Inaugural Speech of WM Pat D. Noel - Feb. 21, 2015

Faith, Hope and Charity. But the greatest of these is Charity.

 

Very Worshipful Sirs, Worshipful Sirs, our honorable guest speaker who will be properly introduced later, brethren, sisters of the Amaranth and the Eastern Star, DeMolays, Jobs and Rainbows, friends of Masons, Ladies and Gentlemen, Good Evening!

First and foremost, let me thank my brethren of Iligan Lodge No. 207 for putting their trust and confidence in me.  It is in these two words that I anchor my term in serving you, all of you.  My gratitude also goes to all the brethren who are here present and those others, who wished to be here but due to some unavoidable circumstances, cannot.  Your presence means a lot to me, especially those who wish me well in my continuing journey in this time honored fraternity.

I will not say that there is nothing that I can ask of you…on the contrary, there are many.  Much has to be done not just in our lodge but outside of the confines of the four corners of our lodge.

For my term, I have chosen the theme to inspire me in our journey, “Fellowship and Charity is equal to Harmony, the Strength and Support of our Lodge!”

When I said that I will anchor my term in the two words, “Trust” and “Confidence”, it means that to attain Harmony, your trust and confidence in me and to the set of officers for this Masonic year really counts a lot.  I feel that it is not enough that you elect your officers and just wait if ever somebody will join in different activities initiated, but rather join in our lodge activities because of our love for our craft and to the lodge to where we belong. 

Various reasons enter my mind when we say success of the lodge depends on the Master. On the contrary, success of the lodge will definitely depend on the participation of all members.  I, as all Worshipful Masters ahead of me will promise to lead the lodge to a path of success and righteousness, but in reality, success of the lodge no matter what activity is lined-up will depend on each of us on how we participate and make our presence felt.

We have just a while ago turned over the reins of leadership to a new team.  Brethren, we are the team.  With pride we have always said that Iligan Lodge No. 207 has always been at the helm of leadership in the entire district.  I am not after the honor of being the best master, but I am after the slogan of our lodge, that always – Harmony is the strength of our Lodge…as proven by all masons and all lodges the world over since time immemorial that “Harmony is the strength and support of all societies, especially of ours. “

I therefore call upon all to rally not behind my leadership but behind our worshipful lodge, behind this time honored institution, behind our commitment to ourselves when we took the solemn obligation, when we made the vow at the preparation room, that we seriously declared…uninfluenced by mercenary motives, a sincere wish to be serviceable to your fellow creatures, etc., to work in harmony with everyone in and outside our lodge.

My wish then is for us to be happy, contented of all our work.  And with your trust and confidence, with your belief that our aim is but to be happy with what we are, who we are, where we are, to help others within our capability without expecting any compensation or reward in return, then finally we can face the world and say “I have become a better man because I am a Master Mason.”

My heartfelt thanks to my wife Binky, to all the better halves of our lives, our beloved partners, for giving their support in all our activities and of course, to our ever dependable Eddie DGM Empleo and his family for being there always.

Also my sincerest thanks to our guest speaker for granting us a portion of his valuable time, for making the journey to this memorable place and event, my uncle, Bro. Florencio “Bem” G. Noel of Makabugwas Lodge No. 47 of Tacloban City, to our installing team headed by WB RL, our installing officer, who came all the way from the other side of the world, VW Genesis Calit, our master of ceremony and to VW Fem Calio, our assistant MC.  To my forever boss, VW Henry C. Dy, to everyone who extended their assistance to me, you all know who you are…as they wouldn’t like their names to be mentioned.  To everyone, thank you.  And hope to see you during our stated meetings every 3^rd Saturday of the month at 5 o’clock in the afternoon.

And finally in closing, let me end my speech with the ultimate gratitude and humility to the Great Architect of the Universe for blessing me with brothers who believes in the beauty of the craft, the beauty of brotherly love, the beauty of extending relief, and the beauty of knowing the truth.

Thank you and enjoy the rest of the evening.

The Three Lights of the Lodge for MY 6015

The Worshipful Master,  Bro. PAT D. NOEL

Bro. Pat was born on April 6, 1961 in Iligan City; graduated Bachelor of Science in International Relations at MSU-Marawi.  He is married to Sister Revilla N. Carbonell, proprietor of Keepsakes Iligan Souvenirs & Crafts.  He is currently working in the Iligan City Tourism Office, since 1996. 

Bro. Pat was initiated on June 19, 2004; passed on September 18, 2004; and, raised on October 16, 2004.  He is the current Chapter Adviser of the Tomas Ll. Cabili Chapter of the International Order of DeMolay.  He is also a 32nd Degree MRS of the Scottish Rite.

The Senior Warden, Bro. IVAN GERARDO J. BANAAG

Bro. Ivan was born on October 3, 1969 in Cagayan de Oro City and a graduate of Civil Engineering from Ateneo de Cagayan (Xavier University).  He is happily married to Sis Rosanne “Madin” G. Banaag of MSU-IIT and is blessed with 3 children, all boys, namely John Michael, age 16; Gerard Chael, age 6; and Aaron Gabriel, 3 years old . 

Bro Ivan was initiated on August 20, 2011; passed on November  19. 2011; and raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason on June 16, 2012.   He is also a member of the Agila Shriners, Mindanao Shrine Club (12-Hotsands, Ozamiz City) and a 32nd degree MRS of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Maranaw Bodies, Orient of Lanao.

