Keynote Speaker
M.W. Bro. Thomas W. Hogeboom, Grand Master
Grand Lodge of A. F. & A.M. of Canada in the Province of Ontario
M.W. Bro.Thomas W. Hogeboom, Grand Master
Grand Lodge of A.F. & A.M.
of Canada in the Province of Ontario
Biography
M. W. Brother Hogeboom is a 44-year Lewis, he was initiated, passed and raised in his Father’s Lodge, Maple Leaf No. 119 in Bath, Ontario, serving as Master in 1994. He chaired the 150th Anniversary Committee of his Lodge in 2009. He is Past Master of The Heritage Lodge No. 730 and the Charter Master of the Templum Fidelis Lodge No. 746, the first Traditional Observance Lodge in Canada recognized by the Masonic Restoration Foundation.
He served as Frontenac District Deputy Grand Master in 1997 and Secretary-Treasurer of the District Association from 2009-2018. M.W. Brother Hogeboom was appointed to the Board of General Purposes in 1999, elected to the Board in 2001 and Grand Treasurer in 2011. He was a member and chaired several Grand Lodge and Masonic Foundation of Ontario Committees during this period.
He is the Grand Representative to the Grand Lodge of Alaska and was elected to the Board of Directors of the Masonic Restoration Foundation in 2008.
In 2022, he was elected Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Canada in the Province of Ontario.
He is a member of the Kingston Lodge of Perfection, Rose of Sharon Chapter, Rose Croix and Moore Sovereign Consistory and Past Principal of Royal Arch Masonic Chapters in Napanee and Picton, currently serving as Treasurer in both. He is a member of the Kingston District Shrine Club, an Ambassador at Large of the Mystic Shrine in Rameses Temple, an Honorary Member of the Rameses Legion of Honor and International Shrine Aviation Association.
Masonic Con Speakers Lineup
M.W. Bro. David Cameron
Immediate Past Grand Master
V.W. Bro David During
Grand Organist
R.W. Bro.Jeffrey Gatcke
Worshipful Master Templum Fidelis Lodge No. 746
W. Bro. J. P Gomez
Past Master Doric Lodge No. 316
W. Bro. Istvan Horvath
Past Master of Electric Lodge No. 495
Bro. Mark Kikot
Member of Burlington Reunion Lodge No. 165 - GRC
W. Bro. Matthew Parker
Immediate Past Master Wendell Lodge No. 565 Gl of North Carolina
W. Bro. Ken Lall
Senior Warden Heredom Lodge Lodge No. 749
W. Bro. Jack Harley
Past Master of Ephrata Lodge No. 665
GL of Pennsylvania
R.W. Bro. Nicholas Laine
DDGM Hamilton A
W. Bro. Matthew Maennling
Past Master of Burlington Reunion Lodge No. 165
Speakers Background
M.W. Bro. David Cameron
M.W. Bro. David James Cameron was born and raised in London, Ontario and attended the University of Western Ontario. He practices family medicine in New Hamburg.
Bro. Cameron was initiated into Freemasonry in Grand River Lodge No. 151 Kitchener-Waterloo in 1991. As Junior Warden he brought Masonic Education to every meeting by linking the food served to an educational topic. He became Worshipful Master in 2001 and experienced an Irish Third Degree when his father-in-law’s lodge, St. John’s No. 20, exemplified the degree with him as the candidate.
A charter member of New Light Lodge No. 744 - a daylight lodge, and Templum Lucis Lodge No. 747 - the province’s second Observant lodge, he has been honoured with memberships in St. John’s Lodge No. 20 and Centennial Lodge No. 684. M.W. Bro. Cameron is a 33° Scottish Riter from the London Valley and Grand Senior Sojourner of Grand Chapter.
He is a Fellow of the College of Freemasonry.
He was appointed Assistant Grand Chaplain in 2005 and elected to the Board of General Purposes in 2007.
