rite ring when I joined the Valley ofPittsburgh. Jim meant a lot to me and tomany of the members of our Lodge. Howdoes one say goodbye?After a short visit with Jim and his daugh-

ter it was time for us to leave. We stood inline to bid Jim farewell. The first to go wasthe Secretary of our lodge. After he saidgoodbye he spoke with Jim’s daughter bythe doorway to discuss Masonic funeralarrangements. I took my place next to Jimand took his hand. I had no words to say tomy friend, my mentor, my Brother. I did theonly thing I could think of that would conveyto Jim what he meant to me and that wouldbring to his mind the things we shared aswe travelled the road of Masonry together; Ipositioned his hand into the Master Mason’sgrip, the grip that is as strong as a lion’s,and said, “Farewell my Brother”.At that moment Jim’s eyes locked on

mine and he tried desperately to speak butthe words would not come. For that briefmoment we were speaking the unspokenlanguage of Freemasonry. We have allheard that there is no secret in our grips butthere is meaning. In that grip we communi-cated the 17,000 or so words in our threeBlue Lodge degrees, we communicated our

by David W. Morgans, 33°1st. Lieutenant Commander

time spent in Lodge, in rehearsals, and insocial events. We relived our shared ex-periences over a twenty-year friendship ina matter of seconds. In that grip we spokevolumes but in that grip we also saidfarewell to each other.I left Jim’s side and spoke with his

daughter. As we spoke, I looked over hershoulder back toward Jim just in time tosee the third in our group, a 22 year oldand a relatively new Mason, positionJim’s hand in the same way. Havingwatched what just happened, he too wassaying farewell in the only way that madesense to him. Jim took the last step of hisearthly journey about nine hours later. Afew days later Jim’s Brothers gatheredtogether to acknowledge the relationshipwhich the dearest ties of friendship andlove enjoin, that of tendering a farewellto our departed Brother at his Masonicfuneral.Freemasonry offers us all many shared

experiences that have great meaning. Weall have traveled the same path that manygood and worthy Brethren have traveledbefore us and Masonic traditions arepassed from one generation of Masons tothe next, through both word and deed, aswe build relationships with each other.Nothing can fully document the entirety ofour Masonic professions, however, in cer-tain circumstances a simple grip can com-municate volumes and can offer theopportunity for two Brothers to bid eachother an intricate, elegant, and heartfelt,“Farewell, my Brother.” v


Farewell My Brotherthe Modern 31st

Good Willto Men

Peace onEarth



Scottish Rite Social &Charitable Events

Continued from page 17.

Sunday, March 29, 2015 Story of the Crucifixion - GPMC

Probably the most attendedevent at the Valley. Every yearon Palm Sunday, the ValleyPlayers act out the story of theLast Supper and Crucifixion ofJesus in dramatic form.

Costumes, makeup, wigs, lighting andsound enhancements bring the story tolife, with music and hymns as well. Theplay is free to everyone, so “Come All Yefaithful” and celebrate the life of LordJesus. A meal is also available after theshow for a nominal cost. Reservationsneeded for dinner.

Friday , May 22, 2015 Scholarships/Man of the Year

GPMCThis is a night where we honor four out-

standing members from the Valley for theirdedication to God, family and fraternity.Then the attention shifts to the young, aswe award cash prizes to essay winnersfrom local schools on the subject of“Family Importance”. Abbott and Valley scholarships are

awarded to deserving children and grand-children of Scottish Rite members attend-ing college. This is an outstanding benefitavailable to our members, so heck withthe Office and see if your child or grand-child qualifies. Open to all with requireddinner reservations.

Other TBA Events Valley Golf Outing - June

Vintage/Classic Car Club CruiseThis yearly Car Cruise is sponsored

by the Valley of Pittsburgh Vintage/ClassicCar Club as a community event that drawscars from all eras, so come and check outsome sweet machines with the whole fam-ily. Food, prizes, D.J. music and much,more are to be had, and all for the benefitof our Children’s Dyslexia Center.

