November General Membership Meeting, 11 Nov

Photo above taken last October General Membership Meeting at Flinders Park. The ladies taking a breather (from lunch!), seating left to right: Sis Marilyn, Sis Irene, Sis Odeng and Sis Ellen. Back standing, from left: First Lady Sis Penny and Sis Tess.

Brethren and ladies, I have been instructed by our President, WBro Fidel Pamplona; thru our IPP Bro Manny Santos, to relay that our November General Membership Meeting will be held this coming 11 November, 7 PM. This is right after the 40th day get-together for Sis Connie Subijano, at the Blacktown Masonic Hall, corner Boys and First Avenues, Blacktown.

Hopefully this would be more convenient for the majority of us, since I believe most of us will be at the 40th of Sis Connie. Any concerns or apology, please contact our President or any of the officers. Any matter or agenda you wanted discussed please direct also to President WBro Fidel, as I do not know whether Bro Secretary Dan Elizes is back from the Philippines.

I hope you had a good All Souls Day by visiting your loved ones at the cemetery. We did, but unfortunately we did not see any of you. Hopefully we'll see you all today at the management meeting at WBro Fidel and Sis Penny's residence or on 11 November.

Part of the group of brethren who attended the October meeting: From left to right, WB Rudy, Bro Manny, WB Vince, WB Pres Fidel and Bro Bert.

Happy Halloween!

The FilMasons family greets you Happy Halloween!

While not a traditionally Filipino or Australian holiday, it is "celebrated" in Europe and in Northern America on the night of 31 October.

In the Philippines it is followed by All Saints Day on 1st November and by All Souls Day on the 2nd of November. A tradition which Filipino-Australians have been trying to emulate. Try visiting cemeteries, of note is Pine Grove Memorial Park in Michinbury, NSW; wherein a lot of Filipinos are interred. You will see a Filipino traditonal "picnic in a memorial park", with friends and relatives reuniting and visiting their loved ones. Complete with picnic mats, chairs and sometimes full-blown tents. I kid you not!

But I am sure there will be a Mass held this coming Saturday, as is traditionally held for the past years. At least, a prayer or two would give this pagan festival a Christian flavour. It also jibes with our culture of reverence for the dead, as was most likely passed onto us by our Chinese ancestors.

With the advent of American culture, this innocous festival is now being celebrated with that famous trick or treat as seen in American films. Even in my neighbourhood of Woodcroft, you will encounter Aussie kids in ghoulish costumes going house to house asking for "death" -- lollies. I try to stock up on lollies during this period, as I do not want to be embarassed by kids -- small cute kids in Halloween costumes with their trick or treat bags. At one Halloween, with no lollies in the house I tried giving apples and oranges just to be stared at. I think they were a bit dissapointed.

According to Wikipedia, "Halloween originated from the Pagan festival Samhain, celebrated among the Celts of Ireland and Great Britain. Irish and Scottish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to North America in the nineteenth century.

"The Festival of Halloween is a celebration of the end of the fertile period of the Celtic Goddess Eiseria. It is said that when Eiseria reaches the end of her fertile cycle the worlds of the dead and the living interlap. This happens on October 31. Masks are worn to show respect for the Goddess Eiseria who, like most Celtic deities, does not wish to be seen with human eyes. The day also preceeds All saints day, which was at first the celebration of the start of a new cycle of fertility for the celtic Goddess Eiseria. Couples incapable of producing children thus tried their luck on All saints day."

I better go home early today and try trick or treat at home, I might get lucky!

My Two Cents

Good morning to all. This is my maiden post to our blogazine and I'll start by thanking bro. Mar for inviting me to contribute.

November is looking to be another busy month, but that's one of the things about being in the Filmasons - it's never boring. Dates for your diary include the installations at Lodge Education on 10 November and Lodge Star of Australia on 24 November, both being Saturdays. Add to this the management meeting this coming Friday at Woodcroft, the 40th day remembrance for Sis Connie, and our regular monthly meeting on the 17th of November and you can see why.

Watch this space as well for some Masonic content articles, first one coming up soon will be one of a non-Mason's view of us.

Finally, as a member of Lodge Woronora, I would like to thank all the bro and sis who joined us for our Ladies Night last Saturday and were a very large part of the evening's program and its success. We do value your continued support and I can only hope that you remembered to have your passports exit stamped as you left.

Management Meeting for Friday, 2nd Nov

I have been requested by our President, WB Fidel Pamplona, to announce a management meeting he is calling. The meeting will be at his residence in Woodcroft at 7:30PM on 2nd November, which is this coming Friday. Apologies either by telephone to brother President or via email.

As always, aside from the officers and members of the management committee, all and their ladies are invited. Please bring a plate and drinks if you can.

Main topics will be the Christmas Party and the Christmas Carol Cheers to retirement homes.

See you there as the association need your participation and ideas.

Bro Mario

Fellow Bloggers

I have just invited Sis Nanette Briones and Bro Louie Reyes as fellow bloggers to our FilMasons BloGazine.

Sis Nanette is behind the man (that's you Editor WBro Bobby!) and perennial helper and "Chief of the Editor" of our FilMason Newsletter (the original and printed version).

While Bro Louie is not only our newest Vice President, but also an avid writer and retired chess master.

Welcome on board and we will wait for your posts.

Any other brother or sister who wants to contribute, please email your article to me. If you want to be a regular contributor, I can set up and invite you as well.

Bro Mario

FilMason Newsletter for October is Out

Issue 2007-2008/1 (October 2007) is now out. If you have not received your copy, please let the editor, WBro Bobby Briones (or his Chief Editor, Sis Nanette... hehehee) knows.

I have handed out advance copies to save postage, but the Editors will mail copies as soon as practicable.

From the Editor:

"Welcome to another chapter of the Filipino Freemasons Association.

In this issue, we pay tribute to a dear friend and Amason, Sis Connie Subijano, who passed away on the 2nd of October 2007 (see separate post here, Mar). She will be dearly missed and will always be remembered. May she rest in Peace.

October marked the Induction of the Association's officers for 2007-2008. To be an officer is not an easy task. To have accepted the challenge is admirable.

The editotial staff of this newsletter congratulates all the officers that will be at the helm this year. May you fulfill all your objectives for the club. You have our support. This newsletter will be your voice.

To our many readers, hope you enjoy this issue!"

Bro Mario