He has served as Chair of Masonic Education, Lodge Resources, and the Management Committee, and has been a Director of the Masonic Foundation of Ontario. M.W. Bro. Cameron served as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario from 2019 to 2022. He is presently a Director of The Masonic Restoration Foundation. He has been invited to speak at Masonic events in Canada, the United States and Europe, including the 14th World Conference of Regular Masonic Grand Lodges.
V.M. Bro David During
V.W. Bro. David Adesina During’s career in Freemasonry has been long and fulfilling, starting roughly thirty-five years ago in Freetown, Sierra Leone in West Africa. David was initiated into the fraternity on the 7th of July 1988 at the Loyal Lodge, No. 3719 under the United Grand Lodge of England – a lodge which was co-founded by his paternal great-grandfather in 1914.
As a Lewis, he had the unique privilege of the initiation ceremony being presided over by his father. David held several offices at his mother lodge, including that of an Organist. David then affiliated to Lodge Regentonia, No 1752 in the roll of the Grand Lodge of Scotland. Lodge Regentonia is one of the specialty lodges in Sierra Leone, founded by past students of the Sierra Leone Grammar School, David’s Secondary School.
After immigrating to Canada, V.W. Bro. During affiliated to West Gate Lodge, #734 in the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario, and then to Victory Lodge # 547 where he was Worshipful Master in 2017 and 2019. He also affiliated to Antiquity Lodge # 571 in 2021.
Recently, He became a founding member and primus organist of the African Diaspora Lodge, # 10046 in the register of the United Grand Lodge of England, based in the province of Middlesex, which was consecrated in September 2023.
He was exalted at the Loyal Chapter, No. 3719 EC under the Supreme Grand and Royal Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of England in 2019 and is progressing through the Scottish Rite Degrees in the Valley of Toronto. He has served as the District Organist for the Toronto Humber Valley District and is now the current District Chaplain. VW. Bro. During was also awarded the rank of Past District Junior Grand Deacon, under the United Grand Lodge of England in the District of Sierra Leone and the Gambia. His masonic career has culminated in his recent appointment as Grand Organist in the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario.
R.W. Bro. Jeffery (Jeff) Gatcke
R. W Bro. Jeffery (Jeff) Gatcke is an active member of his mother lodge: Three Pillars Lodge No. 201 (recently amalgamated) since October 2002. A five term Worshipful Master of this lodge,
R. W. Bro. Gatcke is a Charter Member of Templum Fidelis Lodge No. 746, currently serving as Worshipful Master(Jan 2023-present).
He was elected DDGM of Frontenac District in 2016, and was appointed to the Board of General Purposes July 2020 and July 2022.
He served as Chairman of the DDGM Preparation Committee(2021-22), and is currently serving as Chairman of theAudit & Finance Committee (2022-present), member of the Management Committee.
Locally, he has served as the Secretary-Treasurer of the Masonic Association of Frontenac District since 2018. He has been appointed Grand Lodge Chairman for two amalgamation committees and one Surrender of Warrant.
He is a member of the Kingston Lodge of Perfection and currently serves as the Most Wise Sovereign of the Rose of Sharon Chapter of Rose Croix, where he Chair's the Executive Committee of the Kingston Valley of Scottish Rite. He is currently the Grand Captain of the Guard in Moore Sovereign Consistory, and a member of Tunis Shriners.
W. Bro. J. Paul Gomez
W. Bro. J. Paul Gomez, known as JP among fellow Masons and as Fraternal Ties on social media, is the Immediate Past Master at Doric Lodge No. 316 in Toronto.
He's a designer of Masonic fashion accessories and regalia by trade. Outside of Freemasonry, JP is a father of four who enjoys cooking and skating with his kids.
He first joined Freemasonry in the early 1990s during his teens and was initiated, passed, and raised in Doric Lodge No. 316 in 2008.
