AFP Sojourners Club: 9 March

I just want to congratulate the following brethren especially the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Sojourners Club, Navy Chapter, under MWGLP for hosting the very cheerful and high spirited monthly fellowship held at the Philippine Navy Golf Club last 6PM of 09 March 2011:

VWBro [Capt.] Jun Arias, Cavite Lodge No. 2 - Interim President;

WM [Capt.] Willy Landicho, WM Mendez-Nunez Lodge No. 316 - Event Organizer;

Bro Capt. Augusto Iglesia, La Naval Lodge No. 269 - Event Organizer;

WM Glyze Villanueva, Cavite Lodge No. 2

Bro Jurex Bilog, JW La Naval Lodge No. 269

WBro Rod Jaca, E. Aguinaldo Mem. Lodge No. 31

Bro Roland Fernandez, JW E. Aguinaldo Mem. Lodge No. 31

Bro Oscar Faeldon, Union Lodge No. 70

Bro Ed Mancita, La Naval Lodge No. 269

The event was attended by fellow Master Masons coming from the other AFP branch of service (PA and PAF) to include brethren from the Technical Service, AFP and officially graced by the incumbent AFP Sojourners Club WBro  [Maj Gen] Tony Villarete of the Philippine Air Force.

The occasion thus began in order and conducted in peace and harmony among fellows. The next host will be the Philippine Army [vice Air Force] as agreed when we are about to separate and return to our respective places of abode.

God Bless!!!


ROGELIO JUNIO CAMACHO, Master Mason
Secretary 2008 and 2009
Emilio Aguinaldo Memorial Lodge No. 31
Free & Accepted Masons of the Philippines
Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of the Philippines( MWGLP)
District Region IV-A-1 (Cavite), Philippines

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Did you know?

"We are all familiar with the term “Sojourning Mason”, but did you know that a formal, recognized Masonic organization named “National Sojourners” actually exists?

The group had its beginning over 90 years ago in August 1898 in the Philippines, upon the arrival there of a North Dakota Regiment of Volunteer Infantry. The Grand Lodge of North Dakota had granted this Regiment a dispensation for a field lodge and it conducted its first meeting upon its arrival.

Meetings were held regularly thereafter—once even while under hostile fire at the Culi Culi Church with the officers of the lodge wearing sidearms while bullets splattered through the roof!

Early in 1900, the North Dakota Regiment of Volunteer Infantry left the Philippines, taking with it the Field Dispensation. The American Masons who were left behind quickly filled this Masonic void by forming the first informal “Sojourners Club.” In 1901, these “Sojourners” provided the impetus, funds and paraphernalia to charter Manila Lodge under the Grand Lodge of California, and the “Sojourners Club,” was temporarily disbanded. One of the original members of the informal “Sojourners Club”, Surgeon Captain Harry Eugene Stafford, was Charter Master of Manila Lodge No. 342, Grand Lodge of California (later Manila Lodge No. I) and, in 1913, became the first Grand Master of the newlycreated Grand Lodge of the Philippines.

The Philippine “Sojourner Club” resurfaced in 1907, open to Masons who were not members of local lodges, and soon had nearly 200 members from every State and Territory of the United States and eight foreign countries. As time went by, most of the Philippine Sojourners scattered throughout the United States. A group of these Masonic military officers, meeting in Chicago, Illinois in 1917, recognized the highly transient life of Master Mason military Officers and formally organized the “Chicago Sojourners Club.” Additional Clubs quickly formed at army posts and naval bases around the nation and overseas. In 1927, the word “Club” was dropped and the National Sojourners were incor-porated in 1931 as a formal part of the Masonic Fraternity."

From The Masonic World: "Born in War, Nurtured in Peace"