We are delighted to welcome Mark Nielsen as our premiere Local Secretary for Riverside and San Diego Counties in Southern California.
Mark served as Primus Master for Novus Veteris Lodge No. 864 and is a Past Master of both Oceanside-San Dieguito Lodge No. 381 and Murrieta Lodge No. 869. Mark also served as Senior Grand Deacon for the Grand Lodge of California in 2020; he is currently its Inspector for the 941st District and Vice Chair of the Lodge Leadership Committee.
Mark is active in many of the Progressive Orders and will shortly serve as First Principal of Jerrold A. Wohlfarth Chapter No. 130 while also serving the Grand Council of R&SM of California as its Grand Standard Bearer. He is also active in other jurisdictions with the USA.
Mark is an active researcher whose primary research interests reside in the genesis of American freemasonry and Anglo-ritual development.
Professionally, Mark has a long-proven track record in the field of Information and Financial Technologies and owns and operates his own wellness company with a focus on personal training, nutrition services, and physical therapy.
Mark can be reached at MNielsen.QCCC@gmail.com
We are fast approaching the beginning of QC’s new Masonic year. Our next Lodge meeting on Thursday 11 November will be our Installation Meeting with Chris Powell installed as Master for 2021/22. His installation lecture is titled ‘Never let the truth get in the way of a good story’. Masonic and musical myths, and the importance of consulting primary sources.
The meeting will be at Freemasons’ Hall in London and we look forward to seeing as many of you as possible. Details of the meeting can be accessed here; a copy of the Lodge Summons can be downloaded from the same webpage.
Further information on attendance and dining is available here.
We have put together an excellent programme of lectures this year and hope that you will be able to attend in person, if possible. For those who can’t, we intend to make most of the lectures available on our YouTube channel.
The Shop at Freemasons’ Hall has now taken delivery of the first batch of QC regalia, including our ties, lapel pins, cufflinks, and the breast jewel, and these have now been added to their website. QC regalia is also available for purchase in person at FMH.
We are delighted to be able to let you know that AQC 134 is currently being proof read and that printing will begin in a few weeks. The book will be mailed to members of QCCC in December/January and if you have any doubts as to whether you have renewed your membership of QCCC or wish to confirm that your subscription is up-to-date, you can check your membership status by going to Find My Account. In all cases, please ensure you have Registered: an automated email will confirm or reconfirm your membership and you should log in using that information. Please also check that we hold your current postal address or your copy of AQC may be delayed.
If you have any problems, email our subscription service provider Warners Group, at subscriptionsmanagement@warnersgroup.co.uk, or call them on 01778 392023 (+44 1778 392023 if calling from outside the UK).
Preparations for the 2023 Cambridge Conference are moving forward apace. We will be providing more information over the coming six months, including the full programme and booking information.
Finally, can we thank all our Regional Secretaries and Local Secretaries who have done so much to support QCCC over the past year. Your input and support is much appreciated.
With warm fraternal regards,
Ric Berman, Andreas Önnerfors, Martin Faulks
New Regional Secretaries for North America, Continental Europe, Asia, and Oceania
The newly formed QCCC Communications Committee have appointed the following new Regional Secretaries:
Michael Ramos – Regional Secretary for North America
Mircea Bucin – Regional Secretary for Continental Europe
Shree Sinha – Regional Secretary for Asia
Each are well known to us from their time as Local Secretaries, and we now look forward to them continuing their hard work for QCCC as Regional Secretaries.
In addition, Felix Pintado has been appointed as the new Regional Secretary for Oceania. Felix is a Past Master of The Sunshine Wisdom Lodge No. 226, and currently serves the United Grand Lodge of Victoria as its Grand Chaplain. Felix holds membership in several lodges and Masonic units within the Progressive Orders across several international masonic jurisdictions.
Professionally, Felix has over 30 years of experience in health and aged care, currently serving as a Chief Executive in the field and as the President of the Masonic Care Alliance. Felix’s Masonic research focuses on the genesis and development of freemasonry in the Philippines. Felix can be contacted at felixpintado.qc3@gmail.com
Martin Cox’s Expanded Role
Martin Cox’s service as a Regional Secretary has expanded in geography and now covers the whole of the British Isles including England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and the Channel Islands.
New Local Secretary for the San Francisco Bay Area
Jonathan Prestage is joining the growing set of Local Secretaries in the San Francisco Bay Area, focusing his attention on the East Bay/Oakland locale, while Marty Cusing will continue to serve San Francisco and the Peninsula. Jonathan is a Past Master of Templum Rosae Lodge No. 863, a Past First Principal of Siminoff-Daylight Chapter No. 163, holds the 33° in the AASR SJ, and as of 1 September will serve the Valley of Oakland as the Personal Representative to the Sovereign Grand Inspector General for the Orient of California. Professionally, Jonathan works for the Grand Lodge of California as its Deputy Secretary of Fraternal Affairs.
