Welcome to the second edition of the Ontario Regional Newsletter for RC 3377! As in our first edition, we wish to take this opportunity to gently remind and raise awareness about Rosicrucian resources and activities available in your region. Even if you live far from our affiliated metropolitan centers or groups (aka "AMORC Affiliated Bodies" or "ABs" for short), please know that there are fellow AMORC students who share your journey and are eager to connect with you. Whether you visit one of these Affiliated Bodies or simply wish to engage from afar, you are a valued part of our community.

In this newsletter you will find messages from the group leaders of each of the ABs in our region as well as brief updates on that AB's recent activities, their regular meeting dates and locations as well as notes about any special upcoming events. You may contact any one of these Affiliated Bodies by sending a message to ontario@amorc.rosicrucian.org and we will forward the information to them.

You may also like to know that each of our Affiliated Bodies maintains a "Meetup" page. Meetup is an on-line service which allows our ABs to post information about upcoming events visible to both AMORC members and non-members alike. Please feel free to check out these Meetup sites at the following AB specific links: London (Cosmos Pronaos), Hamilton Pronaos, Ottawa (Trillium Pronaos), Toronto Lodge

If you have perhaps not already done so, you may also wish to check out our Regional Website located here. From here you can access detailed information about each AB as well as more broadly about the region as a whole and other interesting links to such items as free Rosicrucian Apps and an extensive list of links designed to support you on your mystical journey.

For those of you who may also happen to be members of the Traditional Martinist Order, you may wish to follow our Toronto Heptad postings located here.

Before closing these introductory remarks to this regional newsletter edition, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sr. Comfort Kyei-Boateng who retired as Grand Councillor for our region this past June.  Over the past many years, Soror Comfort has worked tirelessly for our Order and we are profoundly grateful for the service she has rendered, not only to the Ontario Region, but also to the regions of Alberta and British Columbia. Thank you dear Soror Comfort.

We also would like to thank the officers and committee members of each of our regional Affiliated Bodies for their dedicated service to their particular AB and to our Order. It is those officers and supporting AB members who plan the special events and ensure the rituals are performed with dignity and precision, benefiting all of us who are able to attend these truly mystical experiences.

Sincerely and fraternally,

Helen Miller,

Grand Councillor (Ontario and Western Canada Region)

______________________________________________

Ontario Region AMORC Grand Lodge Officers: 

• Regional Director/Grand Councillor: Helen Miller

• Regional Monitor, Toronto: Joan Lyn

• Regional Monitor, Ottawa: Brian Neal

• Regional Monitor, Hamilton: Lester Hedgcock

• Regional Monitor, London: Lester Hedgcock

______________________________________________

TORONTO LODGE

Toronto Lodge, and the adjoining building which hosts the Rosicrucian Cultural Centre, serve as a beacon of Light for our Region and the local community. Our doors are always open to both members and seekers. We encounter on an almost daily basis passersby who are curious about the external symbolism that we display. 

The external northern side wall of our main building, 813 Broadview, displayed a mural whose image was copied from a drawing that was done by a long-time Lodge member who has transitioned. 

This mural was vandalized beyond repair and we are pleased to say that the mural wall has now been repaired. New symbolic images were chosen for the restoration. We invite you to come and see it when you next visit Toronto Lodge.

In October we hosted our first Mystical Weekend since the pandemic under the adage of "Entering the Silence". The Lodge had not hosted a Mystical Weekend for quite some time and we are sure that those of you who were able to join us enjoyed it as much as we did.

Toronto Lodge has a certain vibrancy and continues to be an abode where we meet to seek and foster our ideals on the Mystical Path. In addition to our regular monthly in-person members-only mystical convocations, Zoom-based teleconferences as well as public open meetings (aka "Meetups"), Toronto Lodge continues to confer Temple Degree Initiations to all AMORC Rosicrucian members (you do not need to be a Toronto Lodge member) who have reached a given degree in their studies (see initiation schedule below) .

In Light, Life and Love,

Skip Millett

Master, Toronto Lodge

*** Grand Lodge members are eligible to have the degree initiation conferred upon them once studies have been started in that degree. All Temple Degree initiations must be taken in sequence and you must have received the previous initiation(s).  Initiation credentials must be provided.

The Degree Review Class of the relevant degree will be held at 10:00 am just prior to the initiation. We strongly urge candidates for the initiation to attend the review class.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: To those taking the First Temple Degree Initiation, this initiation is done in two parts. The Atrium Review Class prior to the First Temple Degree will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, prior to Part 1 of the initiation.

