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WebMaster
DECEMBER 2008
My Brothers, families and friends
Babe and I are really looking forward to the Holiday season this year it will give us a chance to kick off our shoes and relax with our family. They say that time flies when you are having fun, and we have had such a wonderful time traveling these past few months throughout this great Empire State and meeting so many of you.
We have been so impressed by the spirit of Brotherhood and family we have observed in our Lodges during our travels and we are so enthusiastic about the quality of the Masonry that is exhibited in this Grand Jurisdiction. There is such a warmth and rededication to the basic tenants we not only preach, but to the Masonry we see being practiced and that my Brothers is what Masonry in New York is all about.
Hanukkah will be observed by our Jewish Brethren and their families starting at sundown on Sunday December 21. This eight day holiday is known as the Festival of Lights and the festival of Hanukkah is a celebration of Jewish survival and religious freedom. Kwanzaa, a seven-day festival (December 26 - January 1) is secular, not religious, and aims to strengthen African cultural identity and community values.
Likewise, Christmas is a family holiday and traditionally we observe a festive spirit as well as a religious rededication. We here in America, regardless of our religious persuasion, have so much for which to be thankful, but we would be remiss if we did not pause especially at this time of the year to give special prayers for the safety and well being of our men and women in the armed forces wherever they are serving here in the United States or abroad. And we also have a special obligation, especially at this time of the year, to remember those who are less fortunate than we and to contribute to their relief as liberally as we can. The Masonic Endowment Fund is a good place to start.
On behalf of Babe and me, and Ginny and the Deputy Grand Master, Vincent Libone, and our entire elected and appointed Grand Line, we wish you and those you love, good health and all of the happiness and joys of this coming holiday season and for the New Year 2009.
With warmest best wishes,
Fraternally,
Edward G. Gilbert
Grand Master of Masons in the State of New York
FROM THE GRAND MASTER
SEPTEMBER 30, 2008
A COLUMBUS DAY MESSAGE TO THE CRAFT
My Brothers, families and friends...
When I was a youngster we learned a poem in school that went something like this, "In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue ..." Of course this was just the start of a life long lesson in history involving the "discovery" of the new world, disproving the notion that the world was flat, and it was and is a lasting tribute to Italian heritage, exploration and the tenacity of man ... and the lesson evidently stuck.
This year Columbus Day is Monday, October 13th and many of our Masonic Brothers will be observing the holiday and participating in Columbus Day Parades. In New York City Garibaldi Lodge, together with many Brothers of Italian heritage (real and adopted), will parade down Fifth Avenue for all the world to see and applaud.
I want to take this opportunity to salute all of you, who for one day at least, are Italian... and we thank you for all you do for our gentle craft and our nation. With warm fraternal regards and best wishes on behalf of Helen and myself, Virginia and our Deputy Grand Master RW Vincent Libone, and our entire Grand Line...
Viva L' Italia!
Fraternally,
EDWARD G. GILBERT
Grand Master
Outgoing Message From RW Garry Visconti
Well here we are at the end of another term as Oswego District Staff Officer. I would first like to congratulate the new District Deputy Grand Master RW Bernie Bialecki and Grand Director of Ceremonies RW John Kraus. I hope they have a great two years in their offices.
The Oswego District Golf Tournament will be held at Glenn Wood Golf Course in West Monroe on June 7, 2008 at 2pm. The cost this year is $32.00 for 18 holes of Golf, Cart and Lunch. It will be the same as before with a best ball format and the foursomes can include ladies and non-masons. Please contact RW Wayne Visconti at 593-6076 with your team information and reservation
I would like to thank everyone for the support over the past two years as the Oswego District Staff Officer. I have had fun working with everyone in providing Masonic Education to your Lodges. I look forward to continuing in Masonry on the sidelines with the rest of the Past Staff Officers and will continue to support the current officers. As always I look forward to seeing you all in Lodge.
Garry Visconti
Grand Director of Ceremonies
Grand Master's Holiday Message
My Brethren, Family and Friends,
As we begin this holiday season, it is appropriate that we pause to reflect
on the year that will soon be ending and look forward with great
anticipation to a New Year.
