Hon. James Olivier, 32° KCCH
Prelate, Director of The Work
On Saturday, August 10, 2024, a group of your Brothers headed out to the Valley of Pasadena to assist them in their ongoing reunion. They had set an ambitious goal of performing all twenty-nine degrees of the Scottish Rite for their class. Their Director of The Work and I worked together to devise a plan that would work, and once we landed on the 23rd Degree Chief of The Tabernacle, we started a few weeks of rapid-fire rehearsals to ensure we put on the best show possible. I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge Hon. Michael Gowder, 32º KCCH, Bro. Chris DeDios, Bro. David Gilman and Bro. Ryan Gonzales (in his first degree as a cast member, no less), and thank them for putting on an excellent degree for our Brothers in Pasadena.
This is the beauty of Masonry in action. When we all gather together for a common goal. Over the years we’ve all had opportunities like this. Whether we visit another Blue Lodge to help with a degree or in any of the appendant bodies that we might find ourselves as members. The Scottish Rite of Freemasonry provides many opportunities to connect and network with other Masons, not only locally, but on a national level. Ultimately, the work starts here at home. In October, we will be holding our Fall Reunion on the 19th and 20th of the month. We are starting rehearsals very soon and yes, we will need help. This is your opportunity to start down the road of service for your Brothers, and also to yourself. You will find yourself gaining a new and deeper understanding and appreciation of the degrees. Not only that, but we also have a lot of fun doing this. Please reach out to me via email at jolivier@ocscottishrite.org or at our Stated Meeting! We always have room for more, and with any luck, hopefully some time in the mid-term, we can find ourselves in a place to perform the 29 degrees of the Scottish Rite in our own Valley! All it takes is teamwork!
