Description détaillée de la Confédération

1. Description of the Confederation

Le monde est un livre et ceux qui ne voyagent pas n'en lisent qu'une seule page. Saint Augustin

Crains le lecteur d'un seul livre! Jean-Paul Sartre

a) Cadre général et règles de base

After entering into Confederation, all obediences shall retain their current forms and continue to follow their paths within the framework of their own organisations.
All obediences joining shall accept the basic principle of the Confederation, which is respect for other obediences and a willingness to work with them towards Masonic initiation in the fraternal spirit, following the rules described below⁵The obediences renounce the opportunity to ''excommunicate'' other joining obediences. If a member betrays the fundamental principles and practices of Freemasonry, it may be excluded only through the mutual agreement of all other obediences, or at least a great majority of them.
The Confederation and its leadership shall not interfere in the operations of obediences and member lodges.
The Confederation must accept the principle that Brothers and Sisters are free to ''visit'' the lodges of all joining obediences during their rites work, among other means to achieve its objectives, as described further on.
Each lodge, however, maintains the right to determine by secret ballot, renewable every three years, if it opens all of its Tenues or only some, at a minimum of one time per year. It will publish its decision on the convening of its Assemblies. The lodge’s internal rules state the conditions for future speaking roles of visitors⁶

Even in the extreme case where all of the lodges of an obedience decide to remain closed, all of their Tenues, with the exception of one per year, and that of some members, or even all other obediences affiliated with the Confederation, cannot go against the principle of mutual respect for its members and a willingness to join in the fraternal spirit at the Confederation level. Under this condition, it is conceivable that a lodge decides to work only with those members who do not express hostility or contempt vis-à-vis others.

b) Creation of the Confederation

The first step towards building the Confederation will take place through preliminary discussions with the Grand Masters (Presidents) of the two Freemasonry streams’ major obediences that agree with the thoughts cited above. They incur no liability towards obediences that will decide to join the Confederation during later their General Assemblies.

These contacts will be made without waiting to establish a general consensus for the Confederation. After preliminary discussions, the leaders may decide to invite representatives of other Masonic powers, whose participation is not binding on their obediences.

If, at the end of these preparatory Assemblies, the representatives agree to found the Committee of Grand Masters as described below, they will ask their obediences for permission to participate⁷

c) Composition

The Confederation will include all Masonic obediences in the world that accept its principles and rules and are eligible under the following criteria:

All obediences created under the auspices of one or more other Masonic obediences and are recognised by at least 33 obediences in three or more states.
Obediences in existence for more than a century need only satisfy the second recognition condition.
This rule will subsequently be subject to a Committee decision (see below) that sets forth the terms of admission for obediences lacking the precedence to meet according to the rules above. ⁸

Given the Confederation’s objectives and the fact that its leadership has neither the intention nor the ability to interfere with the operations of the obediences, all of them, regardless of their size, will be represented in its governing body by the same number of delegates. Far more than being the place where decisions are made (that role is devolved to Confederation General Assembly), these groups will promote mutual knowledge and understanding of their members.

d) Organisation

The Committee of Grand Masters and the Research Council

Création

The Confederation is directed by the Committee, composed of the Grand Masters (Presidents) in power of all member obediences⁹

The Committee is charged with the following tasks:

Establish the rules for its Assemblies,
Put forward operating principles and rules for the Confederation and its administration,
Define the logistical arrangements of the Constituent Assembly and Confederation General Assembly,
Seeking funding sources for the Confederation,
Form the first Research Council, which will thereafter be appointed by the obediences,
Convene the Confederation Constituent Assembly, then the General Assembly,
Organise and facilitate Confederation General Assemblies,
Make admissions decisions regarding new obediences,
Recommend the exclusion of members who do not follow Confederation principles and rules,
Maintain relationships with obediences that do not belong to the Confederation.