Check our Web SiteRegularly for New Events

www.valleyofpittsburgh.org

cell phone. The Senior Warden answered.“Dave, it’s Rick,” said the Master cheerfully.“Mrs. Wilson’s cookies are over here and Iwas wondering if you could drop them off?We talked to her a few days ago and toldher we’d do it tonight, and…”“Yeah, I’d like to,” replied the Senior

Warden, “but tonight’s a really bad night.You know Thursday’s my Warcraft nightand I’m kicking ass.”“Can’t you play some other night?”“Not now. I’m the middle of this. Maybe

tomorrow, if I’m not at a new level in a fewhours.”The Master thanked him and put a call

in to the Junior Deacon. “Steve, rememberyou said you could help deliver the widows’Christmas presents? Mrs. Wilson’s is sit-ting here…”“I’m sorry,” said the Junior Deacon. “I

know I said that, but my office Christmasparty is tonight and I have to go to that.The boss kind of expects it.”“Can’t you say ‘no’ to him?”“Well, you know he doesn’t have a high

opinion of us to begin with because hewants me to work late all the time and Ican’t if something with the Lodge is hap-pening. Besides, drinks are free. Talk toyou next meeting.”The Junior Deacon hung up. Somewhat

forlornly, the Master tried a few other mem-bers, all of whom had promised they wouldpersonally hand out gifts to the widows.But one was going out with some buddiesthat night. Another was too tired after work.Yet another said the widow lived too far outof the way for him. Still another had a con-cordant body meeting he wanted to go to.Finally, the Master tried the last person onhis list, a Past Master of the Lodge.“I need your help. Last meeting you said

you’d help deliver the widow’s gifts. Mrs.Wilson’s is sitting here and…“Wilson?!” he interrupted. “Did you know

her husband? He dumped on me the wholeyear I was in the chair. He kept giving mehell for all kinds of little things.”“That doesn’t have anything to do with

his widow. It’s a Lodge tradition we go outand deliver…”“And another thing,” butted in the Past

Master. “Last meeting you came down tothe altar at the wrong time. And you gavethe wrong knocks to close the Lodge. Can’tyou follow traditions? Don’t you pay atten-tion at practices or know what’s in yourritual book?”“We were talking about Mrs. Wilson…”“Wilson. The hell with him.” With that the

cell went dead.The Master prepared to pick up the

lonely little parcel when the phone rangunexpectedly in the other room. He pickedup the receiver.“My name is Mrs. Lane,” the feeble old

voice at the other end quavered. “I live nextdoor to Gladys Wilson. I thought I’d bettercall you. She has been taken to the hospi-tal.”“What!?” answered the stunned Master.“I had invited her over for dinner tonight,

but she said she couldn’t come becauseshe was waiting for the Masons. She got alittle tired while waiting and went to callsomeone to see if there was a problem, butshe slipped on the carpet and fell. I thinkshe had been on the floor for awhile. Itlooks pretty serious. I thought I’d better callyou.”“My father was a Mason a long time

ago,” Mrs. Lane went on. “He didn’t talkabout it much, but all I know is when I wasa girl during the Depression, the Masonshelped us.One Christmas we had nothing. And

there was about two feet of snow. But abunch of the Masons came over with a treeand a huge baked turkey. They put up thetree and decorated it, then we ate theturkey and they sang Christmas carols tome and my three sisters until it was bed-time. It was so wonderful. I learned thenthat when times are tough, you can dependon the Masons.”“Thank you for calling me, Mrs. Lane,”

said the Master.“It’s just too bad someone didn’t get

here a little earlier because this probablywouldn’t have happened,” added the oldwoman. “But God bless you Masons.”“Yes, thanks again,” replied the Master,

and gently hung up the phone.And as the Master put on his jacket, and

picked up the little wrapped parcel to taketo the hospital in the clear, moon-litevening, he wondered if the Masons todayreally were as dependable as their forefa-thers. Or, if the admonition of not letting“public and private avocations” interferewith Masonry had turned into nothing morethan a convenient excuse.Look into your heart and see if you truth-

fully can answer this question: “Am I aMason who follows my Obligation?” or,“Am I a Parrot Mason who say’s what I willand can do, but doesn’t follow what I say?”If you can “Talk the Talk, then, Walk the

Walk!” v

Fidelity, Masonry & ChristmasContinued from page 19.

