Friendship-Tuscan Lodge visits PHILADELPHIA

September 28, 29 and 30 are three days that a Masonic Lodge in the city of "Brotherly Love" will remember for a long, long time. Friendship Tuscan Lodge #145, A.F. & A.M. of Manchester made their annual Lodge trip to Philadelphia this year to visit the apartments of Hackenburg - Mt. Moriah Lodge #19 in that city.

Planning for the trip started in October 2006 when Friendship Tuscan Lodge #145 was authorized to contact the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Grand Lodge to start making plans for a fraternal visit in the fall of 2007.

Once the contacts had been established with Hackenburg – Mt. Moriah Lodge #19, the planning and details for the visit of Friendship Tuscan Lodge #145, were then turned over to their Senior Warden, Bro. Michael Feldsher. At first the plans were a “little hazy” as to what was expected, both of them and of us. They had never planned this type of visitation before, so their Master, Bro. Gil Stein was very apprehensive to say the least.

As time passed, the details came more and more into a planned agenda for both Lodges. In early April, W/M John DiCioccio, Jr., and Jr. Wrdn. Jim Wilson traveled to that city. They met with W/M Gil Stein and Sr. Wrdn. Michael Feldsher, and definite preliminary plans were set in motion. The Hotel was selected for our stay; the dates of the visit were cast in stone, and the general plan of activities for both Lodges were discussed in detail by both Masters. John and Jim returned to Manchester with a host of ideas to make the Lodge trip a success.

Through the early summer, the emails went back and forth between all parties, and communication with flyers went out to the members of both Lodges. The hotel, the Lodge to visit, some meals, entertainment for the Ladies, what degree to portray for our host lodge. All these plans to be made final, and details to be sent to those members wishing to make a reservation.

Then in late June, 2007, Jim Wilson and His Lady, Nancy traveled again to Philadelphia. This trip was to make all plans final and arrange deposits and what ever else was required to be sure that the lines of communication were open everywhere. That turned out to be the event that assured Friendship Tuscan Lodge the trip would be successful. The reservations came in rapidly that filled the 55 passenger bus we had reserved. There were Brothers joining us from Canada, Bermuda, New York, as well as

Brothers outside the membership of our host Lodge in Philadelphia. The whole event turned out as successful as could be. Friendship Tuscan Lodge #145 was accompanied by Bro. William Greene, Grand Master of Grand Lodge of CT. and his Lady Sandi as well as PGM Charles Fowler and his Lady Muff. The Lodge did a full Hiramic Legend of the Master Mason’s Degree to a full and overflowing Lodge Room for our own candidate, Bro Michael Duncan. We were in the “Egyptian” Lodge room in the Masonic Temple, which in itself is a historic place. This was a complete delight to the visiting Brothers, most having never seen this degree portrayed as it was by Friendship Tuscan Lodge. The ladies were treated to the Broadway play, “Menopause, the Musical” (while Lodge was in session) which, the men are told was hilarious. Saturday brought a day of touring “the sights” of the main city, including the entire Masonic Temple, and parts of the “Heritage Trail”. The evenings were filled with refreshment at a hospitality room hosted by Friendship Tuscan Lodge. The Saturday night banquet, held at the hotel, brought out Brothers and their wives from our host Lodge joining us for a sit down plated dinner for a total of 77 There were so many new friendships made, that the “cement of Brotherly Love and Friendship” will harden into a close relationship between all these brothers. Friendship Tuscan Lodge has been given a standing invitation to visit with a Lodge of Scottish registry in Bermuda, to join in friendship with a Lodge from Utica, NY, and even a visit to Canada and with that, we feel certain that Friendship Tuscan Lodge #145,

through its annual visitation, has again truly found the meaning of masonry and friendship in the city of brotherly love.

Click here to view the pictures from the weekend events