The Junior Warden, Bro. ALYKHAN U. ALI

Bro. Alykhan was born on May 19, 1973 in Iligan City.  He is the second born child of Osop L. Ali and Irma U. Ali.  He is a graduate of Bachelor of Civil Engineering at MSU, Marawi City and happily married to Inna Uy Mangayan and blessed with 3 sons - Ibrahim Jared Saad, Obiwan and Han Solo.  He is presently working as Engineer II of DPWH Region X CDO

Bro. Alykhan was initiated entered apprentice on September 20, 2008; passed to the degree of fellowcraft on October 18, 2008; and, raised a master mason on November 15, 2008.  He is also a member of International Order of DeMolay and Agila Shriners Club.

Program for the 40th Installation and Investiture of Officers - February 21, 2015

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Masonic Education : INCREASING OUR RESOLVE TO IMPROVE OUR MASONIC SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY

ALL OF US MASTER MASONS must develop a keen sense of responsibility because on the one hand, we are obligated to perform our respective duties to our Lodge in particular and to the Craft in general, and on the other, our Lodge, as well as the Craft, imposes those obligations upon us.   Besides, we must be much aware of how we fit into our Lodge in order that we will be induced to act for its best interest, welfare, and survival;  for unless we are, we cannot comprehend what the other members of the Lodge, particularly its officers and Past Masters, expect us to do.

Generally, however, a Lodge is composed of three groups or categories of members, namely, the self-actualizing brethren, the irresponsible ones, and those between the two extremes or in the middle ground.  To which category do you, dear brethren, belong?

Do you belong to the group of self-actualizing brethren, who are endowed with such a strong sense of responsibility that they will do everything within their power to fulfill their obligations and to perform their duties, or do what they must in order to become what they believe God meant them to be? Even without any prodding from the Lodge's officers and Past Masters, such brethren will do what is expected of them.  They are, decidedly, a blessing to the Craft;  they make Philippine Masonry strong, vibrant and vigorous.  Would that their number increase!

Or do you belong to the group of irresponsible  Masons - those who have utterly no regard for their duties and obligations to respective Lodges in particular and to their Craft in general and who most probably will not be induced to action by the Lodge's officers and Past Masters?  Those undesirable members of a Lodge do not deserve to be called brothers.  May their number, therefore, decrease!

Or do you belong to the brethren who are neither self-actualizing nor irresponsible - or to those brethren who are in the middle ground between the two extremes?  Such brethren need to be periodically reminded by the Lodge's officers and Past Masters that they should do what is expected to them, so that they will develop their individual sense of responsibility both for their personal advancement and for the enhancement of their Lodge's honor, reputation, and usefulness, and that, in the words of the late Past Grand Master Manuel M. Crudo, "The spirit of Masonry is disinterested and dedicated service -  service without expecting any other reward than experiencing an inner flow of achievement for doing one's job well or performing one's duty creditably." - They need to be inspired or edified by role models, who may as well be the Lodge's incumbent officers and Past Masters, who should set the good examples of faithfully and conscientiously discharging their respective duties and obligations to the Lodge and to the Craft.

The incumbent officers and Past Masters of the Lodge, as well as other brethren thereof who have a sense of  responsibility, must also exercise the authority given them "to correct the irregularities of your less informed brethren, to fortify their minds with resolution against the snares of the insidious, and to guard them against every allurement to vicious practices," as well as "to caution the inexperienced against any breach of fidelity" to our laws, rules and regulations, thereby helping preserve unsullied the Fraternity's reputation.  The officers and Past Masters of a Lodge must, for instance, whisper good counsel in the ears of those brethren who have the inclination to find short cuts in doing their allotted tasks, so that they will have time to satisfy their sensual appetites.    Such brethren include those who absent themselves from a stated or special meeting but are conspicuously present at the post-meeting social fellowship, as well as those who leave the lodge hall when the Lecture of the first or the third degree is being delivered in order to go ahead to the venue of the post-conferral fellowship.

Clearly, we cannot become worthy and exemplary Masons if we cannot curb the tendency to finding shortcuts in doing our allotted tasks or getting satisfaction from indulging our sensual appetites, or if we do not fulfill what we declared in open Lodge we had come here to do, namely, to learn to subdue our passions and improve ourselves in Masonry.

Ergo, we must exert more effort than before to perform our Masonic duties and obligations with a strong sense of responsibility.  We need to periodically take stock of ourselves, as well as to proficiently use the hieroglyphical emblems presented in the lecture of the Master Mason degree for reminding ourselves that, among other things, "since life is so uncertain and all earthly pursuit are vain, we must no longer postpone the all-important concern of preparing for eternity," but instead, "embrace the present moment while time and opportunity are offered, to provide against that great charge when all the pomp and pleasures of this fleeting world will pall upon the sense, and the recollection of a virtuous and well-spent life will yield the onl y comfort and consolation.  Thus, we shall not, unprepared, be hurried into the presence of that all-wise and powerful Judge to whom the secrets of all hears are known, and on the great day of reckoning, we shall be ready to give a good account of our stewardship here on earth."

Indeed, we will prove ourselves worthy of having been made Master Masons if and when we are faithful to every trust committed to our care; if and when we fulfill our obligations to our respective Lodges and to the Craft with utmost fidelity and conscientiousness; if and when we perform our duties to God, to our country, to our fellowmen, particularly our countrymen, and to ourselves with the highest sense of responsibility.


(Source : The Cabletow, Vol./Issue 90/6 March & April 2014)