November 201421, 22 - VALLEY FALL REUNION CLASS, GPMC25 - High 12 Luncheon - Masonic Village at Sewickley29 - Fellowship Breakfast, GPMC

December 201403 - Grand Lodge December Quarterly - Philadelphia, 10 a.m. 06 - Valley Christmas Luncheon, Shanoppin Country Club13 - Valley Children’s Christmas Party, GPMC 20 - Hiram’s Riders Christmas Luncheon, Grants Bar23 - High 12 Luncheon - Masonic Village at Sewickley

January 201527 - High 12 Luncheon - Masonic Village at Sewickley 31 - Fellowship Breakfast, GPMC

February 201501 - Superbowl Party, GPMC05 - VALLEY STATED MEETING22 - Daytona 500 Party, GPMC 24 - High 12 Luncheon - Masonic Village at Sewickley 28 - Fellowship Breakfast, GPMC

March 201524 - High 12 Luncheon - Masonic Village at Sewickley 28 - Fellowship Breakfast, GPMC29 - Story of the Crucifixion

April 201502 - VALLEY STATED MEETING17, 18 - Spring Class, GPMC 25 - Fellowship Breakfast, GPMC 28 - High 12 Luncheon - Masonic Village at Sewickley

May 201522 - Scholarship Night, GPMC 26 - High 12 Luncheon - Masonic Village at Sewickley 30 - Fellowship Breakfast, GPMC

June 201504 - VALLEY STATED MEETING07 - Car Club Cruise - GPMC23 - High 12 Luncheon - Masonic Village at Sewickley 27 - Fellowship Breakfast, GPMC

July 201525 - Fellowship Breakfast, GPMC 28 - High 12 Luncheon - Masonic Village at Sewickley

August 201507 - Masonic Day - Kennywood Park30 - Sept 1 - Biennial Meeting of the Supreme Council, Indianapolis29 - Fellowship Breakfast, GPMC

September 201503 - VALLEY STATED MEETING13 - Car Club Cruise - GPMC26 - Fellowship Breakfast, GPMC

October 201501 - Oktoberfest, GPMC 03 - Walk for Dyslexia, GPMC31 - Fellowship Breakfast, GPMC

Schedule updated monthly: www.valleyofpittsburgh.orgGPMC - Greater Pittsburgh Masonic Center

VALLEY OF PITTSBURGH OFFICERS August 1, 2014 - July 31, 2015

GOURGAS LODGE OF PERFECTION 14°Paul J. Roup, 33° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Thrice Potent MasterRobert B. Ruff, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Deputy MasterSam H. Jessee, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Senior WardenShawn P. Lang, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Junior WardenBrian T. Wilding, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .OratorBranden T. Plesh, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Master of CeremoniesZack S. Morgans, 32°. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .GuardPENNSYLVANIA COUNCIL, PRINCES OF JERUSALEMAustin R. Shifrin, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sovereign PrinceLarry D. Horath, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .High PriestWilliam J. Wiker, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Senior WardenErastus Z. Allen, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Junior WardenJoseph G. Whitaker, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Master of CeremoniesRobert M. Polander, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Master of EntrancesPITTSBURGH CHAPTER OF ROSE CROIX 18°Robert F. Dunkle, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Most Wise MasterRodney E. Boyce, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Senior WardenRobert B. Malwitz., 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Junior WardenJames C. Mayes, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .OratorJoshua S. Freeman, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Master of CeremoniesCharles J. Anthony, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .GuardPENNSYLVANIA CONSISTORY 32°Donald W. Boehm, 33° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Commander-in-ChiefDavid W. Morgans, 33° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1st. Lt. CommanderJeffrey M. Wonderling, 33° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2nd Lt. CommanderMark D. Sedlemeyer, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .OratorJoshua L. Miller, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ChancellorMitchell D. Goldstein, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Master of CeremoniesCharles H. King, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Engineer & SeneschalDavid B. Firda, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Standard BearerJeffrey R. Jones, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Guard