During this holiday season we celebrate the gift of light. Some of us
celebrate a gift of faith, which kept light alive far longer than ever could
have been expected. Some of us celebrate a gift of love that brought light
into a world grown cold and dark. Whatever our faiths, we should take this
season to bring the gift of light to those around us.
Our gifts of light might come in the form of giving blood to those who need
it. We might spread light by giving money or presents to a worthy charity,
so that others who have little might remember that they are cared for. We
might give light by sharing our celebrations with those who are alone, or
with those who have a family member serving far away. We might give light
by simply smiling more often, saying "thank you" a few more times, or saying
"I love you" to our families and those we love.
My Brothers, it is most important to remember that we celebrate the season
of light in what is the darkest month of the year. This fact reminds us
that it is most important to share the gifts of faith, love and light at all
times, but especially at those times when the world feels the darkest. It
is at these times that our gifts of light shine the brightest.
On behalf of Joyce, Brian and I, we thank you for keeping us in your
thoughts and prayers these past few weeks. On behalf of us and your elected
and appointed Grand Line, we wish you a Happy Hanukkah, a Merry Christmas
and a New Year filled with good health, happiness and especially peace on
earth.
May God continue to bless you and your family and our great Fraternity. My
He watch over our men and women in military service and bring them safely
home, and may God continue to Bless America!
Sincerely and fraternally,
Neal I. Bidnick
Grand Master
Grand Master's Vetrans Day Message
My Brothers, family and friends:
As we approach Veterans Day on November 11th, I would like each of you to pause in your daily routines and spend a few moments in remembrance of those who have given their lives so we can enjoy the freedoms that we do. The ability to meet and exchange ideas, engage in the Fellowship of our Craft and not be afraid has been won for us and continues to be protected by those who are members of our Armed Forces. They need to know that we are here and thinking about them and appreciate what they have done and are doing on our behalf. We acknowledge their dedication to our country and appreciate all the sacrifices they have made and continue to make.
Also please do not forget to remember their families that are at home worrying about their loved ones, particularly as we enter this holiday season. We all pray that they will return to their families and to us soon and in good health.
To every Veteran, on behalf of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York, to our military men and women of our armed forces past and present, we salute you. May the Great Architect continue to watch over you and those you love! God Bless you -- and may God continue to Bless the United States of America.
Sincerely and fraternally,
Neal I. Bidnick
Grand Master
Grand Master's Labor Day Message
My Brothers...
Labor Day is the ideal holiday for all of us to put into practice the newly-added element in our formula for success, which is Fellowship. Many of us have had the opportunity over this past summer to take some time away with our families, perhaps traveling somewhere in this great country or in this awesome world. Now, as the days grow slightly shorter and the air turns from warm to refreshing, we have a chance to mark the close of the summer by joining with other families for one final outdoor celebration. Labor Day was instituted as a holiday to recognize the workers and laborers who make our country great. It soon became a tradition to celebrate those labors by setting aside work for a day, and instead taking pleasure in the company of our own families and the families of our friends, and focusing our labors on building the best barbecue pit. This tradition highlights some important principles. We must always remember to pause in our labors for refreshment; we must not lose sight of our families and friends, no matter how big a job we have in front of us; and most importantly, the tasks we face, and the labors we strive to complete or move forward, are easier to endure when we have the love and support of our families and friends. Fellowship eases our labors, and allows us to devote ourselves more fully to the tasks we have yet to accomplish.
My Brothers, use this holiday to refresh and reinvigorate yourselves before we return to the quarries. Take joy in the company of your families and friends. Marvel at the beauty of nature by visiting a park or picnic area, and take a moment to appreciate what the labors of the Great Architect have produced in our world.
On behalf of our family and your Elected and Appointed Grand Line, we hope that you and yours enjoy this Labor Day holiday to the fullest. God Bless you and your family. God Bless our Fraternity. May God continue to watch over our men and women in military service...and may God continue to Bless America!
