THE ACCESSION PROCESS

Becoming united in the labors of the Great Work

A Lodge, Grand Lodge, Supreme Council may join Universal Co-Masonry collectively. Accession into the United Federation of Lodges is a process open to all independent Masonic Orders, Grand Lodges or other Supreme Bodies and is the method by which such bodies may become fully integrated members of Universal Co-Masonry. Acceptance into the Federation, however, is not a foregone conclusion nor is it available immediately upon request. The Supreme Council of Universal Co-Masonry has composed a set of Accession Criteria that must be met and that, as a whole, comprise the Accession Process of the United Federation of Lodges of Universal Co-Masonry.

When a Masonic Body, whether a single Lodge, group of Lodges, Grand Lodge, Supreme Council or other Supreme Body wishes to accede to the United Federation of Lodges and be counted among its members it must first submit a written application for the consideration of the Supreme Council of Universal Co-Masonry. This application must include the following:

• A statement of desire to join the Federation. This declaration must detail the reasons for doing so.
• A statement demonstrating the willingness of the members of the Masonic Body to accept and abide by the Federation’s Grand Constitution and General Rules and Regulations.
• A list of all Masons and Profanes associated with the Masonic Body along with their signatures as proof of their unanimous desire to join the Federation.

All such requests shall be considered as candidates without distinction of race, gender, religion or creed.

After the Application has been received and considered by the Supreme Council a period of negotiations between the Federation and the Applicant shall commence. At this time the Supreme Council will investigate the Applicant to determine the current situation and determine which necessary benchmarks will need to be achieved by the Applicant before their Accession is accepted. These benchmarks are based upon the Accession Criteria, a series of Masonic landmarks, traditions, requirements and customs that must be accepted by the Applicant before their membership in the Federation shall be granted. Some of these criteria are non-negotiable while some can be adjusted to allow for the cultural and legal practices of the locality in question.

These criteria shall be discussed at an Interfraternal Summit between the Applicant and Representatives of the Supreme Council of Universal Co-Masonry. The Summit carries out a detailed examination, together with the Applicant, of each section of the Accession Criteria, to determine how well the Applicant is prepared for membership, the findings of which shall be presented to the Supreme Council for their consideration.

Once negotiations have concluded satisfactorily, dates are established for fulfilling the necessary reforms required by the Accession criteria and a plan is set in place for the timely implementation of the agreed upon changes. Once the benchmarks of this plan have been achieved an Accession Treaty will be drafted and shall not become Masonically binding until a formal vote of both the Supreme Council of Universal Co-Masonry and the governing authorities of the Applicant within their respective Obediences has been taken and has been settled in the affirmative. If this stage is completed, the members of the Applicant shall swear oaths of fealty to the Supreme Council and their membership in Universal Co-Masonry shall have been established.