D. William Roberts, 33° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .TreasurerDonald M. Murphy, 33° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .SecretaryVito A. Urso, 33° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .HospitalerDennis R. Johnston, 33° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .TilerDonald E. Sauer, 33°, Joseph G. Whitaker, 32° . .Masonic Fund Society Charles M. Bombich, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Representatives

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEDonald W. Boehm, 33°, Chairman

Rodney E. Boyce, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Robert F. Dunkle, 32° Larry D. Horath, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .David W. Morgans, 33°Donald M. Murphy, 33° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D. William Roberts, 33°Paul J. Roup, 33° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Robert B. Ruff, 32°Austin R. Shifrin, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jeffrey M. Wonderling, 33°Thomas K. Sturgeon, 33°, Active . . . . . . . . .Vito A. Urso, 33°,Trustee

TRUSTEESVito A. Urso, 33°, Chairman

Jeff A. Biddle, 33° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Patrick G. Blackwell, 33°Donald W. Boehm, 33° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Keith J. Caito, 33°Robert F. Dunkle, 32° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stephen A. George, 33° Donald M. Murphy, 33° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D. William Roberts, 33° Richard A. Rodibaugh, 33° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Paul J. Roup, 33°

Austin R. Shifrin, 32°TRUSTEES EMERITUS

Donald H. Coester, 33° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Charles W. Doege, Jr., 33°Robert E. Dunkelman, 33° . . . . . . . . . . . .William J. Ebertshauser, 33°Edward H. Fowler, Jr., 33° . . . . . . . . . . . . .Robert R. Havers, Sr., 33°John W. Hisiro, 33° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dennis R. Johnston, 33° Albert L. Kappeler, Jr., 33° . .Robert Mellon, 33°. . Donald E. Sauer, 33°Walter L. Sykes, 33° . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kurt R. Tesche, 33°

SECRETARY EMERITUSElwood R. Schultise, 33°

ALLEGIANCEThe bodies of the Scottish Rite, sitting in the Valley of Pittsburgh, Stateof Pennsylvania, acknowledge and yield allegiance to the SupremeCouncil, 33°, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for theNorthern Masonic Jurisdiction of the United States of America whoseGrand East is in Lexington, Massachusetts, and whose Officers are:Ill...John Wm. McNaughton, 33°, Sovereign Grand Commander,Ill...Russell W. Baker, 33°, Deputy for Pennsylvania. Other Active mem-bers of the State of Pennsylvania are: Ill...C. DeForrest Trexler, 33°,Ill...Thomas K. Sturgeon, 33°, Ill...William L. McCarrier, 33°, andIll...Jeffrey W. Coy, 33°.


+ + +

Calendar of Masonic Events


Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of FreemasonryNorthern Masonic Jurisdiction, USAInstituted 20 January 1852

Office Hours: Mon. - Fri., 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Phone: 412-939-3579 Fax: 412-939-0560 Web: www.valleyofpittsburgh.org E-mail: [email protected]

Valley of PittsburghGOURGAS LODGE OF PERFECTION Greater Pittsburgh Masonic Center3579 Masonic WayPittsburgh, PA 15237-2700

NONPROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDGREENSBURG, PAPERMIT NO. 1234

To our Members and Friends

Donald W. Boehm, 33°, Commander-in-ChiefPaul J. Roup, 33°, Thrice Potent MasterAustin R. Shifrin, 32°, Sovereign PrinceRobert F. Dunkle, 32°, Most Wise MasterD. William Roberts 33°, Treasurer Donald M. Murphy 33°, Secretary

Trustees

Jeff A. Biddle, 33° Patrick G. Blackwell 33° Keith J. Caito, 33°Stephen A. George 33° Richard A. Rodibaugh, 33° Vito A. Urso 33°

Happy New Year2015

Documents

163 Years of Scottish Rite Masonry in Pittsburghmost wonderful experi-ences for me, one that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Thank you and God Bless America, God Bless our