From the Grand Secretary ...

As has already been communicated the Grand Lodge office is closed until further notice. However, your Grand Lodge staff is continuing to serve the essential needs of the brethren by working from home.

Naturally, we are receiving many queries regarding policies and procedures to be followed during the time that all our in-person Masonic meetings and events have been cancelled. We ask for your patience and understanding in writing to us, as in many cases we do not yet have complete answers.

Just to be clear - cancellation of ‘All’ Masonic events means just that. No in-person meetings of any kind (including Committee of General Purposes, officers meetings, social events, etc.). No investigating of any potential applicants. No
elections and no installations. Lodges have blanket dispensation for the cancellation of all such events.

Activities to be encouraged include studying, writing, calling your brethren by phone and audio or video conferencing.

We are however dealing with circumstances as they arise as well as planning for the longer term. Our thoughts are also being directed to the effort that will be required to resume our labours when given permission to do so.

The District Deputy Grand Masters have already been given instructions for the completion of the L-Forms for Official visit cancellations and we are investigating options for such things as postponement of Amalgamations and Surrenders of Warrants; rescheduling of the Grand Master and Deputy Grand Master itineraries, shortened times for officers in the chairs, etc., etc.

As the Grand Master has previously granted a blanket dispensation for the cancellation of meetings in the next while, please do not submit requests for such dispensations to the Office. If you are requesting dispensation for other events,
please also refrain from sending them in to the Office until permission to resume our labours has been granted.

We will communicate any resolutions to the many issues facing us as soon as we can. Again, we appreciate your patience and understanding while we attempt to respond to your queries and concerns.

D. Garry Dowling
Grand Secretary