Fraternally,*
Neal I. Bidnick*
Grand Master*
September 2007*
Grand Master's July 4th Message
My Brothers, ladies and friends:
The anniversary of America's independence is a day for gratitude, and a day for celebration. On the 4th of July, we count our blessings, and there are so many for us to count. We're thankful for our families, we're thankful for the opportunities that we have in this wonderful country, and we are thankful for our freedom. This freedom was declared by our founding fathers, many of whom were Masons, and defended by many generations.
July 4th is also a time for us to exhibit the patriotism and love of our country that we all feel deep inside. It is a time to fly our flag proudly, and let the world know how very much we love America. It is a time to let everyone know that our country truly stands as a beacon of freedom for the entire world to see.
It is also a time to remember those who gave their lives in support of our nation, and to never forget the sacrifices made by the men and women who served our nation in the past and those who presently serve.
We pray that the Great Architect will continue to watch over those who are serving to protect our freedom, and that He will bring them home safely to us.
On behalf of Joyce, Brian and I, and our Elected and Appointed Grand Line we wish you a wonderful 4th of July holiday. May God continue to bless you and your family and our great Fraternity. May He watch over our men and women in military service and may God continue to Bless America!
Sincerely and fraternally,
Neal I. Bidnick
Grand Master
Grand Master's Memorial Day Message 2007
My Brethren, family and friends,
The solemn observance of Memorial Day this weekend is a time for us to pause and say "thank you" to those men and women who are serving or have served in our armed forces. It also gives us an opportunity to reflect on our own expressions of love and duty to our country. Patriotism is a feeling we experience as citizens of this great nation, but as Masons it is even more significant.
Our Masonic Compact states:
...I know that my obligation to community extends beyond my local sphere and is partly fulfilled in my patriotism: love of my country, obedience to its laws and celebration of the freedoms and opportunities it symbolizes.
We as Masons must never forget those who gave their lives in defense of our nation and freedom, and we will never forget the sacrifices made by the men and women who served our nation in the past and those who presently serve.
We pray that the Great Architect will continue to watch over those who are serving to protect our way of life, and that He will bring them home safely to us.
My Brothers, on this Memorial Day, fly your American Flag proudly. We must remember that it represents the blood and tears of so many of our brothers and sisters. And when you see a man or woman in uniform, or one who is wearing a Veteran's pin or poppy, remember to stop and say "Thank you!"
Sincerely and fraternally,
Neal I. Bidnick
Grand Master
GRAND MASTER'S MOTHER'S DAY MESSAGE
To our Ladies....
Today we celebrate Mother's Day when we each take time to pause in our labors to say "Thank You!" and celebrate our ladies who stand beside us and assist us and make our life so meaningful.
On behalf of all of the Masons within our jurisdiction, we wish each of you a day filled with warmth, sunshine and family. May the year ahead be filled with good health and an abundance of happiness and joy.
Sincerely and fraternally,
Neal I. Bidnick
Grand Master
MMRL Scientists Discover New Genes Responsible
for Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Scientists at the Masonic Medical Research Laboratory (MMRL) in Utica, NY have uncovered a new genetic basis for abnormal rhythms of the heart responsible for sudden cardiac arrest. The landmark discovery is reported in the current issue of Circulation, the leading Cardiology journal published by the American Heart Association (AHA).
