04 agosto 2008

Portuguese Freemasons Blog

We have received several comments and messages of Brethren from across the North Atlantic. Usually they manage to understand a bit of Portuguese and they inquire us about translation possibilities. Unfortunately to our knowledge there are no reliable translators available in the Internet, at least for free.

I decided to post in English, to honour these visitors, and to explain them a little of our project.

We are three Master Masons, from Lodge Mestre Affonso Domingues, nº 5, belonging to Grand Lodge Legal Portugal, the Portuguese regular Grand Lodge recognized in all World.

Two of us, Rui and me are from the first generation of the Lodge, as we were admitted the same day in 1991, Rui as a Fellow Craft coming from a German Lodge, and me as Entered Apprentice. Our third member JPSetubal is from the 2nd generation, as he was admitted in the beginning of the XXI century and he is finishing his term as Worshipful Master.

Two years ago, the decision of creating this Blog appeared. The conditions to post are simple:
Only Master Masons of our Lodge can Post.
Freedom of speech is absolute, no restrictions or censorship.
The Blog does not belong to Lodge, but it’s written by Master Masons of the Lodge.

It was named “ A Partir Pedra” that mean’s literally translated - To Break a Stone – in a clear reference to the traditional Masonic work.

It started as “let’s see what happens! “

Today it’s a 90 000+ visitors Blog, almost 85 e-mail subscribers, and at the best of our knowledge read basically by Brazilian and Portuguese Masons and non Masons.

We have visitors from more than 50 countries, and received comments from all over the World.

We try to publish 5 posts per week, and to involve our readers in Q&A threads, they Ask we Answer.

Two years later we are still here and we have ideas for the future.

We have covered a few issues, but our mainstream is Masonic themes. We practice in Lodge the Ancient and Accept Scottish Rite for the first three degrees – Apprentice; Fellow craft; Master Mason – as it’s the main rite in our Grand Lodge.

This way most of our texts when approaching Masonic Themes are influenced by the AASR.

We, Rui Bandeira mostly, covered also the History of our Lodge, basically with and article about each W. Master and every important event.

Issues like environment, energy shortage, medical advances, and solidarity among others are also treated in the Blog.

Hope that this small post, that I ask you to comment and ask any questions you wish, is the opening of our Blog to the English speaking Brethren thus making another step to Universal Freemasonry Brotherhood.
José Ruah

8 comentários:

Anónimo disse...

Wonderful news, brothers.

And yes, online translators are rather poor, witness:
http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fa-partir-pedra.blogspot.com%2F&hl=en&ie=UTF8&sl=pt&tl=en :-)

I hope you'll take the time to do more of these English sessions in the future.

/Thomas Munkholt

Jose Ruah disse...

@Thomas

The idea to translate some of the posts exists. The main problem is time to do so.

Keep visiting.

Millennial Freemason disse...

José, Rui and JPSetubal,
Thank you for letting me know about the translated post. I won't say that I speak Portuguese (because I don't) but I do use online translators to get the gist of your post and I think that the content you produce is really great. It is marvelous to remember how extensive Masonry is spread and the Internet has really opened my eyes to the wider world of Freemasonry.
Nick

Wayfaring Man disse...

Irmao J-

Thanks for the post in English! I hope you receive 90,000 more visits!

Unknown disse...

Caros amigos Maçons,

A fé em Cristo é uma das varias condições para poder fazer parte da GLLP ?

Ano

Jose Ruah disse...

@ Anonimo

Não. Essa não é sequer condição.

A condição é muito mais ampla, Crença num Grande Arquitecto do Universo.

E esta condição não tem rigorosamente nada a ver com religião praticada. Tem apenas a ver com Fé.

Unknown disse...

Estou confuso, afinal o que vos diferencia da GLNP ?

Unknown disse...

Acabei de ver uma reportagem da TVI sobre maçonaria.

Se ha pouco estava confuso, agora estou completamente perdido.

Qual a diferencia entre GLLP, GLRP e GLNP ?

De todas as obediências em Portugal so consigo distinguir a particularidade do GOL que aceita mulheres e ateus sem qualquer reconhecimento por parte da regularidade inglesa, mas quanto as outras acima referidas, como distingui-las ??