Update on Castle Island Virtual Lodge

Welcome to the 21st Century …

Castle Island Virtual Lodge UD

Our Vision

Freemasonry in Manitoba will be the preeminent fraternal organization committed to improving good men through fellowship, leadership and education, and as such Castle Island Virtual Lodge UD is available on computer here to support these principles

Our Mission

To give the Freemasons of Manitoba another method of communication the values of Freemasonry by computer technology to those who are not able to attend a Lodge due to their many personal and private commitments.

In January of 2010 Dispensation was issued for a new concept of a Masonic Lodge called Castle Island Virtual Lodge Under Dispensation which allowed a number of interested Brethren to gather together and meet in a “Virtual” concept .

The first medium that we used was called “Second Life” and Brother Scott Wiles designed a Castle and rooms that were on different floors subject to proper doors to be opened thus revealing a Lodge Room with all the proper Chairs , Altar, Tassels., and the other furniture.

The Castle was set aside of the other buildings on Second Life and was in a remote area .  Only members could gain access .. The Second Life finally did not meet with our requirements and we moved to a better concept called “Meggameeting” which allows the members to be in a visual gathering on the Computer Screen and with a camera and microphone for live communications.

There was time set aside for the members to be trained in the operation of the system and we are now in control of the methods used and we have been meeting regularly on the fifth Wednesday of months that have five weeks.

This concept was not acceptable to many but the Virtual Lodge is operating according to the ritual [Canadian work]

Our Petition was granted on January 15 2010 and we have regularly held meetings visually since the Institution of Castle Island on April 20

2010. Since June 29 we entertained Masonic guests from Farmington, Minnesota – High Point, Ohio – Thompson, Manitoba – Edmonton, Alberta and Calgary, Alberta.

All of these visitors have expressed their desire to re-visit Castle Island in the future when we will be have an open meeting . W.Bro.Nick Johnson of Corinthian Lodge No 67 Gr [] Minnesota presented a paper and as the editor of his Lodge’s magazine at <www.millennialfreemason.com> in which he gave Castle Island a very favorable writeup. In his Masonic Magazine he said to us “ My wife was very happy as I was home after the Lodge Meeting within eleven seconds and not the normal hour.

We have invited R.W.Bro. Ed Halpus, Past Grand Orator and now Senior Grand Deacon of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota to present one of his many papers this spring.

With the members of Passionati XXI now members of Castle Island we are in the process of bringing them on “Board” and as Meggameeting has a slot for sixteen members at one time we will then have to look for an expansion to allow for visitors.

I will advise all that if any petitioners for Freemasonry wish to join and be Initiated, Passed and Raised then our Mother Lodge – Millennium Lodge No 182 have graciously offered their premises so we may bring the new member into freemasonry in a Lodge room before they go Virtual.

With the gaining of the members from Passionati XXI we will be able to fill our Officers ranks and there is a strong possibility that some who demitted for work reasons will be returning to the Lodge.

We are moving along and are dedicated to making this concept work and we will be in a position to petition for a Charter soon.

If anyone has any questions we would be pleased to discuss them after the meeting – or use the comments option below.