Dr. Charles Antzelevitch and a team of investigators and collaborators from Canada, Germany, France and Italy describe a new clinical entity characterized by distinctive changes in the electrocardiogram (ECG) in three families with a history of sudden cardiac death. Affected family members were all found to have mutations in the genes that encode the cardiac calcium channels. These channels permit the flow of calcium ion in and out of cells in the heart. The defective genes called CACNA1C and CACNB2b were found to generate a smaller than normal electrical current and thus to be responsible for creating an electrical imbalance that results in potentially fatal abnormal heart rhythms, known as cardiac arrhythmias. Although the heart is a mechanical pump, each and every beat is initiated by electrical activity that originates in the upper part of the heart called > the sinus node and is transmitted in a very orderly fashion through the remainder of the heart. The electrical current is due to the movement of ions such as sodium, potassium and calcium across the cell membrane. Defects in the function of the channels that permit these various ions to move in and out of the cardiac cell leads to an electrical imbalance that can disrupt the normal distribution of the electrical charge throughout the heart, resulting in abnormal rhythms. Some arrhythmias are benign, such as premature beats, and others are deadly, including ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation. The ECG, which records the electrical activity of the heart from electrodes placed on the body surface, can be used to detect these rhythm disturbances. The ECG is normally comprised of a P wave, reflecting the activation of the upper chambers of the heart (atria), a QRS wave denoting the activation of the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles) and a T wave, which is inscribed as a result of the repolarization associated with relaxation of the heart. The interval between the QRS and T waves (QT interval) normally ranges between 360 and 460 milliseconds and the ST segment of the normal ECG is isoelectric (neither elevated or depressed). The new clinical entity is a combination of two distinct sudden death syndromes known as the Brugada and Short QT syndromes. The Brugada syndrome is characterized by an elevation of the ST segment in the ECG and the short QT syndrome distinguished by a briefer than normal QT interval (less than or equal to 360 milliseconds). These syndromes have previously been shown to be due to defects in genes that control the flow of sodium and potassium ions across the membrane of the cardiac cell. Antzelevitch, who serves as Executive Director and Director of Research of the MMRL, and his colleagues at the MMRL were the first to identify the KCNH2 gene responsible for the Short QT syndrome and together with colleagues at Baylor College of Medicine were the first to describe the SCN5A gene responsible for the Brugada syndrome. Each syndrome is capable of independently producing sudden cardiac arrest. The new clinical entity, by combining the two malfunctioning electrical features, presents a situation of double jeopardy. Antzelevitch, the leading investigator in the new study, recently presented preliminary results of the research at the late-breaking abstract session at the annual scientific sessions of the AHA. Dr. Guido Pollevick, acting head of the Molecular Genetics program at the MMRL, presented a poster at the AHA meeting regarding additional aspects of this new clinical entity. According to Antzelevitch "our ability to link calcium channel loss of function mutations to sudden cardiac death opens exciting new avenues for better diagnosis and treatment of inherited sudden death syndromes that affect young adults, children and infants." Scientists at the MMRL, in collaboration with colleagues in Italy, were the first to identify the genetic defect responsible for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, linking SIDS to a malignant cardiac arrhythmia. Dr. Jonathan Cordeiro, a research scientist involved with assessing the effects of the mutated genes on electrical function, thought that ?in time many more mutations will be found to affect ion channels within the heart leading to sudden cardiac arrest.? Antzelevitch agreed, indicating that "we are at the tip of the iceberg and have a great deal to learn before we can routinely use genetic screening to identify children and adults at risk for sudden cardiac arrest." "The impressive progress that we have made in this field of medicine in recent years is encouraging and with appropriate commitment of resources, we can look forward to dramatic advances in the months and years ahead", he added Founded in 1958 by the Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of the State of New York, the MMRL is an internationally renowned medical research and educational institute dedicated to studies of the electrical activity of the heart and the mechanisms responsible for abnormal rhythms of the heart. In recent years, the MMRL has also become a central hub for genetic screening of inherited arrhythmic diseases in the United States. MMRL scientists have uncovered the mechanisms responsible for many forms of life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias as well as the mechanisms by which some drugs act to precipitate arrhythmias. In recent years, they have delineated the genetic basis for several inherited sudden cardiac death syndromes. Prominent among their most recent achievements is the identification of a novel strategy for the pharmacologic treatment of atrial fibrillation, one of the greatest unmet medical needs facing our society.
