A statement by the President of the Board of General Purposes – 14 September 2011

A statement by the President of the Board of General Purposes – 14 September 2011

QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION 
14 September 2011
A Statement by the RW President of the Board of General Purposes Anthony Wilson concerning Grande Loge Nationale Française

Right Worshipful Deputy Grand Master and Brethren,

At the June Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge I expressed the Board’s concern over the turbulence and discord within Grande Loge Nationale Française, including the appointment of an Administrative Receiver over its legal entity.

Since then, as stated in the Board’s Report, the situation has deteriorated. There appears to be no sign of it improving. On the contrary the disharmony within the Membership and the substantial number of Lodges, representing over one-third of the Membership, who appear to be distancing themselves from the leadership of their Grand Lodge continues to give cause for concern.

We cannot ignore the lack of harmony. Nor can we overlook the fact that a significant proportion of the Membership of the GLNF apparently no longer recognise the leadership of its Grand Master, which does not offer much hope for an end to the disharmony and turbulence. It is clear, therefore, that while the present situation continues our Members should not be in Masonic contact with our Brethren in France. Hence our recommendation that relations with the GLNF be suspended.

Set out in the Board’s Report is what we mean by the suspension of relations. I may add that the Board has consulted the Grand Registrar who is satisfied that the Report accurately describes the effect of a suspension of relations; and that the terms of the Resolution which appears at item 5 on the Paper of Business achieve the desired objective.

I should emphasise that the suspension of relations does not, of itself, force any of the Brethren who are currently also members of Lodges under the GNLF to resign from those Lodges. But I should draw attention to the possibility that – for so long as the GNLF is recognised by Grand Lodge as the Sovereign Grand Lodge having jurisdiction over freemasonry in France – those of our Brethren who are members of a French Lodge which formally repudiates that jurisdiction (even on a temporary basis) may find that Rule 176 in the Book of Constitutions requires them to make choice, in the future, between severing their links with that Lodge and remaining members of the Craft in our constitution. The Board will need to keep this issue under review as matters develop in France.