ULRF Communiqué – Building the future together
This article is directed essentially to English speaking members of the GLNF.
Since the beginning of the GLNF crisis the FMR- Myosotis group initially, then the Union des Loges Régulières Françaises (ULRF) and finally the Opposition Pilot Committee in its first communiqué of December 19th, 2011 have pronounced their desire to return sovereignty to the Lodges.
This promise made two years ago by a few was first manifested during the Montreuil Assembly of February 4th, 2011. It led to the writing of the “White Book”, a collection of stated principles and propositions to reform the Obedience to which we are so attached.
Since that White Book, the opposition has constantly grown and has found an increasing support among the foreign Grand Lodges. They have progressively suspended relations with the GLNF and now, at the initiative of the Grand Lodges of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Belgium, have simply withdrawn their recognition (declaration of December 14th, 2011).
The legal procedures that are under way (Paris Appeals Court decision expected on January 13th, 2012) and the GLNF Association AGM, apparently scheduled by Maître Legrand for February 4th, 2012 should enable us to gain a definitive victory and finally throw the merchants out of the Temple. However, despite all the efforts to succeed employed by the ULRF and the other opposition groups, we cannot be sure of a total victory. This is even more so since we have already suffered the delaying tactics that François Stifani is capable of using, with the support of Monique Legrand and other more obscure ones.
If we do not succeed in ridding ourselves of him and those who support him, we may have to envisage other safeguarding procedures to protect the sacred task conferred upon Traditional , Regular and Recognised Freemasonry. Such procedures could remove us from an Obedience that no longer has any regularity and has been banished by world Freemasonry
No matter what, the reconstruction task will be colossal and no-one has the slightest doubt that henceforth it will require a profound reforming of the statutes and constitutions of the Obedience as well as the practices and management methods of our institutions.
6The promise of sovereignty for the Lodges must now be expressed not only by our words but also by our acts. While the ULRF is working on a re-foundation project it cannot be presented to the Brethren during the National Convention of February 28th, 2012 without a prior consultation to validate the principles. That is the subject of a questionnaire that we ask you to complete. In giving the word to the Brethren the ULRF is not forgetting that the Common House of Masons, also needing re-foundation, will be rebuilt by living stones in which each has his place and his role. Our project will be fed by a new spirit of “Above as Below, and Below as Above”.
We invite you to express yourselves without reservation. The answers we receive will be the starting point for the work of reflexion undertaken during the conventions and they will enrich the exchanges so that, on the day, via the project that you have sent us, we will be ready to give you what is most precious to you : freedom and hope.
Go to : http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/S969ZFB
Attention : you can only reply once to the questionnaire from your IP….
You can modify your answers while completing the questionnaire but once you’ve sent it, it is impossible to start again.
Please find below a translation of the questionnaire in English. Use it only as a guide to help you make your decisions.
We are asking for your opinion as part of the preparations for holding regional conventions and the National ULRF convention.
Please take a few moments to answer this survey. It comprises four sections:
1 - The Lodge.
2 - Organisation of the Grand Lodge.
3 – The rites.
4 – You and the crisis.
Only one response per IP address will be taken into consideration.
The replies to the questionnaire, supported by summaries produced by the workshops to be held during the provincial conventions , will help the management of the ULRF draft the outlines of a new institutional organisation.
Note: On the French version of the questionnaire, which is the only version accepted by the survey organisers, the available answers are:
Entièrement d'accord = Agree entirely.
Plutôt d'accord = Agree somewhat.
Plutôt pas d'accord = Disagree somewhat.
Absolument pas d'accord = Disagree absolutely
THE QUESTIONS
THE LODGE
Th 1. The Lodge shall have sole responsibility for initiatic transmission.
Th 2. The Worshipful Master shall have sole authority in his Lodge.
Th 3. The Lodge Delegates (WM + one other appointed Delegate) shall participate in the general running of the institution.
Th 4. The Lodge shall be financially independent.
Th 5. The Lodge shall be formed as an independent association in accordance with the French law of 1901.
Th 6. The running of the Lodge shall be subject to regular controls to guarantee institutional consistency and avoid any possible abuses and deviation.
Ex 7. Except under special circumstances, all Brothers shall wear the apron of their Rite in Lodge, irrespective of the function they fulfil within the institution.
ORGANISATION OF THE GRAND LODGE
8.The role of regional bodies shall be limited strictly to administrative and organisational matters.
Th 9. A common administration and financial management tool shall be introduced to simplify this work at Lodge level.
10.The national bodies shall set the maximum Dues payable by the Brethren.
Lo 11. Lodge Delegates shall be represented on all institutional decision-making bodies.
Th 12. The election of the Grand Master shall be decided solely by Lodge Delegates.
Th 13. The principle of short terms of office, renewable only once, shall become a rule.
Di 14. Disciplinary authority shall be totally independent of that of the Grand Master.
A 15. A procedure for impeaching the Grand Master shall be introduced.
An 16. An independent and transparent management control system shall be introduced.
Th 17. The Rites shall each have a separate and independent organisation within the Grand Lodge.
THE RITES
Th 18. The specific features of the Rites shall take priority over institutional organisation.
Th 19. The Grand Lodge may only modify the rituals with the agreement of the Ordinal Jurisdictions.
W 20. Worshipful Masters shall be installed in their office by a ceremony specific to the Rite under which the Lodge works.
Ro 21. Royal Arch Chapters shall be organised as an independent Jurisdiction.
YOU AND THE CRISIS
Re22. Regularity is a prerequisite condition for my Masonic work.
In 23. International Recognition is a pre-requisite condition for my Masonic work.
If 24. François Stifani were to be still in place after the ruling by the Court of Appeal on 13 January 2012 and the General Assembly on 4 February, would you subscribe to the solutions proposed by the Union des Loges Régulières Françaises if they should lead you to pursue your Masonic journey outside the GNLF?
Ar 25. Are you are a member of the ULRF (or of MRF ou MMMRE)?
Pl 26. State your Province:
Pe 27. Personal details
First Name
Surname
GLNF N°
Lodge N°
Lodge name
e-mail address