Nuno Raimundo, a Master Mason and Lodge Organist at Dom Fernando II Lodge No.118 under the jurisdiction of the Grand Legal Lodge of Portugal/Grand Regular Lodge of Portugal, has volunteered to replace our dear departed Bro Luís Cardoso as a key contact and Local Secretary for Portugal.

Nuno was initiated in the Mestre Affonso Domingues Lodge No.5 in 2011 and was subsequently a founder of the O Ganso e a Grelha – Goose and Gridiron – Lodge No.129 in 2017.  He holds awards as Master of Honour of the Lodge and Cavalier of the Honorific Order General Gomes Freire de Andrade.

A researcher and author, Nuno writes in the masonic blog Pedra de Buril and A Partir Pedra.  His papers have been published on and off-line, including O Malhete, Cerberus Magazine, JB News, Freemason.Pt  and Portal Brasil Maçonico.

Nuno works in Lisbon and lives nearby in Loures City.  He can be contacted at nunoraimundo.qcccpt@gmail.com.

We would like to extend a warm welcome to two our newest Local Secretaries in the USA: Nathaniel S. Bendel in Rathrum, Idaho; and Bryan Godwin in Los Angeles, California.

Nathan has been a  Mason for 13 years, initiated in Bakersfield, CA, at Meudell-Oildale Lodge #695 in 2006. He is currently Chaplain in Rathdrum Lodge #41 in Rathdrum, ID, and is a Scottish Rite Mason in the Valley of Coeur d’Alene, ID.  An active researcher, Nathan is a member of the Westwood Historical Society, the Philalethes Society, the Scottish Rite Research Society, as well as QCCC.  He can be contacted at nbendel@gmail.com or on (208) 627-6768.

Bryan is a charter member and Master of Anchor Bell Lodge #868, and a member of Culver City-Foshay #467. He is also a member of the Los Angeles Scottish Rite Valley SMJ, Santa Monica Bay Chapter #97, Alpha Council of Cryptic Masons #39, and Santa Monica Bay Commandery of Knights Templar #61. Bryan is similarly an avid Masonic researcher whose articles have been published in the Scottish Rite Research Society’s “Plumbline”, “The Journal” of the Masonic Society, and the “Fraternal Review” of the Southern California Research Lodge, among other journals. Bryan can be reached at bryangodwin@gmail.com.

Welcome both.

QC Lodge member Mike Karn gave his first delivery of the 2019 Prestonian Lecture, Freemasonry and the Great War: Masonic reaction to the war years, at William Preston Lodge No. 766 in London on Friday 25 January. This was, of course, also Burn’s Night and the event was celebrated accordingly.

It was clear that William Preston Lodge values its association with the Prestonian Lecturers and after his delivery, which was exceptionally well received, Mike was offered honorary membership of the lodge and a donation made to his chosen charity.

The lodge then moved to the Freemasons’ Tavern in Long Acre (a short walk from Freemasons’ Hall) for a Burns’ lunch complete with haggis, a piper, and the address to the haggis. The lunch was hugely enjoyable with friendship much to the fore. The attending brethren included a number from France (there is a William Preston Lodge in Paris), Belgium and Serbia, as well as those from the UK.  And alongside Mike Karn, four members of QC Lodge were present, all Prestonian Lecturers themselves: John Wade, Aubrey Newman, Mike Kearsley and Roger Burt.

Bordeau and the New World – A Shared History.  The ICOM Conference will take place in Bordeaux from 7 – 9 June 2019.  The details can be found here. The conference brings together a range of international speakers and is open to all. Click here for the full programme.

We were very sad to receive the news that Luis Cardoso, our outstanding Local Secretary in Portugal, had died suddenly from a suspected heart attack. Luis was a dedicated member of QCCC and a good man and mason.  He will be sorely missed.  We extend our sympathies to his family and friends.

Michael Gray, QCCC’s Local Secretary in Singapore, is now responsible for the Masonic Library and has created a new website: www.singaporemasoniclibrary.com.  The Library is located at Freemasons’ Hall at 23A Coleman Street and holds around 1,500 books and periodicals, with an emphasis on material relating to the Eastern Archipelago.

It is with great sadness that we record the death of RW Bro. Dr Roeinton Khambatta, Master of QC in 2000, Prestonian Lecturer for 2007, and an Honorary Member of the Lodge.  Roeinton died peacefully in his sleep on 19 December 2018, aged 94.

Roeinton was born in 1924 and made a mason in Lodge Zoroaster (SC).  In 1965 he joined Lodge Faith No 2438 (EC). That lodge then met in Karachi in the District of Punjab and was his father’s and grandfather’s lodge.  Five years later Roeinton was installed as District Grand Master and Grand Superintendent of Pakistan, holding those offices until his resignation in 1976 following the banning of freemasonry by the government of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.

Roeinton moved to London where he practised as a Consultant Cardiologist until his retirement, becoming a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London and Edinburgh, and an Emeritus Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and the American College of Chest Physicians. He was not only active in London masonry but also in the Provinces of Suffolk, Hertfordshire, and Worcestershire, in all of which he held the rank of Past Provincial Senior Grand Warden.  In total, Roeinton was a member of 16 lodges and 8 chapters under the EC, and in 1988/9 served as a Grand Steward on the nomination of Lodge of Felicity No. 58, and was the President of his Board.  He was awarded the Order of Service to Masonry in 2012.

In addition to membership of many other orders, the 32° was conferred on Roeinton in the Valley of Washington, D.C., on 20 May 2010.  He will be missed by many.

Hugh MacDonald is our latest Local Secretary for Wiltshire.  He was initiated into the Lodge of Amity No.171 in 2007, raised in 2009, and exalted into The Chapter of Light No. 2721. He joined Moonraker Lodge (Wiltshire) No. 8747 in 2018. Hugh has a keen interest in archaeology, history and theology, and researches the origins of Ancient and Modern Freemasonry. He has written academic papers under his own name and publishes poetry and fiction under a pen name. Hugh can be contacted at macdonald1411@icloud.com and 07788278638.

Welcome to Andy Tong, our latest Local Secretary. Andy lives in Cheshire and has been a freemason for more than fifteen years. He is a Past Master of two Craft lodges and a member of two RA chapters, two OSM Conclaves and a Court of Athelstan. He is the founding Commander of the OSM, Arch of Steel and an active member of the Grand Supreme Rulers Arch of Steel. He is a Past Provincial Grand Superintendent of Works in Craft, and Founder Chairman of the Cheshire Provincial Royal Arch Companions Forum. Andy can be contacted at andy.tong@totalise.co.uk.

Welcome to Lance Kennedy, our newest Local Secretary based in Dallas, Texas.  Lance is an attorney and a seventh-generation Texan.  He is a member of the Texas Lodge of Research and can be contacted at lance.kennedy@gmail.com.