Address of The Most Worshipful Vincent Libone, Gra

INVESTITURE ADDRESS

Address of The Most Worshipful Vincent Libone, Grand Master of Masons in the State of New York on the occasion of the Annual St. John’s Day Investiture held on Saturday, June 26, 2010, in the Daniel D. Tompkins Memorial Chapel at the Masonic Care Community, Utica, NY.

Right Worshipful Deputy Grand Master, Most Worshipful Past Grand Masters, my colleagues of the Grand Lodge, Brethren, Ladies and Guests.

I am delighted to see so many of my fellow Brethren and their Families here today. It is indeed a great blessing for me personally to have this singular opportunity to elevate and invest this new class of Appointed Grand Lodge Officers with their respective Commissions and Jewels. I humbly extend very warm congratulations to each of you and to those who are here in your support. In recognition of your good works and successful accomplishments throughout your tenure in the Craft, and especially in anticipation of your future Masonic endeavors, the esteemed Commissions and Jewels you now hold are reminders of the respect that you have and shall continue to earn from this grateful fraternity.

Be ever cognizant in your new position of authority and leadership, knowing that the eyes of the Craft are now focused upon your good example and high standards. Remember that the actions and dealings of your office should always be worthy of emulation and should not succumb to arrogance or mean spiritedness. Never lose sight of our fundamental tenet of brotherhood, who’s attributing of humility is the common thread that binds us all, one to the other.

My sentiments on this subject are easily summarized in the words of the philosopher and Nobel Prize recipient, Albert Schweitzer, who pointedly said, “Precept and example are not the main things in life, they are the only things.”

This brings me to what I have previously announced and have placed emphasis upon. By selecting a simple catch phrase to highlight the direction we as a fraternity should be traveling, I have chosen a three letter word: FIT as the motto for my term in office. It is an acronym that represents the three core ideals of Masonry, which are F for Faith; I for Integrity; and T for Trust.

As Masons we are resolute in our Faith in God.

As Masons we are taught to be honest and dignified – men of Integrity.

As Masons we Trust one another, and derived strength from our convictions.

Bearing this motto in mind, we as a fraternity should always strive to be FIT, not just physically and mentally, but FIT Masonically.

Let us bring this concept and motto home to our Brethren and through them to their families, friends, neighbors and co-workers. From a simple three-letter word, Freemasonry lives and expands exponentially, touching the hearts and minds of countless many. From my experience over the tenure of my Masonic career, beginning when I served as District Deputy Grand Master, and continuing through the hierarchy of the Grand Line, I have come into contact with brethren of almost every Masonic District within this Empire State, and I can safely and proudly say that most, if not all of our members, from the Entered Apprentice in the Northeast Corner to the most senior Past Grand Master in the Grand East, are imbued with the principles we teach. They may not all be Saints, but I firmly believe that at the core of our great Fraternity there is an earnest desire and strength of character leading us forward to a better tomorrow.

My journey and ascendance to the Oriental Chair in the Grand East has by and large been substantially and favorably influenced by my mentor, and my friend, the late Most Worshipful Stewart C. McCloud. He is the one who I credit with having planted the seed of a special dream. He taught me to live and to believe in the dream; and one day with the help of the Great Architect the dream will become reality; for in actuality it never was the “Impossible Dream”.

Within that dream I see Lodges working hand-in-hand with other Lodges to build stronger Districts by cultivating a cohesive foundation. I see brothers walking tall, standing together shoulder to shoulder in harmony, united with a renewed determination to build a brighter future.

So I ask you once again, are you FIT? Are you Masonically FIT? I truly feel inspired by your confidence in me and this diamond we call Freemasonry. I know that together, you and I, we will succeed in cultivating the positive spirit of being Masonically FIT; which translates into doing something positive and tangible for our jurisdiction, our communities and humanity.