January 16, 2007
Grand Master's Holiday Message
My Brethren, Family and friends,
We greet this holiday season as a time to be with our families and friends, to find joy in the spirit of giving, and to reflect on the year just passed while anticipating the New Year about to come. It is a time filled with happiness for many of us. Perhaps this year, we can all stop for a moment and think of those who may be experiencing sadness during this season: our Brothers with families who may be struggling through difficult times; a widow spending her first holiday alone; a family with a son or daughter serving overseas. Let's take time to remember these people in our prayers and in our plans this year, and see if our happiness can lighten their cares, even for a few moments. This, my Brothers, is what Masons do.
So whether you light the candles on the Menorah, or string the lights on the
Christmas tree, may these shining lights be beacons for peace in this holiday season, and may these beacons be reflected in every window in the world. On behalf of our family and your elected and appointed Grand Line, Joyce, Brian and I wish to extend to you and all you cherish our warmest wishes for a joyous holiday season. May you have a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, and a New Year filled with good health, happiness and especially peace on Earth. May God continue to bless you, your family and our great Fraternity. May He watch over our men and women in military service and bring them safely home, and may He continue to Bless America.
Sincerely and fraternally,
Neal I. Bidnick
Grand Master
Written for and published in the Buffalo News
Another voice / Historic organization Masons
By ED GILBERT
12/8/2006
It was 225 years ago that Freemasonry, upon receipt of a charter from England, became an official organization in what would become New York State. The Masons had already existed in parts of Europe, with Masonic Lodges dating back centuries. To mark this historic milestone, the New York Masons played host to interfaith prayer services and made flag donations to various civic groups in October.
With thousands of non-Masons and Masons alike participating in these ceremonies, it hardly amounted to the sinister stuff that conspiracy theorists everywhere - most recently, Dan Brown in "The DaVinci Code" - would have you believe about Freemasonry. Yes, there are still centuries-old Masonic traditions handed down through generations, sometimes via entire family trees. This includes the "secret handshakes" and ornate aprons that the Masons are probably best known for. But Freemasonry is about more than rituals, and is definitely not about conquering the world, etc., as someone who's Googled the Masons might be led to believe.
The core of this organization's tenets has always been about giving back to the community. This is true of the Masons and of many other fraternal groups or service organizations, including the Knights of Columbus, Kiwanis and the Elks, many of which are, in some way, offshoots of Freemasonry. In fact, the Shriners, who are best known for the Shriners Hospitals for Children, which offer specialized pediatric medical care at no charge, are also Masons. Actually, one has to be a Mason in order to be a Shriner.
Here in New York, the Masons run the Child Identification Program (CHIP), which provides parents with photo ID cards and other essential law enforcement tools should their child go missing. More than 275,000 children have participated in CHIP since the program was founded in 1991; the recent CHIP event at the Erie County Fair registered about 1,700 kids.
These are just a few examples of the good that fraternal and service organizations do: ensuring access to health care for our most vulnerable citizens; giving parents resources to help protect children; supporting medical research; and even organizing blood drives and food drives. Groups like the Masons continue to play a relevant, integral role in their communities decades and even centuries after they were first founded.
We invite you to find out more about what the Masons do, either by visiting your local Masonic Lodge, by going to nymasons.org or by simply asking a Mason. There are 53,000 of us statewide, so we shouldn't be hard to find. Upon talking to a Mason, you may come to realize that all we are is a group of folks who want to do good by the community, and as a result some of that Masonic mystique may fade away. But really, that's the point.
Ed Gilbert is a resident of Buffalo and the Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York.
May 2006
Congratulations to our 2006 Dedicated Service Award Recipients!
- Edwin B. Miller of Lake City Lodge #127
- Victor M. Waggoner of Pulaski Lodge #415
DDGM Visitation Schedule 2006/2007
| Date | Lodge |
| September 6, 2006 | Calimichus #369 |
| September 11, 2006 | Scriba #414 |
| September 21, 2006 | Amboy-Republican #650 |
| September 27, 2006 | Hannibal #550 |
| October 3, 2006 | Hiram #144 |
| October 10,2006 | Sandy Creek #564 |
| October 16, 2006 | Mexico #136 |
| November 2, 2006 | Central Square #622 |
| November 15, 2006 | Pulaski #415 |
| April 24, 2007 | Lake City #127 |