Voices of the Valley - November 2026
From the Venerable Master (November 2026)
Well, this is my last article as the Venerable Master.
Thank you all for your support. This year has been an interesting one. With the statewide reunion and my surgery, I want to sincerely thank everyone who supported me during my time as Venerable Master.
The new corps of officers will be strong and help take us to the next level. I encourage you to support the incoming Venerable Master just as you have supported the officers and me.
You are in good hands, and I look forward to seeing everyone at the installation.
Thank you for an amazing year!
San Jose Lodge of Perfection David Kampschafer, 32° KCCH 2024 Venerable Master
From the Wise Master
(November 2026)
The changing seasons and crisp evening air always bring a special kind of energy as winter approaches. It is the perfect time of year to slow down, get cozy, and start looking forward to the holiday season.
The Chapter of Rose Croix, which governs the 17° and 18° philosophical degrees, traditionally plays a prominent role in several major events during the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons.
Across most Scottish Rite jurisdictions, both Northern and Southern U.S., here is what the seasonal event calendar looks like:
Fall Reunions (November)
The Chapter of Rose Croix is responsible for conferring the 17° (Knight of the East and West) and 18° (Knight of the Rose Croix). These degrees are centerpiece elements of the Fall Reunions, which typically wrap up in mid-to-late November, right before Thanksgiving.
Valley of San Jose: Our Fall Reunion will be held on November 21, 2026, and will include the 4th through the 14th degrees.
The Focus: The 18° degree emphasizes universal themes of love, mercy, hope, and charity, providing a natural philosophical transition into the holiday season.
Thanksgiving Tributes & Philanthropy
Because the principles of the Rose Croix center heavily on charity and gratitude, the Chapter frequently organizes or supports the Valley's holiday community service outreach.
Holiday Food Drives: Gathering food baskets or sponsoring holiday meals for families in need.
Feasts and Mystic Banquets: While the solemn Ceremony of Remembrance and Renewal (or Feast of the Paschal Lamb) is traditionally a spring event near Easter or Passover, many Valleys host a late-autumn Feast of the Chapter or Thanksgiving fellowship dinner focused on fraternal gratitude.
Christmas & Holiday Season Events (December)
Once December arrives, the Scottish Rite shifts its focus toward family-centered festivities and community charity.
Cathedral Decorating Days: Early December gatherings where members help decorate the local Scottish Rite Masonic Center.
Annual Christmas Parties: Festive dinners typically open to Masons, their spouses, children, and grandchildren. These events frequently feature a visit from Santa, holiday music, and gift distributions for children.
Almoner's Philanthropies: The Rose Croix Chapter often assists the Valley's Almoner in identifying and supporting distressed Masons, widows, and orphans during the winter season to help ensure that no Masonic family goes without during the holidays.
Looking Ahead to 2027
As the holiday celebrations come to a close, we begin our transition into the new year of 2027. What a wonderful time to look forward to!
The conclusion of the festive season brings a renewed sense of anticipation as a new slate of officers prepares to lead and shape the coming year. With newly elected leadership comes the opportunity for fresh ideas, new initiatives, and continued progress within our Valley and the broader community.
May the spirit of brotherhood, charity, and fellowship that defines the Rose Croix continue to guide us throughout the holiday season and into a prosperous and meaningful new year.
San Jose Chapter of Rose Croix Frank Fitzgerald, 32° KCCH 2024 Wise Master
From the Commander of Kadosh (November 2026)
When Masonry Truly Proved Itself to Me
By Michael J, Dremel, Commander of Kadosh
I’m fairly sure that every Mason reading this could probably relate a story or two where Masonry’s tenets of Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth were obvious and abundant in their own life. History is replete with such examples from our Civil War, where soldier brothers from the North and South recognized that their bonds of brotherhood ran deep, and both World Wars also have their own stories of brothers putting aside the conflict and helping each other as they could.
As stated, I’ll bet dollars to donuts that either we received such grace from another brother or we actually epitomized our tenets to another. The question to ponder is this: “When did you receive, witness or perform an act that made you realize what Masonry is all about?”