As I assess the fitness of this magnificent jurisdiction, I am deeply troubled to find that two of our key programs that interact in a positive way with our surrounding communities are in serious danger of being discontinued due to lack of funding. There should be no question in anyone’s mind that the present economy and our declining membership have taken a heavy toll on our community outreach programs. In the not too distant past, the Masonic Brotherhood Fund was able to adequately amass generous donations to underwrite the cost associated with running the New York Safety ID Program and the Masonic Student Assistance Training Program.

Due to this sudden drop in the level of charitable giving earmarked for these two specific projects, we have had to reexamine our programs in the harsh light of reality with the hope of finding new sources of funding. Rather than eliminating two vital programs that have been essential in putting Masonry in the forefront of our communities at large, this wake-up call announces that we must all work together at the Lodge and District levels to find the means and the where with all to make these programs continue as successful components of Freemasonry.

Let’s take a hard look at the New York Masonic Safety ID Program. Both kids and young people continue to disappear at alarming rates across our State. Even older Americans suffering from mental illness, dementia and Alzheimer Disease can benefit from the data collected through the New York Masonic Safety ID Program, as it is shared in cooperation with the New York State and local Police Departments, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and the Amber Alert Program. It would be such a great misfortune and disservice to allow this program to fall to the wayside. What message would it convey to our communities and especially to our most precious asset, our young people?

Likewise, I believe it is imperative to stress the importance of maintaining our MSAT Program at its current measure of support, especially during these tough times when families are exposed to greater levels of distress. The focus of the Masonic Student Assistance Training Program is to prepare school administrators, teachers and other school councilors to recognize and intervene on behalf of children that are at risk; namely children who are victims of peer abuse, bullying, parental abuse, sexual abuse, and drug and alcohol abuse. Again, I ask what kind of message our fraternity is sending, if we turn our backs on these children.

Up until now both the Grand Lodge and the Trustees of the Masonic Hall and Home have been supplementing the short falls of these two programs at a significant expense to both organizations. Regretfully, we cannot continue to operate in this manner and we must return our attention to you my brothers for help. I am appealing to every Lodge and District to redouble their efforts toward promoting and financing a local MSAT Workshop and/or a local New York Masonic ID Program in your District today. As a cooperative effort, the related expenses should be minimal at best and very rewarding. Both of our Grand Lodge Committees stand ready to provide you with their expertise and guidance. Remember my Brethren; practical sense dictates that if the support of the rank and file members is not there, regretfully neither will these two hallmark programs.

Another area of concern and importance that affects each and every person in this Chapel is the promotion of good communications and good public relations. Good communications begins with a steady, consistent and accurate flow of information. Our efforts at being good communicators should steer away from haphazard, off-the-cuff and conflicting ideas and statements.

Practicing effective communication cannot be started one day, stopped the next and resume a week or so later. We must constantly practice effective communications and public relations within our own Lodges, Districts and Masonic Communities… as well as with the general public. This is not the job of one man, but rather it is an effort that we must all band together to do our utmost best to project a strong and positive image of who we are and what we do as Masons.

In this regard, I urge every District Deputy Grand Master to enlist the undivided attention of an active Brother to serve as the Public Relations as well as Communications Liaison Officer for his respective District. It will be incumbent upon each District Liaison Officer to seek the cooperation of the Masters of each Lodge in his respective District to appoint a Lodge PR Representative to work as part of the District’s Public Relations Team.

With the upsurge of attention and focus in the media that our fraternity has been subjected to in recent years, I strongly believe that we need to be prepared to take up the challenge of communicating to the general public and media in a well informed and educated manner using acceptable and defined protocols. It is definitely time for us to meet these challenges and get the message across to the media and to “Joe the Plumber” that we as Masons play an integral and meaningful part in the success of our Communities. This raises the question: Is your Community Masonically FIT? If not, why not?

Next year our Masonic Hall in New York City will celebrate its Centennial. The Trustees of the Masonic Hall and Home are diligently preparing an extravaganza unlike anything we have done in recent memory in celebration of this momentous occasion. I encourage each and every Mason throughout the Empire State to give this project their full support.

