# From Templar to Mason?



## reweyd (Jul 9, 2013)

Hello my name is David and I am a Templar Knight from MN. I am very interestesd in the Mason brotherhood.  As I am currently a Knight would there be any type of conflict in joining the Masons?

Your answers are truly appreciated. 



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## crono782 (Jul 9, 2013)

Is a Templar Knight different than a Commandery Knight Templar in Freemasonry? Hah


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## Michael Neumann (Jul 10, 2013)

Hmmm, I had never heard of this until you mentioned it. It looks as if there is a seperate group http://www.theknightstemplar.info/ with this http://knightstemplarusa.org/ being the US site, interesting.


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## reweyd (Jul 10, 2013)

Michael, not sure what you were trying to look up but the website for my priory is www.prioryholygrail.org

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## Michael Neumann (Jul 10, 2013)

reweyd said:


> Michael, not sure what you were trying to look up but the website for my priory is www.prioryholygrail.org
> 
> Freemason Connect Mobile



I had just performed a quick Google search on KT outside masonry. As long as you are a good man sound of mind and body who professes a belief in GOD then I see no conflict. Your prior experience may serve to further enlighten your Masonic journey.

It seems the Knights of Malta just hosted the Pope... Huh http://www.orderofmalta.int/news/?anno=2013&lang=en We need to invite the gent to the GLoTX ;-)


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## Mike Martin (Jul 10, 2013)

I think a lot of Freemasons assume that our Masonic Chivalric Orders are the only ones out there paying homage to the original "Poor Fellow Soldiers of Christ and the Temple of King Solomon" (nowadays shortened to Knights Templar) there are many Orders that have no link to Freemasonry at all.

One of the English ones even demanded an apology from the then Pope at the 300th anniversary of their persecution: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/oct/11/religion.catholicism


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## widows son (Jul 10, 2013)

I've heard the Sovereign Military Order of the Knights of Malta have their own passports.


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## Michael Neumann (Jul 10, 2013)

widows son said:


> I've heard the Sovereign Military Order of the Knights of Malta have their own passports.



WTH? How come we do not have our own passports? I am going to design a Masonic Passport, we will have one fashioned after the York side and one the Scottish side... one blue and one red respectively


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## dfreybur (Jul 10, 2013)

widows son said:


> I've heard the Sovereign Military Order of the Knights of Malta have their own passports.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereign_Military_Order_of_Malta

Usual caveats that Wikipedia tends to be more accurate than any print encyclopedia ...

These days I wonder how much it's like Belize passports issued for cash.


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## dfreybur (Jul 10, 2013)

reweyd said:


> Michael, not sure what you were trying to look up but the website for my priory is www.prioryholygrail.org



Do *you* have any reason to believe there is any conflict between the two orders?  We ask if a candidate believes in a supreme being but we don't ask the details of what his yes answer means to him.  Some/most/(all?) of our petition forms ask if you are a member of any organization that is incompatible with the principles of Freemasonry but we don't ask the details of what his no answer means to him.

I think it very unlikely there is any conflict as long as they don't call their members Masons.  But the way the petition form works that's a question for you to answer to your own satisfaction not for us to tell you the answer.


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## BryanMaloney (Jul 10, 2013)

Michael Neumann said:


> WTH? How come we do not have our own passports?



Because the Sovereign Military Order of Malta is recognized as a _Sovereign_ military order. Up until 1798, it had territory. It is currently self-ruling--the Grand Master is its sovereign, not the Pope. It is not under any monarch or state. Its offices in Rome, Vatican City, and Malta all are granted extraterritorial status by the various national authorities over those locales. According to the UN, it is an invited observer "entity". It has diplomatic relations with 104 countries. Its postage stamps are considered valid for franking privileges in 56 countries. The USA does not maintain formal relations with SMOM, but several other countries are willing to honor its activities as if it were some sort of government, albeit without territory.


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## chrmc (Jul 11, 2013)

Michael Neumann said:


> WTH? How come we do not have our own passports? I am going to design a Masonic Passport, we will have one fashioned after the York side and one the Scottish side... one blue and one red respectively



Just a quick note, but a masonic passport is actually very, very common in many European jurisdictions. When they see our standard note from the secretary and our dues card they always look at it funny...


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## perryel (Jul 11, 2013)

Different type...but Masonic Passports are common at AASR Reunions.


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## dfreybur (Jul 11, 2013)

perryel said:


> Different type...but Masonic Passports are common at AASR Reunions.



I have ones from Southern and Northern jurisdictions.  They remind me more of my shot card than my passport!


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## widows son (Jul 11, 2013)

Would a Masonic passport have more to do with the privileges a Master Mason has, rather than actually using it as a passport?

Also does one get invited to the SMOM or is it like Masonry where one petitions?


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## j_gimpy (Jul 11, 2013)

widows son said:


> Also does one get invited to the SMOM or is it like Masonry where one petitions?


 The Sovereign Military Order of Malta is a Catholic lay Religious Order, but unlike most Religious Orders membership is by invitation only. 




Entered Apprentice Mason
Phoenix Lodge #154
Sumner, Washington


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## j_gimpy (Jul 11, 2013)

From their website FAQ:


"10) How does one become a member of the Order?
One can become a member of the Order of Malta only by invitation. Only persons of undoubted Catholic morality and practice, who have acquired merit with regard to the Sovereign Order, its institutions and its works are eligible for admission. The relevant Grand Priory or National Association is responsible for proposals of admission. "

http://www.orderofmalta.int/faq/26466/faq/?lang=en#10



Entered Apprentice Mason
Phoenix Lodge #154
Sumner, Washington


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## dfreybur (Jul 12, 2013)

widows son said:


> Would a Masonic passport have more to do with the privileges a Master Mason has, rather than actually using it as a passport?



Ono of the features of a civic passport is it gets stamped when you visit countries.  This feature has been adopted by some jurisdictions.  They offer Masonic passports that can be stamped by each lodge you visit.  It's fun to collect a lot of stamps.  I have no idea if they have any sort of formal standing in any jurisdiction - Some jurisdictions have activity goals/contests and they may count as points in such a contest.  I've read about them on-line and everyone seems to like them on the rare occasions they see one.

My only in person encounter with Masonic passports have been from Scottish Rite where we use them to track what degrees we have attended.  Many SR brothers have a goal to see them all at some point.  I've spent a weekend out of town traveling just to see a degree - Enough brothers were there to have an event for the wives.  I've got passports for both Southern and Northern jurisdictions in the US as we lived in Chicago over a decade and I visited the local valley there for some reunions.


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## widows son (Jul 12, 2013)

I wonder if being a Mason would inhibit entry if one has all the criteria.


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## j_gimpy (Jul 12, 2013)

widows son said:


> I wonder if being a Mason would inhibit entry if one has all the criteria.



Probably. As far as the Catholic Church is concerned, men who are active  Freemasons are in a state of unrepentant, grave sin and may not receive communion. See the letter 'Declaration on Masonic Associations". 



Entered Apprentice Mason
Phoenix Lodge #154
Sumner, Washington


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## Elhakamaj (Jul 12, 2013)

Am Thaneey i want to join the brotherhood of mason . Am from nigeria and i dont know any brother to lead me through.how can i do to join in?

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