Hon. James Olivier, 32° KCCH
Prelate, Director of The Work
I want to take a moment to thank our heads of bodies for putting on a great cap and ring ceremony for our new Scottish Rite Brothers. Everyone did a great job and it is always a wonderful moment to welcome our Brethren with a beautiful ceremony that not only reminds them of what they’ve learned in the reunion, but also includes their family and loved ones so they too can learn about our symbols and get a peek at what the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite is all about!
Which leads me to my second point… what is the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite all about? Well, it’s about Unity, and a Brotherhood that reaches beyond our walls of the Southern Jurisdiction. On September 7, 2022, our own Sovereign Grand Commander Ill. James Cole, 33º, together with Ill. Peter Samiec, 33º, Sovereign Grand Commander of the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, along with both Ill. Corey Hawkins, 33º Sovereign Grand Commander of the United Supreme Council, SJ and Dr. Melvin Bazemore, 33º Sovereign Grand Commander of the United Supreme Council, NJ gathered at the House of The Temple in Washington, D.C. and signed the Statement of Unity. This statement allows for mutual recognition among all Scottish Rite bodies in the United States and has led to events like the one that took place in Washington, D.C. in early November. This Unity Reunion was the fist in the District and saw a partnership between the Southern Jurisdiction and the United Supreme Council, SJ. The bodies shared responsibility for exemplifying the degrees in their own form. And it was a wonderful event to attend!
Finding myself as a bit of a stranger in a strange land apart from friends from the House of The Temple. It was a joy to meet Brothers from all over the country and from such varied backgrounds. Questions were plentiful about the differences between the Prince Hall experience, I bonded with Brothers over our differing experiences in the York Rite and Scottish Rite alike. Many of our Prince Hall Brethren were very intrigued by my red hat since many were still unfamiliar with the new-to-them distinction of the KCCH honor. I was curious about their own experiences in the way they perform their degrees. In the end, it was two days of mental note-taking and soaking up the experience of the incredible degree work on the part of our Brothers from the United Supreme Council. I left the event invigorated and excited for what can come in the future for all of us, both in our own Valley and as a united Scottish Rite where we can share our knowledge and best practices in our collective degree work, enhancing the experience for all of our members, new and old alike!