In speaking of the Trustees of the Masonic Hall and Home, I would be remiss in not saying a few words of praise for the Masonic Care Community upon whose grounds these Investiture Ceremonies are being held. When you mention or think of the Masonic Home, many people assume that we are referring to a Nursing Home where despondent elderly people go to complete their lives. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

There is a move on to change the way we care for our seniors. Our generation is requiring a different set of standards of care, and your Masonic Care Community under the leadership of Right Worshipful Brother Donald Darrohn and his fellow Trustees are leading the way. Our facility was among the first to embrace “Culture Change”. Our residents are called neighbors, and they live in neighborhoods with 8 to 16 residents. People live their lives and enjoy a variety of activities and services. We like to say that moving to your Masonic Care Community is nothing more than a simple change of address. And when you reside at the Masonic Care Community, you can continue to attend Lodge meetings, right here on Campus. The Infinity Lodge of Research meets regularly in the Administration Building from September until June.

Additionally, your Masonic Care Community also offers short and long term rehabilitation. Perhaps you or someone near and dear to you have been the victim of an accident or illness. Maybe you have had elective surgery such as a knee or hip replacement and you are in need of a place to recuperate. Your Masonic Care Community offers the best rehabilitation in the State and the accommodations are second to none.

My Brethren and Friends, the annual St. John’s Day Investiture and Open House is traditionally a time for uplifting festivities and celebration as we usher in the new line of Grand Officers. And this auspicious event certainly should be a time for rejoicing, but I am saddened by the loss of one of our stalwart leaders in the Craft. Earlier this week we laid to rest our dear friend, brother and teacher, Most Worshipful Calvin G. Bond, a Past Grand Master who retired the Working Tools of a Mason this past Saturday.

Brother Calvin Bond’s life was filled with generous activity and devoted labor, which enamored him into prominence within Masonic as well as private circles. However, it was his forthright gentle nature and compassion toward others, which was as unostentatious as it is kind, a distinction that clearly made Brother Bond one of our most revered and admired men in Masonry. The silver lining to this darkened cloud is that most, if not everyone in this room had had the honor and privilege of knowing Cal. Please join me in a moment of silent prayer.

“Well done, good and faithful servant.”

At this time, let me convey my thanks and sincere appreciation to the Grand Secretary, R\W\ Bro. Gilbert Savitzky, to my Grand Marshal, R\W\ Bro. Robert Servidio, and to the Assistant Grand Secretary, R\W\ Bro. Richard Bateman, all of whom were instrumental in putting this successful program together.

I also wish to express my deepest gratitude to all of the Past Grand Masters and Permanent Members of Grand Lodge, especially M\W\ Bro. Gary Henningsen, the President of the Board of Past Grand Masters, for your untiring efforts and support; and M\W\Bro. Edward G. Gilbert, for trusting in my abilities to lead the Craft.

To the Elected Grand Lodge Officers, and my Appointed Grand Line Officers, the journey is just beginning and with your help and devotion to duty, we shall bring this Fraternity to new heights.

I have saved the very best for last… my darling wife, the continuing light of my life, Ginny. The honeymoon has only just begun. I love you.

My Brethren, in closing I wish to leave you with this thought written about a true stonemason named Joshua Johnson, who took part in the refurbishing of the Parliament Building in Ottawa, Canada:

“Good Masons have a real sense of belonging to a much larger time and space than the one they breathe in while they are living. Good Masons think along that very line: That they are not doing this particularly for themselves or for the people that may surround them at the moment. Good Masons do it for the dozens of generations that are coming along behind them, and those generations will look at the work and marvel at it.”

When all is said and done, it my sincere hope that people decades from now will look back and marvel at the good works we have accomplished today.

Thank you one and all. May God bless you… May God bless this great Nation of ours… and may God continue to bless and protect our young men and women in the Armed Forces.