In order to avoid disappointment, please preregister with the Lodge Secretary, toronto.amorc@gmail.com

__________________________________________________________

TORONTO HEPTAD, the Traditional Martinist Order

Toronto Heptad TMO meets the second Sunday of each month. For further information please contact ontario@amorc.rosicrucian.org and the message will be forwarded to the Heptad.

To find out more about the Martinist Order, the meeting location and the Heptad calendar, visit the Heptad webpage.

__________________________________________

TRILLIUM PRONAOS (Ottawa)

In recent weeks the values of humility, dignity, and courage have been in my thoughts, especially as I focused on a recent discourse. I’ve also been thinking of our Rosicrucian primary virtue of Service, unselfish service which I explained to participants at a recent event on “Creating Inner Harmony”, led by our Grand Councillor. Humanity would surely be better off if everyone strove to be humble, dignified, and courageous. For Rosicrucians, these are values that are some of the essential components of our spiritual development. Thinking about them in relation to “Service”, adds a richness and depth to our understanding of service – humble service, dignified service, courageous service. 

At whatever level we are being of service, even helping an errant insect back outside one’s home, doing it with these values adds greatly to the quality of service. In my case, helping a wasp return to the outdoors certainly requires courageous service! There are opportunities for our service every day, many times a day, from the smallest gesture to significant commitments. Seize them.

Light, Life, and Love,

Susan

Master, Trillium Pronaos

Trillium Pronaos meetings:

• In-person, AMORC member-only mystical convocations are held on the first Tuesday evening and third Saturday morning of each month (except in the month of July when Trillium Pronaos takes a summer break)

• Currently, Neophyte Degree Review Forums are being held four times during the year

• Public, open house/"Meetups" take place at various times throughout the year. Please search on-line for "Ottawa Rosicrucian Meetup" for details

• All in-person meetings and events (unless otherwise indicated) take place at: Rosemount Hall, 41 Rosemount Avenue, Ottawa, ON (click to see map)

Recent Activities:

• In June, Trillium held an inspirational open afternoon "Meetup" meeting event entitled “Lucid Waking” led by Frater Hal

• On a lovely summer day, we had a potluck picnic attended by some current and long-time members and family

• We were honoured, for the fall equinox, to have our Grand Councillor, Helen Miller, address members during Convocation as well as leading an afternoon workshop which was greatly appreciated by the many who attended

• We held an outdoor Memorial Ceremony at a local park, under a very old tree, followed by a meditative walk along the nearby falls. It was a gentle fall day, very conducive to the meditative activities

Upcoming Events:

• Saturday, December 7th: Trillium will hold a combined "winter social" and celebration of its 70th anniversary with a potluck luncheon afternoon at the hall. AMORC members who might be in Ottawa that afternoon are welcome to join us

• Tuesday, January 21st: Open House/Meetup session - online details to be posted soon (search "Ottawa Rosicrucian Meetup")

• Spring 2025 Group Silent Retreat: members are again looking forward to a weekend at La Domaine Rosicrucien in Lachute, QC

Trillium Admin Team:

Master/Group Leader: Sr. Susan

Guardian: Sr. Claire

Archivist/Secretary: Fr. Jerome

_____________________________________________

HAMILTON PRONAOS

Dear Fratres and Sorores,

At the beginning of Rosicrucian Year 3377, I asked members to contemplate the theme, The Source of All Wisdom. The purpose of this theme is to inspire members to seek answers to such questions as:

• What is the source of all wisdom?

• How do we prepare ourselves both inwardly and outwardly so that we may connect with Source and be ready to receive wisdom?

• How do we bring Divine Wisdom to the forefront of our thoughts, words, and actions?

• How do we share wisdom with the world?

• How do we act in the world and how do we react in the world of thought forms?

Throughout the months that followed, Hamilton Pronaos has hosted several teleconferences on subjects that inspire deep philosophical discussions and help us to come closer to understanding wisdom and its source. Here, I think it appropriate to repeat a portion of my incoming speech as its message emphasizes the importance of this theme as it pertains to our current human condition:

“It may be apparent to you that there are forces in the mundane World that presently seek to divide humanity in order to prevent the attainment of unity. These forces fail to see that the urge within humankind is to find unity with one another and, through unity with one another, unity with the Divine.