W. Bro. Istvan Horvath
W. Bro. István Horváth was born in Transylvania, and initiated into Masonry in the East of Budapest, in 1994, in his mother lodge Egyenlőség (Equality) under the Symbolic Grand Lodge of Hungary. For a brief time, he was Grand Librarian and also a delegate to the Grand Council. After moving to Canada in 1997, he became affiliated with the Electric Lodge No. 495 and was its WM between 2018-2022; he is also a member of the Heritage Lodge No. 730, the research lodge of Ontario, and a founding member of Templum Lucis No. 747, Ontario’s second Observant lodge. He is also a member of Castle Island Virtual Lodge No. 190, Manitoba, Canada (an internet lodge), and a member of the Kansas Lodge of Research, and an honorary member of the Quatuor Coronati Circle in Budapest. A Royal Arch Mason, a 32° Scottish Rite Mason, and member of the Royal and Select Masters.
He has membership in the Correspondence Circle of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge (UK), in the Philalethes Society (oldest research society in the USA), and in the Scottish Rite Research Society (DC). István is often invited to give lectures and presentations for lodges in his own jurisdiction and also worldwide via Zoom at different Masonic forums. His writings about Freemasonry are available at https://masonicfootnotes.com
His book Weekly Masonic Doubts was published in September 2023 with a foreword by David J. Cameron, PGM. Two months later, in his hometown, another book of his was published in Hungarian: a collection of emotive and ironic essays about his new life in Canada. A Canadian publisher asked him to write a volume of essays – he is working on it right now. And, of course, in the spare time he works (not so diligently) on his memoirs in English, a never-ending project of fun and pain. Between two articles he likes to cook… while trying to remember the name of all ingredients in four or five languages, he speaks.
Bro. Mark Kikot
Bro. Mark Kikot, although raised in 1974, and made a member of Buchanan Lodge No. 550 in Hamilton, Ontario, it was only after a wayward journey of more than forty years that he re-affiliated with his Mother lodge in 2018.
Shortly thereafter, in 2019, he shifted his affiliation to Brant Lodge No. 663, in Burlington, Ontario, which, in 2023, amalgamated with Burlington Lodge No. 165 to become Burlington Reunion Lodge No. 165, where he currently has the privilege of serving as the Lodges Chaplain.
W. Bro. Matt Parker
W.. Bro. Matt Parker is a Past Master of Wendell Lodge 565 in Wendell, North Carolina; the Texas Lodge of Research; 32° Scottish Rite Mason in the Greensboro Valley, SJ; York Rite; AMD; and several other appendant bodies; co-organizer of Masonic Con South; founder of the North Carolina Masonic Research Society; and member of the Masonic Legacy Society; Academy of Reflection; Masonic Society; Philalethes Society; and American Masonic Renaissance Initiative.
W. Bro. Ken Lall
W. Bro. Ken Lall was Entered, Passed and Raised in 2007 and served as Worshipful Master of Humber Lodge No. 305 GRC.
Today Bro. Lall is currently serving as the Senior Warden in the third Tradtional Observnace Lodge in Ontario - Heredom Lodge No. 749..
Bro. Lall is an active member of Antiquity Chapter No. 91 - Royal Arch and has served as the Scribe Ezra since 2018. He is active member of the Royal and Select Masters and is serving as the Thrice Illustrious Master..
W. Bro. Jack Harley
W. Bro. Harley was Entered, Passed, and Raised in 2004 and served as Worshipful Master of Ephrata Lodge no. 665 F&AM of Pennsylvania in 2009.
He is an active member of his local lodge and serves as Chair of the Mentoring and Instruction Committee teaching new candidates their work. He is also a member of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Valley of Lancaster and Reading Consistory
He is a Past High Priest of Royal Arch Chapter no. 43 of Lancaster, PA and has been appointed to serve as District Deputy Grand High Priest of District 4 of the Grand Holy Royal Arch Chapter of Pennsylvania for 2025 and 2026.
