The Commitment - what is involved?

Within Freemasonry, no member is ever forced to do anything they do not want to do, or feel they are unable to do.

There are three stages, or Degrees, to becoming a Master Mason. The first ceremony of initiation accords you the First Degree. Further involvement and study enables you to progress to becoming a Master Mason.

Once you have achieved that level, if you feel that is as far as you wish to proceed then that will be okay; nobody will put you under any pressure to continue further. However, to progress up the Masonic ranks and eventually be a candidate for Master of the Lodge takes time and a little more effort.

The Masonic calendar normally runs from September until the end of May, with four main formal meetings. All Masonic lodges also hold teaching sessions which are called ‘Lodge of Instruction’ or LOI for short. The LOI is where you learn and practice the ritual, but once again we stress there is no pressure, the learning is engaging and fun. LOI’s usually convene weekly for a one hour evening meeting, after which the attendees often gather in the bar to socialise before going home.

You will be expected to attend as many LOI’s as possible and providing that you wish to progress, this is where you will slowly and surely learn the ritual. The sense of achievement gained from learning and perfecting your knowledge is fantastic and very rewarding.

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