THE TROUBLE WITH THE GRAND LODGE OF SPAIN AND THE ENGLISH FACTOR

On March 15^th CY, the English language weekly newspaper for British expats who live on the Costa Blanca – appropriately called Costa News –   published a letter to the Editor that has captivated me.  Its contents is harshly critical of the situation of Freemasonry in Spain and it must have taken a large measure of courage for the author to have exposed himself and for  being so disapproving of the GLE.

The letter in question is titled Freemasonry: The Grand Lodge of Spain. It is likely to  have been originally written in Spanish by a Spanish Brother but then translated into English language using a free translator software.

Having adjusted the grammar form and condensed the letter,   I am now re-proposing its contents for your consideration. But let me inform the readers that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text  of the letter belong solely to its author and that the publication of such letter on this website does not necessarily imply  that Tetraktys endorses the opinions expressed therein .

Have a good reading!

Aldo Reno

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Finestrat, March 12

We are living moments of increasing internal tension in the Grand Lodge of Espana (GLE) as it is moving towards self-destruction.

Of its three Past Grand Masters, two are no longer members of the GLE and all of them are in total disagreement with the current Grand Master.

There are two fundamental problems that need to be resolved, of which the first is the GLE’s current leadership.

What is strongly questionable of the GLE is the failure to understand Freemasonry; its inability to discern how to use the economic resources in a rightful way; to understand how to conduct oneself both in public and in private. Because while the expenses within the GLE, both at national and international level, are being enjoyed only by a minority of the Brethren, our Temples continue to be of generally low or average quality.

The first four years in the chair by the current Grand Master went almost unnoticed, they flew by.  But in his second and third term, there has been a surprising shift towards a behavior that merits reproach.

The last jolt was given by   a released video that contained statements about the troubled Country of Venezuela, something that cannot be expected of   the Grand Master of our Order.  And there were some political opinions disclosed by him that  even appeared in the national press like the newspaper “El Pais”.  We are therefore not talking of about isolated episodes.

The image of Freemasonry has been tainted.

The second fundamental problem is the English Factor which,   through its mismanagement, is becoming a real tumour affecting the future of Freemasonry in Spain.

Many British Brothers have realized that their votes, which are controlled by their British Grand Provincial Officers, can influence the Grand Lodge of Espana and so they have de facto established within the Grand Lodge of Espana their own inward looking Grand Lodge which concerns itself only with the needs of the many English Freemasons in Spain.

This has led to an unhealthy dynamic   which the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Espana is allowing to be only for his self interest. The situation has degenerated into the breakdown of unity . There is now a schism between:

a) The Spanish element in the Provinces, such as Castilla or Cataluna where there is no co-existence with English Brothers;

b) The British element present in the tourist areas such as the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Murcia and Valencia with the sole exception of Andalucía.

British lodges perform the work in English and apply a literal translations and interpretation of the Spanish documents, make the communication between the Spanish and the English Brethren difficult, display a lack of understanding of the Spanish society and Spanish Freemasonry. What we  have , with some exceptions,  is an English Freemasonry within the GLE   and with its side Orders like the Royal Arch, the Mark , the Secret Monitor, the Knights Templar or KTP  , performing  the  English rite in English and for the English.

In the Provincial Grand Lodge of Valencia only around 16% of Grand Officers are Spanish !

Assimilating the English form of Freemasonry in the idiosyncrasy of Spanish Society has not worked out and the Side Orders in many cases have not been accepted with sufficient empathy by Spanish Freemasons.

But other Obediences, considered to be a minority only ten years ago, have however been working in tune with the Masonic principles in Spain. It cannot therefore be ruled out that one day, perhaps within a maximum period of fifteen years, one Obedience will achieve the leadership in Spain if the GLE does not find a solution to stop its demise.

Obviously with the Brexit factor, the decline in membership and a hopeful resurgence of the Spanish element the English influence will decline in time. But Freemasonry in Spain is now undeniably at a crossroads and even with the return from exile of the Grand Orient of Espana it has not succeeded in strengthening itself.

The Grand Master has  better manage the foreign element   – particularly the British – for the sake of the whole Grand Lodge of Espana. He has to take a step back and resign  so that a new generation of leaders can prepare  to make the changes  that  he has failed to introduce and will in any event come to nothing in the  presence of these  internal  tensions.

The current situation is the Grand Master’s  responsibility ;  he must now act and  take  the necessary remedial measures  which must, let it be clear,  exclude internal repression,  personal phobias  or the continuation of the status quo.

This year the Grand Assembly of the GLE is due to take place in Valencia, a City in a Province where the great majority of the Grand Officers are English. This will add nothing positive to the current situation.

We must put an end to all this and now, for everyone’s sake.

Juan Algado