The Committee has the following rights:

After having formed and convened the Confederation Constituent Assembly, Committee members will be entitled to participate in all of the member lodges’ rites work, regardless of their belonging to one or another lodge, and the lodges cannot oppose their participation.

When working with any obedience other than their own, as well as during Confederation Assemblies, they shall sit in the Orient, wearing their aprons and Masonic dignitaries cords decorated with a symbol representing Committee membership.

They will be entitled to speak in the lodges during any discussion of the Confederation, and only on this occasion. This right remains valid even if a lodge is not accustomed to receiving visitors in its Temple from an obedience to which the Grand Master in question belongs, or if it does not allow responses from visitors¹⁰

The Research Council

Création

The Committee shall form the Research Council by choosing three Masters from each obedience who will participate in a study of their principles, rites and modes of operation.

The Council shall set forth the procedures for its Assemblies.

While working to create the Confederation, the Council will study obediences that have granted their Grand Masters the right to participate in the first Committee and will share its findings in the Constituent Assembly. Subsequently, it will study Confederation member obediences.

During the Constituent Assembly, each obedience may show its approval by nominating its first delegates, or replacing them with three other Masters qualified in relation to their task. They shall be appointed following the rules for the selection of its dignitaries.

The term for Researchers is six years, renewable under the same terms.

If an obedience deems it necessary to remove one of its Council representatives before the end of his term and replace him with another Master, it may do so in consultation with the Committee and after receiving its approval.

The Council is charged with the following tasks:

Assist the Committee in its work by offering advice,
Research the nature and Masonic practices of Confederation members,¹¹
Evaluate the Confederation operating rules proposed by the Committee, to which the Council will forward its comments, from a historical and Masonic point of view,
Monitor the Confederation administration’s compliance with its Masonic character and send its observations to the Committee,
Prepare the ritual to be used during the first Assembly of elected obedience representatives.

The Council shall be guided by the Anderson Constitution of 1723 and commonalities of existing rites, while ignoring the principles and rules that currently divide Freemasons. This ritual shall not express any religious belief or form of discrimination, since doing so would be contrary to the spirit of brotherhood. It is understood that the obediences themselves may continue to require their members have faith in a principle Creator, if that is their custom¹²

Taking into account the goals and content of the Confederation Assemblies, this ritual shall facilitate and encourage a fraternal exchange of opinions between the Brother and Sister delegates and ensure democratic decision-making.

The Council will discuss the ritual with the Committee, which shall then approve the final form.¹³

The Council has the following rights:

From the Constituent Assembly of the Confederation, the Council has the same rights of entry to all lodges as the Committee, but its members will attend as observers and may not intervene in the work in any way.

Being neutral, they shall not wear any symbol of the obediences to which they belong. They may wear long robes, knotted at the waist with a rope with 12 knots symbolising brotherhood and the will to rise. If the Council and the Committee considers it appropriate, they may cover their heads with hoods.¹⁴.

e) Confederation assemblies

Confederation Assemblies serve ''to discover the mystery of existence'' and ''the study of man's place in society in the spirit of universal brotherhood".¹⁵

Frequency of Assemblies

The Committee shall convene the Constituent Assembly of the Confederation after completing its preparatory work and that of the Council.

Each obedience shall be represented by nine delegates selected following the usual rules for choosing representatives.

The Committee shall inform delegates of its work and submit for their vote the terms of organisation of the first three Confederation General Assemblies.

The Committee report and vote count shall be made available to all member obediences’ lodges.

The Council representative shall report on the activities of the latter and explain why its members believe that creation of the Confederation is consistent with the history and values of Freemasonry.

The representative’s report shall also be made available to all member obediences’ lodges.

Three years after this Constituent Assembly, the Committee shall convene a General Assembly.

The Committee shall inform the delegates of its work.

Each Committee member shall present a brief spoken or written report on his obedience’s activity. The Assembly shall not act on these reports. It may choose to make these reports, or a written summary of all the work in progress, available to all obediences’ lodges.