In my own case, I had recently been raised, yet was still new to the craft, and very excited about engaging deeper into the variety of our fraternity’s lodge activities. A lodge located a good drive from Monterey was having an outdoor 3rd degree, a rare and new experience for me to observe.
About fifteen minutes before reaching the ranch where the degree would be held, my tire blew. After replacing the tire with a spare, my pristine western wear was now a tad dirty, but I continued on. Not more than five minutes later, my spare blew!
What dumb luck, and so I called some brothers who were at the ranch to explain my plight and that I would be unable to attend, as I would have to take care of my car situation. The brother on the phone asked my location and told me to stay safe.
To my surprise, not more than ten minutes passed when some brothers, all strangers to me, showed up from the ranch, informed me a tow truck would be coming in a couple of hours, and insisted I get in the car to go to the ranch and enjoy the festivities.
After I secured the car, off we went. During the drive, the brothers introduced themselves, detailing their own Masonic journeys. We arrived in short order at the ranch, which was easily identified by a plethora of brothers all wearing the habiliments of ranch hands and cowboys.
The 3rd degree went really well, with all players garbed as sheriffs and other characters from the Western days. After the candidate was raised, it was time for a good ol’ Texas BBQ lunch, complete with a cowboy singer who wowed the crowd.
We were all having a blast, and I had brought along some cowboy hats and bolo ties for brothers to choose and keep. Everyone brought something, and the brotherly love and joy were evident.
However, soon I started to worry about my car, as the time came to handle the issue at hand. The same drivers came to my aid again, drove me to where my car had been parked, and to my surprise, the tow truck had just arrived.
As we headed to a dealer, I called the dealer to check if a tire was available. Though he had one, to my dismay the cost was $300, and I was short. My heavy sigh signaled my silent concern to my fellow brothers.
Upon our arrival, the dealer (FYI: as a teacher, I had taught three of his children) started putting the tire on and getting the new spare ready, and I quietly explained that I wouldn’t be able to pay until later in the week when payday hit.
It was at this moment that my brothers, whom I had just met only a couple of hours before, tapped my shoulder and handed me the needed $300. I was aghast, as I was unused to such charity, let alone accepting it. I explained my reluctance to accept it, even though it was needed.
One brother piped up, “You remember your first degree, right? You’re in distress, and we’re able to help. This is what we do, especially for a brother.”
I paused, then accepted the cash, paid for the tires, and said how I would pay them back later when my paycheck came in.
“Not to worry, brother. It’s on us. Someday, you’re going to be the one helping someone out. Spend it then, don’t hesitate, just do it like a brother, a MASON should.”
A profound lesson in Masonry, one I won’t forget.
Since that day, Lord knows how often I’ve seen or been part of similar instances of brothers helping others, maybe just buying them lunch, or driving them to an appointment, or just listening to them as they express and process some grief.
Some of us cook and feed homeless citizens at our churches, giving them some warm food and a warm, safe place to bunk down for the night. Or maybe help put on an event that raises funds for a speech center or burn hospital. It all adds up, and is part of our ethos as a fraternity and as gentlemen.
So what was YOUR moment when you realized that Masonry was the right place for you, when it truly showed it strives to live up to its tenets? Or better yet, when did YOU epitomize those tenets to another brother?
As Thanksgiving comes closer, this is a good time to be grateful and thankful for those times such incidents occurred.
Time for one more, right?
San Jose Council of Kadosh Michael Dremel, 32° 2024 Commander of Kadosh
From the Master of Kadosh (November 2026)
Greetings, and welcome to the month of November. While this may feel like the last month of Autumn, it does not fully end until the end of December. November brings the Frost Moon (or Beaver Moon), as this is typically when we see the year's first frost.
One important date this month is November 30th. St. Andrew's Day is a celebrated day in Scotland and around the globe. The name Andrew in English is translated from the Greek name Ἀνδρέας (Andreas), being derived from ἀνδρεῖος (andreios), meaning "manly, masculine." St. Andrew and his brother Simon, called Peter, were fishermen from the town of Galilee. Jesus spoke to them in the book of Matthew: "And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." (KJV)
We observe in the Bible that Andrew was with Jesus during many of His monumental events. He was the first disciple Philip spoke to about Jesus being sought out by the Greeks. In the book of John, we recount Andrew's finding of a young lad with five loaves and two fish, which Jesus used to perform the miraculous feeding of the five thousand. The Last Supper also shows the intimacy between Jesus and Andrew, as he was one of the four who sat and spoke upon the Mount of Olives, pertaining to His return.
St. Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland and has been venerated since around 1000 A.D. with feasts and festivities. In 1320, there was a declaration of independence in which he became the official patron saint. When we look back to the ninth century, there was a mighty battle preparing to occur between the English and Scotland under King Angus. The King fell into a sleep one night, and during his dream state, saw a promised victory over the English. During this slumber, he envisioned the symbol of an "X" in the sky, which was the symbol of this patron saint. King Angus made the following solemn vow: if Scotland were to win, St. Andrew would become their saint. The Scottish were victorious, and we find the "X" upon the Scottish flag in memory of St. Andrew.
As Blue or Symbolic Lodges are dedicated to the Holy Saints John, Green or Scottish Lodges are dedicated to St. Andrew. The earliest evidence of Scottish Lodges appears in Lane's List of Lodges in 1733, depicting Lodge No. 115, a Scots Masters Lodge working at the Devil Tavern in London. This tradition spread throughout England and into Europe. In 1742, German members of the French Union Lodge in London returned to Berlin and established a Scottish Lodge there called l'Union. This Lodge went on to become a mother Scottish Lodge, chartering Scots Master Lodges in Germany and Denmark through the middle 1750s. Below, we see the broken columns of the Temple placed in saltire, in commemoration of St. Andrew.
Looking at how St. Andrew is intertwined with the 14th degree, we find several key notes on how this early form of Scots Master transformed into the degree that became the 14th. By the time Etienne Morin received the degree in Martinique in 1744, it had become Vrais Maitre Ecossais, or the True Scots Master. He was captured at sea on his return voyage and granted permission in London to establish a Perfect Scottish Lodge in Bordeaux in July 1745. This degree became Grand Ecossais or Grand Élu Parfait Maître Ecossais by 1749, after it was made the 10° and highest degree in Morin's first system, called the Elu Parfait or Perfect Elect.
The most popular local Scottish high degrees were ordered and made inferior to this degree, and the earliest known network of Scottish High degrees was established in France and her colonial possessions in the Caribbean. In the 1745 ritual at the Bordeaux Municipal Library, there are still columns in saltire described on the flap of the apron. Ironically, we celebrate virtually every holiday in the Scottish Rite except the original Scottish Rite day of celebration, St. Andrew's Day.
In closing, I would like to thank all who were able to attend Bocce Ball. The event was well attended, the food was excellent, and fun was had by all. Hope to see y'all out there next year!
San Jose Consistory Brandon Dueñas, 32° KCCH 2025 Venerable Master of Kadosh
From the Chief Knight
(November 2026)
Greetings Brethren,
We have finally slowed down now that the Highland Games are over, but we are not finished yet with service to the Valley. This month we have a Reunion on the 21st for the Lodge of Perfection. I personally look forward to joining my brothers from Liberty Lodge No. 299 in 3 of the degrees that will be performed.
For the month of October, our big event was dedicated to Brother Angelo Encarnacion, Knight of the First Order, who received his Hiram Award on October 3rd. Congratulations, Sir Knight! We were pleased to form an Arch of Steel for him and present the Flag of our Country.
Our next regularly scheduled meeting will be November 15th, High 12, in the classroom downstairs. All 29th Degree or higher Brothers are cordially invited to join us for some good fellowship.
If you have any questions about KSA, please feel free to contact me or any of my Officers. We look forward to the privilege of serving our brethren. San Jose Knights of St. Andrew Alan Porjesz, 32°
2026 Chief Knight, KSA
The Knights of Saint Andrew 2026 Officers
Chief Knight | Bro. Alan Porjesz 32º |
First Knight | Bro. Mike Lammer 32º |
Knight of the Watch | Bro. Ben Shuford 32º, PCK |
Secretary | Bro. Tim Lynch 32º |
Monk Knight | Bro. Chris Boyes 32º |
Sentinel | Bro. Maximo Mora 32º |
