From Josep Corominas i Busqueta, Past MWGM of the GLE

Brethren of Regular Freemasonry

Please allow me to transmit to you some personal considerations so that every one of you can, freely and objectively, draw his own conclusions.

Our Institution as a fraternal and initiatic society teaches us, from the very beginning, exactly what the principles that we must develop and put into practice are and we should include among them the principles of Equality, Solidarity, Tolerance, Freedom and Fraternal Love. In addition, any one who wishes to join our Institution is required to be free, without prejudice, of good report and worthy actions so that he can seek the Light of Truth and in doing so polish his own Rough Ashlar so that one day it will become and shine as a perfectly polished stone, which together with many others will enable a robust and stable building to be raised in honour of The Grand Architect of the Universe, the Most High.

These basic principles and values, together with tradition, are those which constitute the true pillars of what we call regular Freemasonry. They are well above any personal or individual human criteria or any submission to arbitrary collective decisions which might threaten or seriously undermine the most treasured value of them all, that of freedom.

After 25 years of the existence of the Grand Lodge of Spain (GLE) , during which we have worked to defend and protect it against all sorts of external attacks in order to maintain the regularity of development of Spanish Freemasonry within the Institution, we have to acknowledge that the present administrative bodies of the GLE are unequivocally leading us to a deviation from the Institution’s basic pillars of regularity towards the path of irregularity, and at the same time undermining the very Spanish nature and identity of the Grand Lodge of Spain.

Systematically we seem to forget that Freemasonry is made by Freemasons and not by the administrative structures, and that individual Symbolic Lodges are the centre and the base of Masonic workings. The essential condition required from any Candidate to be initiated is to be free and to come to the Lodge of his own free will and accord. Our rituals state very clearly that Masonry is free, and requires a perfect freedom of inclination in every Candidate for its mysteries. This necessarily means that he must be endowed with his own capacity to discern and make judgements, without being compromised by dogmas, prejudice or profane values, and that in consequence he must possess a full capacity to act of his own free will and accord without threats, while still respecting the very same rules that we have freely given to ourselves over the centuries and that we have solemnly promised and swore to abide by.

Among many other possible considerations, we should seriously ask ourselves the following

1 Is it to be regarded as a regular Masonic practice to believe that ‘the ends justify the means’ ?
2 Can it be regarded as regular and in accordance with our own values not to apply the same criteria when judging similar situations affecting different Brethren ?
3 Is it regular and fraternal to consider that among Brethren there are friends and enemies, and that because of this we must apply the ancient custom of ‘”make a favour to your friend, apply the regulations to your enemy and to those who are indifferent simply apply the current laws” ?
4 Is it regular not to obey and adhere to the Constitution and the General Regulations that we have given to ourselves with the only aim to perpetuate those who are in power and control the Institution ?
5 Is it regular not to fulfil our promise to pay a due obedience to the laws of any State which may for a time become the place of our residence, with the excuse that Freemasonry is something different, proper to itself and very ancient ?
6 Is it regular to transfer the internal administration of the GLE, with individual data on all of the Brethren, to institutions outwith Freemasonry, even without each Brother's individual consent ?
7 Is it regular to make clear attempts to interfere with the internal affairs of other regular and sovereign Masonic Obediences ?
8 Is it regular and in accordance with our principles not to be exemplary in respecting truth but rather to act, according to circumstances, depending on our own convenience to forget what the rituals express when they clearly state “Let Prudence direct you, Temperance chasten you, Fortitude support you, and Justice be your guide in all your actions” ?
9 Is it regular and does it really respond to our tradition to pretend to control all other Masonic institutions in our country, indicating that it is only the Grand Lodge of Spain (GLE) that can maintain relationships with other respected and obviously not subversive social organizations ?
10 Is it regular to threaten Brethren and to prohibit them from using their freedom of speech just because they are in disagreement with the top ruling bodies?

With regard to all these serious questions my answer is that we are on the wrong path which will inevitably lead us to a ‘de facto’ irregularity, The pace of change towards this serious and highly worrying evolution has been gradually accelerating throughout the past year.

With regard to my own personal position, having analysed and considered how things have evolved in the GLE, it has become impossible to change this direction and path from "inside" the GLE, and I regretfully reached the conclusion, and with great personal pain and sadness, that I just could just continue as an active member of GLE, because in doing so I would betray my own values and principles, as well as my Fidelity to the ancient Landmarks of our Fraternity and my Obedience proved by a strict observance of our laws and regulations. And according to the Volume of the Sacred Law it is preferable “to leave the dead bury the dead” (Mathew 8, 22) and continue my own path along what I regard as Masonically regular.

In consequence, I presented my resignation as an active member of the GLE on 9th. February 2007 after more than 25 years of uninterrupted service to our Institution. However I do not intend to give up or compromise my Principles as a Freemason, and I would expect and wish other Brethren to always regard me as such.

Please, receive my Dearest Brethren, a sincere and peaceful embrace and a most Fraternal Triple Salutation.

Hasta Pronto.

Josep Corominas i Busqueta
Past MWGM of the GLE

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