One of the Committee members shall inform the Assembly of his contacts with other Masonic powers, which, without being part of the Confederation, maintain Brotherly relations with it. He shall also report on any other obedience’s hostile behaviour.

The Council representative shall report on Council activities and present his views on the Confederation’s nature of initiation, philosophical perspective and charitable activities. He may issue warnings against actions contrary to its rules without naming the offenders. The Assembly shall not act on such information but may decide to prepare a written summary of all the work in progress for the lodges of all obediences.

Five years after the Constituent Assembly, the Committee shall convene the second General Assembly, which shall hear the following reports:

Committee report on its work.
Brief reports from Committee members on the work of their obediences. The Assembly shall discuss these issues, without voting. A written summary of all the work in progress shall be made available to all lodges in the Confederation. The lodges of each obedience shall discuss the report to the extent that it concerns them.
Council report on the agreement between the basic rules of Freemasonry and the activity of the Confederation and its obediences. They shall issue warnings against acts contrary to its rules, without naming the offenders. The Assembly shall discuss these issues, without voting. A written summary shall be made available to all lodges in the Confederation.
Committee report on its contacts with Masonic powers outside of the Confederation. The Committee shall present Confederation candidate obediences and may recommend the exclusion of some of its members. The Assembly shall decide by voting.

From this Confederation Assembly, the Committee and the Council may recommend to the obediences:

Work issues to which all of the lodges are invited, but are not obliged, to take part,
Organisation of Confederation public events.

These proposals will be carried out only if the majority of obediences approve them and if no obedience vetoes a proposal. Obediences may abstain during votes.

A written summary of all work in progress shall be made available to the lodges of all obediences.

Seven years after the Confederation Constituent Assembly, the Committee shall convene the third General Assembly that shall hear the four reports of the Committee and the Council, as in the previous Assembly, and shall discuss and vote on decisions concerning the whole Confederation.

The Committee and the Council may recommend to the obediences various work issues, public events, the admission of candidate obediences or the possible exclusion of members not following the Confederation’s rules. These points will be handled under the same terms as before.

This third General Assembly shall consider, and then vote by secret ballot, on the following issues:

The final text of the Confederation general rules,
The final form of Confederation Assembly rites.

A written summary of all work underway shall be made available to the lodges of all obediences.

Nine years: If deemed necessary, the Committee may convene another General Assembly, which shall be in charge of resolving items left open in the preceding Assembly and/or to discuss new issues.

After seven (or nine) years, the cycle of Assemblies will be held every three years following the Assembly programme for the seventh year, as described above.

Assembly locations

The Committee and the Council shall determine the location of Confederation General Assemblies.

Given the objectives of the Confederation, its nature and tasks assigned to its General Assembly, the meeting could and should take place in another country each time..

Obedience representation at General Assemblies

The Committee and the Council shall propose to the Constituent Assembly rules for representation of obediences for future General Assemblies. The delegates shall vote and their decisions remain valid for the first three General Assemblies.

Given the number of obediences that may comprise the Confederation, the ''one lodge, one delegate'' rule cannot be applied at General Assemblies, but this does not exclude the possibility of all lodges participating through the use of new communication technologies. In this event, some decisions might be taken following the ''one lodge, one voice'' rule.

The Committee may propose to the Constituent Assembly and the first three General Assemblies the technical means to link them to the lodges during sessions.

Assembly rites

The Constituent Assembly and the first two General Assemblies shall follow the rites and transitional rules established by the Committee and the Council.

Before the third General Assembly, these transitional rules and rites should have been discussed in Confederation member obedience lodges then enriched with their contributions. The Council shall consider and discuss them with the Committee and then draft new texts that will be voted upon by the third General Assembly.

The General Assembly will vote on their acceptance, or it may amend them, or, if necessary, remand them to the lodges for further study..