Our long-serving Regional Secretary, Emilio Elesbao, having done a wonderful job for the past several years, has handed on his baton to two worthy successors: Tadeu Matheus, our new Regional Secretary for Latin America, and Diego Arana, our new Regional Secretary for Central America. (Diego can also be contacted for queries regarding Argentina).
Tadeu can be reached at LatinAmerica@quatuorcoronati.com and Diego at CentralAmerica@quatuorcoronati.com.
Tadeu was initiated into Freemasonry in 2005 in the Centenary Lodge #5564 (UGLE), and raised in 2007 in São Paulo, Brazil, Lodge #1373. He is a Founder and member of the Lodge Friendship #9929 (UGLE) in Sorocaba, São Paulo State, Brazil; a Mark Master Mason in the Centenary Lodge #1908 (Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wales); and a Royal Arch Mason in Santo Amaro Fenix Chapter #7250.
Diego is based in Panama and Argentina, and is a member of two lodges in Argentina and worshipful master of a Research Lodge. He is also active in the York Rite in The Grand Commandery of Knight Templars of Panama under the jurisdiction of the Grand Encampment of The United States of America. and is a member of other orders. Diego is the Grand Secretary of International Relations of The Grand Chapter of the Supreme Order of the Masons of the Holy Royal Arch of Jerusalem of The Argentine Republic.
We were delighted to receive a fraternal letter from The American Lodge of Research, chartered in 1931 by the Grand Lodge of New York. The letter can be read here.
We would like to welcome Bro. Cris Advincula as our new Local Secretary for Colorado. Cris was Initiated, Passed, and Raised at Burlingame Lodge, No. 400, in Burlingame, CA, where he holds life membership. He has since relocated to the Denver area. Cris has a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, and holds additional professional certificates from Cornell and Stanford University, CA. He works as a project manager for a multinational computer technology company.
Cris is a founding team member of the Burlingame College of the Consistory Masonic Study Group and the Burlingame Virtual Masonic Lecture Series. He is also a member of the Scottish Rite Research Society, the Philalethes Society, the Grand College of Rites, and The Masonic Society.
Cris can be contacted at cpa3@cornell.edu.
Welcome to Tommy Krogh Abrahamsen, our new Danish Local Secretary. Tommy lives in Horsens in the Central Denmark Region and has a background in the military and as a graduate engineer. He currently works as a consultant in facilities management and environmental control.
Tommy was initiated in 2011 and raised in 2014 in Lodge Bertel Thorvaldsen til Haabet, No. 820, of The Ancient Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons associated with The Danish Order of Freemasons. He is also active in Royal Arch, exalted in 2016 in Danish Star Royal Arch Chapter No. 9, associated with the Supreme Grand Chapter of British Royal Arch Masonry in Germany. He is presently Senior Warden at Lodge Bertel Thorvaldsen til Haabet, having previously served as Secretary and Junior Warden.
Tommy has a keen interest in Masonic education and research. He can be contacted at info@qccc.dk.
Welcome to Angelo Stagnaro, an active member of Annapolis Lodge #89 under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of AF&AM of Maryland. Angelo holds a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC). He was designated a Fellow of the Craft and Pillar of the Craft through the Maryland Masonic Academy, an educational program designed for the Masons of Maryland.
Angelo can be contacted at local.qccc.md@gmail.com
Based in Athens, Alexandros Modiano is our latest Local Secretary. He was Initiated, Passed and Raised (1993) in the Lodge La Tradition Française #125 in Athens (Grand Lodge of Greece), and subsequently served as Master of the Lodge (2003-2005, 2011-2013). He served as a Grand Inspector, Grand Lodge of Greece, from 2014-2015.
Alexandros is also a member of lodges external to Greece including Lodge of Israel #205 in London (United Grand Lodge of England); Stability-Concorde #29/42 in Paris (Grande Loge Nationale Française); and Montefiore Lodge #78 (an Installed Masters Lodge) in Tel Aviv (Grand Lodge of the State of Israel). He is active in the York Rite and Scottish Rite, and is presently Grand Archivist/Grand Historian and TPM of the Research Lodge of Perfection Aletheia in the Supreme Council for Greece.
Alexandros can be reached at alexandros.modiano@gmail.com.
Welcome to Dr Amiram Porath, our new Local Secretary for Israel. Amiram was initiated into freemasonry at Kadima Lodge, No. 34, in September 2008, becoming Master of the Lodge in April 2012. He is active in Royal Arch and Scottish Rite, and has held several positions in the Grand Lodge of Israel.
Amiram was educated at the Israeli Technology Institute and Tel Aviv University, where he read for a PhD in Management. He has over twenty years’ experience in technological business development and innovation management.
Amiram can be contacted at amirampster@gmail.com.
