This past Saturday, the Scottish Rite Masons of California gathered in San Francisco for one of the most prestigious events in our Masonic calendar—the 2025 Honours Ceremony, celebrating those Brethren who have been appointed to receive the Knight Commander of the Court of Honour (KCCH) and the Thirty-Third Degree, Inspector General Honorary, the highest recognition within the Southern Jurisdiction.

The symbol is older than the Golden Fleece or the Roman Eagle, to borrow from the description of another Masonic item—the lambskin apron. It is a distinctive symbol of power, one dating back more than two millennia before the building of King Solomon’s Temple, and a distinctive symbol that has held its aura for 50 centuries over three continents.

We are most pleased about the news, carried elsewhere in this newsletter, of the appointment of Ill. Arthur L. Salazar, 33°, as the Deputy of the Supreme Council in the Orient of California. It is an honor to have a member of our Valley appointed to such a prestigious position, of course, and it is also a cause for celebration that our Orient will be led by such a truly distinguished and capable Masonic brother.

Here’s the truth: what we have here is good. Really good. But imagine what it could be like if every Master Mason in Orange County found his way to the Scottish Rite. Imagine reunions filled with fresh energy, Stated Meetings packed with new ideas, service projects teeming with willing hands, and our degrees performed by full casts of passionate Brothers. That’s not a dream—it’s a vision. A vision that becomes reality when each of us takes it upon ourselves to reach out, invi

In Freemasonry, harmony is more than a pleasant ideal—it is a foundational principle, vital to the life and health of the Lodge - and, in Scottish Rite Masonry, the Valley Bodies.

The "Rite Word for August 2024" is the monthly publication of the San Jose Scottish Rite. This edition includes messages from...

This honored Creed, integral to the foundation of the Scottish Rite, transcends its five lines, symbolizing a lifelong commitment.

The history of the Scottish Rite is one of culture, triumph, and unity.

Volume 44, Issue 07 JULY 2024