Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons Grand Council of Cryptic Masons Grand Commandery of KT
Established June 25, 1891 Established March 29, 1910 Established May 14, 1888
Roger E. Cathel, Grand Secretary / Recorder, 821 Central Ave., Great Falls, MT 59401 Ph: (406) 899-3777
Email: recathel-owp@msn.com
MONTHLY BULLETIN for DECEMBER 2024
To all officers and members of Montana York Rite Bodies. Herein is the listing of the activities as reported by the various York Rite Bodies for the month of DECEMBER 2024. Please read at your next meeting or distribute to your members and place on file.
PASSINGS
GRAND YORK RITE OFFICERS
MEGHP / MIGM / REGC
Below is the contact information for the three heads of the three Montana Grand York Rite Bodies. If you would like to have one, two or all three to visit your York Rite Body, Install your officers, etc., you must contact them directly.
MEGHP Kim M. Bowman, Sr. MIGM Jerry W. Hall REGC Ronny Aasterud
3150 Great Northern Ave., # 16971 5330 MT-427 1 Sage Ln.
Missoula, MT 59808 Raynesford, MT 59469 Bridger, MT 59014
(406) 304-1511 (406) 564-6142 (406) 860-9478
oneroughashlar@gmail.com jwhall69@gmail.com familyrecycling@yahoo.com
RARA / CMMRF / KTEF
Just a push / reminder about the three (3) York Rite Charities… your support of all three charities is needed and appreciated. If you would like to make a donation to one, or all three; please find the forms by following the links or yorkrite.org. You do NOT need to send in to the Grand York Rite office… just send your donation directly to the charity… they keep track of all donations… and will send you a receipt…
YORK RITE EDUCATION
There are several good educational programs available to all York Rite Masons. First, the Capitular Development Course for Royal Arch Masons is available through the efforts of the Grand Chapter of New York and the General Grand Chapter. You can order / purchase the materials through an online search for “Capitular Development Course”, etc. (Cost is approximately $20.00) (A copy of said material was provided to the individual Chapters in Montana through a grant of the Tesch – Hedges Fund.) Secondly, a good course for Cryptic Masonry is available through Building Stone Publishing entitled Cryptic Masonry Education Course. You can do an online / facebook search for Building Stone Publishing. A copy of the Cryptic Education program was provided by MIGM Ronny Aasterud to each of the Councils within the State (through a generous grant from the Tesch – Hedges Fund.).Again cost is appx $20.00. Lastly, the Grand Encampment education course on line is once again available. Go to Yorkrite.org, go to Grand Encampment and follow the links on said page. (Please note the update regarding a new series of education on Capitular Education on the GGCRAMI (General Grand Chapter RAM Intl) website.) (ggcrami.org)
SECRETARIES / RECORDERS
IMPORTANT!: To all Secretaries / Recorders… I am in need of any and all information for your new Companions / Sir Knights, to include: Date of Birth, Full Name, Address, Phone Number, Wife / Spouses Name, which Chapter / Council / Commandery, etc. and the DATES of their Exaltation / Greeting and Knighting. Please send any information regarding such to me in a timely manner… do not wait until the end of the year, etc.
GRAND ENCAMPMENT DATABASE (YRIS)
The Grand Encampment Database (MMS) now includes information for Chapter and Council. Robert Bigley and Marci Martinez have worked very diligently to import the data from the Grand Chapter / Grand Council of Montana. There will some incomplete / incorrect data… we will have to work on correcting said data. I have requested access to all Secretaries / Recorders throughout the State. However, you must request to have access granted. Additionally, you must send to me any and all changes as made to the MMS database so that I may continue updating the database which remains in State. ALL Sec. / Rec. should and wil be on the database…… again, if you have any trouble… contact me and we will get it figured out…..
LIFE MEMBERSHIPS
Dear secretaries all… If you are going to purchase a life membership for any Comp. / SK… or to increase the value / holdings of your own life membership, please write out one check; made payable to Stifel… and send me a note denoting who the life membership is for, how much for each body, etc. [(Example) I.e.: one check # 1234, amount: $300.00, for PLM for Comp. / SK John Doe; $87.50 for RAM, $62.50 for CM and $150.00 for KT.] Thank you.
COSTUMES / UNIFORMS
If any York Rite Body within Montana (I.e. Chapter, Council or Commandery) has any extra costumes / uniforms, please contact me as there is need across the jurisdiction.
BIG SKY MASONIC-CON 2025
We are now in the planning stages for Big Sky Masonic-Con 2025 (April 25th / 26th, 2025). If you are interested in presenting a topic, please contact Roger E. Cathel at recathel-owp@msn.com. Looking forward to seeing many of you here in April 2025…
CHRISTMAS MESSAGES / OBSERVATIONS
Christmas messages from the REGC of MT – RESK Ronny Aasterud, Grand Prelate of MT – SK Sam Whitehead, as well as from the Grand Master David Kussman and the Grand Prelate of the Grand Encampment are attached. You are encouraged to read them at you Christmas Observance Celebration this December (or whenever you hold such…), You are also encouraged to hold a Christmas Observance Celebration during the season. It does not need be a big affair…. But at least read the messages and perform the toasts…..
UPCOMMING EVENTS
Tyrean Council No. 3 – Missoula, MT: Council Festival; December 14th, 2024 @ 1:00 p.m.
Remember, if you have any events that you would like broadcast York Rite – wide… I need to know about them… send me an email to let me know…..
On behalf of myself and the heads of the Grand York Rite Bodies, I would like to wish each and every Companion / Sir Knight, a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
Fraternally Submitted,
Roger E. Cathel, GS/R