Our beloved Imperator, Claudio Mazzucco, in his message from July of 2023, discusses the importance of relationships in an era of technology in which our ability to discern the “real” from the “unreal” is being increasingly challenged. He warns us not to “confuse reality with what aims to imitate it.” It is true that we must, as mystics, be discerning in all that we think, say, and do so that we do not fall into the traps of sectarianism and divisiveness. Our World needs us to dedicate our mental energy to the upliftment of all humanity, all nature, all countries, and all creatures equally and without bias. To do this, we must turn inward and discover The Source of All Wisdom that we may conduct ourselves with humility, empathy, compassion, joy, and unity of purpose in all our mystical works.”

May we ever dwell in the light of eternal wisdom.

Peace Profound!

Braden Speers

Master, Hamilton Pronaos

Pronaos Matters:

In-person public discussions and Mystical Convocations commence at 12.30 and 3:00 PM ET, respectively and are held on the 2nd Sunday of each month* at Unity Hall, 64 Wellington St. N., Hamilton, ON (click to see map).

* Mystical Convocations are not held during the months of December (replaced by the Festival of LIght), January (closed for in person meetings) and March (replaced by the New Year ritual and Installation of officers).

Highlights From The Past Year:

• We have had great participation from members in our ongoing Hamilton Pronaos Monthly Teleconferences (4th Sunday of each Month except December)

• On Sunday, June 23rd, our Annual Peace Ceremony was attended by a small group of members and sympathetic non-members at The Aviary at Churchill Park in Westdale, Hamilton

• On Saturday, July 20th, Hamilton Pronaos was pleased to hold a special event at McMaster University with guest speaker, Frater Hugh McCague, who engaged us with his wonderful presentation entitled “Self-Mastery, Self-Healing, and Meditation.” Following the presentation, Hugh guided us on a mystical nature hike along the trails of the Royal Botanical Gardens while encouraging us to engage in the mysteries of the natural world.  The event was enjoyed by twenty-four attendees (both members and non-members) who unanimously rated the speaker, the presentation, and the event as “excellent.”

• On September 22nd, Hamilton Pronaos held the Memorial Ceremony at Unity Hall. The ritual was followed by lunch which was provided by members. The event was well-attended by members and their families as well as sympathetic non-members

Upcoming Events:

• November 10 - Regional Monitor’s Official Visit

• November 23 - Festive Lunch at the Mandarin in Hamilton (proposed time 11.30 a.m.)

• December 29 - Seasonal Meditation teleconference

Hamilton Admin Team:

Master: Braden

Archivist: Cristina

Guardian: Tyler

_____________________________________________

Cosmos Pronaos (London, ON)

Theme: Being of Service

Master’s Message

With the year RC 3377 already half over, we continue to explore the theme of Being of Service. Several events that were open to the public saw our officers and members spring into action, being of service on the physical plane, to create a welcoming and inviting space:

• June 23, 2024: our Peace Day Ceremony was followed by a delicious “Strawberry Social”. It was very well-attended, and we met some new members and friends. It was a lovely event, with delicious strawberry desserts, and an activity in which members created a peace banner

• September 22, 2024: our Memorial Ceremony was held outside under shady trees. We also held an indoor Labyrinth walk (with a hand-made canvas labyrinth kindly lent to us by the local Catholic School Board). The Labyrinth walk was accompanied by medieval music and soft candle-lighting, to create a peaceful, meditative environment. We finished with autumn-themed festive refreshments and hand-made decorations.This event was very well-attended by members, their guests, and some new friends

Upcoming Events:

• December 1, 2024: Festive Dinner, local restaurant

• December 15, 2024: Webinar by Soror Ingrid Young (The Most Wonderful Time of the Year)

• Mystical Day, 2025 (date TBD)

Meetings:

In-person meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Sunday each month (*except December 15, 2024):

• Discussion period, open to the public, begins at 1pm. We are currently discussing Liber Lucis (available here https://www.amorc.org/liber-lucis/), led by our Archivist

• Convocation (members only) begins at 2pm sharp. Please bring AMORC credentials

• Refreshment period after Convocation, open to the public, concludes at 4pm

• December 15 - online Webinar led by Soror Ingrid Young (topic: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year). No in-person meeting

Meeting Location: Nilestown Masonic Temple, 2451 Hamilton Road East, Thames Centre (near London), Ontario N0L 1G3 (click to see map)

Master: Lynn M

Archivist: Jacqueline D

Guardian: Bernice P

______________________________________________

It is our sincere hope that you may find within these Regional newsletters a sense of a broader Rosicrucian community actively working towards expressing and sharing the ideals of Light, Life and Love and which looks forward to meeting you personally, on those occasions and circumstances when the time is right for you, as you progress along your own mystical life's journey. 

With Best Wishes for Peace Profound,

Hal Ireland
Regional Secretary