As a Royal Arch mason Jack is also a member of Junto Council no. 537 of the Allied Masonic Degrees and served as charter Sovereign Master of Cincinnatus Council no. 559, AMD.
He is an honorary member of the DeMolay Legion of Honor and a knight Commander of the Red Branch of Eri, as well as a 3rd Degree member of Donegal Church Assemblage of the Worshipful Society of Free Masons, Rough Masons, Wallers, Slaters, Paviors, and Bricklayers (The Operatives).
On the lighter side,
Jack is also a Past Monarch of Ubar Grotto, MOVPER, an early member of Cigar Lodge no. 1, a member of the International Order of Turtles (YBYSAIA) as well as the Ancient Order of Corks, a Kentucky Colonel, a member of the Rose of England Chapter of the Free Gardeners of Scotland, a member of Zembo Shrine, a member of the Pennsylvania Lodge of Research, and co-host of the Masonic Lite Podcast.
R.W. Bro. Nicholas Laine
R. W. Bro. Laine was Initiated, Passed and Raised in Mystery Lodge No. 174 – Grand Lodge of Manitoba in 1992, and held various officer roles in this lodge in Thompson, until he moved to Burlington, ON.
In 2011 he affiliated with Burlington Lodge No. 165 and was Master of the Lodge in 2016. Nicholas served as President of the Burlington Temple Board Association and was a member from 2016-2023. Today, he represents his Lodge and the Hamilton District's 12 lodges as the District Deputy Grand Master Hamilton A District - Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario.
He is an active member of Castle Island Virtual Lodge No. 190 – GRM; Master 2016-2018 and Secretary 2018-2023.
Nicholas was a Charter member and Founder of Endeavour Virtual Lodge No. 944 – United Grand Lodge of Victoria (IPM). A member of White Oak Chapter No. 79 of Royal Arch, Godfrey de Bouillon No. 3 Knights Templar, Worthy Patron of the Order of the Eastern Star – Lakeview Chapter No. 79.
An is an active member of the Victorian Lodge of Research, and the Kansas Lodge of Research. In his free time he attends the yearly Esotericon Conference and is presenting at Kansas Masonic Con in July 2024.
W. Bro. Matthew Maennling
W. Brother Maennling was Initiated, Passed and Raised in Brant Lodge No. 663 A.F. & A.M. G.R.C. in Burlington, Ontario Canada. In 2009 and 2010 he became a 32° Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret in the A.A.S.R. Hamilton Valley. In 2012-2013 and from 2015-2017 he served as Worshipful Master of Brant Lodge.
In support of the Canadian Cancer Society and Juravinski Cancer Centre in the region, he hosted Date Night at the Scottish Rite and Date Night in Wonderland, raising over $25,000.
Matthew has served as a Director (2012-) and Treasurer (2020-) of Burlington Masonic Temple Association.
To improve the in-lodge experience, Matthew established the use of a Chamber of Reflection, and commissioned new pillars and ashlar supports for the Burlington Masonic temple, finished in fine fashion by Bro. Myron Michaels (deceased).
Matthew has authored three variants of a table lodge ritual, drawing from UGLE, Grand Lodge of Manitoba and Grand Lodge of Massachusetts traditions. He has hosted several table lodges of instruction to engage masons while at refreshment. A certified Whisky Ambassador by the British Institute of Inn keepers and Barkeeps, Matthew also hosts scotch whisky tastings to bring education in the aqua vitae to the banquet hall.
In 2020, Burlington Lodge No. 165 and Brant Lodge No. 663 established an amalgamation committee including Matthew and five other members. In October 2022, the Grand Master presided over a Ceremony of Amalgamation, establishing Burlington Reunion Lodge No. 165. Matthew is the Director of Ceremonies for the newly formed Lodge.
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Join our Grand Master, M. W. Bro. Thomas W. Hogeboom of the Grand Lodge of A.F. & A.M of Canada in the Province of Ontario for a "Day of Enlightenment in Masonry".