REQUIEM FOR A MENTOR PAR EXCELLENCE
REQUIEM FOR A MENTOR PAR EXCELLENCE


He was like a father to the aging lion, but let the cat narrate his story in chronological sequence.

At the lion’s mother lodge are three past Grand Masters; MW Jolly Bugarin who ascended to the Oriental Chair in 1979, the subject of this article who rose to fame in 1986, and MW Agustin V. Mateo, who rose to the same seat in 1992. Of the three however, only one is a true-blue product of the lodge, the first was raised at Tamaraw Lodge No. 69 while the third became a master mason at Kingston Lodge No. 100.

The aging lion could not remember if his idol was present during his raising in 1989 for surely, his memories during the early years as a Mason was not at all significant. His recollection of what would become his mentor in Masonry to his mind started sometime in 1994 when MW Reynold as he would fondly call the latter approached him saying he would want that the cat do the awesome task as Managing Editor of the Far Eastern Freemason of the Supreme Council of the 33rd and Last Degree Accepted Scottish Rite of the Philippines. And his assuring word was “don’t worry, you can’t fail. I will handle the responsibilities of the Editor-in-Chief anyway”.

The aging lion’s recollection of that event was unforgettable. No sooner was he cajoled to accept the job and he was treated to a luncheon at the nearby Dream Haus Restaurant with no less MW Reynato S. Puno, Ill. Alberto C. Reyes, the Grand Secretary General, Ill. Agerico V. Amagna, Jr., the Assistant Grand Secretary General, his mentor- MW. Reynold S. Fajardo, and two others whose names the lion could not now recall. The reply of the impish lion of course, had to be in the affirmative. After being wined and dined and in front of these revered Masonic elders, can he ever say no?!

Soonest the lion was saddled to his new and unforgettable task as Managing Editor and he was installed Master of his mother lodge in 1995 with his mentor performing the role as Installing Officer. Not noticed by many, that installation is probably the only installation ceremony where an additional item was added to the master’s charge: “that part of the master’s duty that also included the provision that his job as Managing Editor of the said publication should, to the best of his ability, be done.”

But their relationship was not limited to things Masonic. Sometime in 1995 or thereabouts, when the lion’s youngest son got entangled as witness in a frat war involving the Sigma Rho and another fraternity whose name escaped this writer’s recollection at the State University that resulted in the death of one, the aging lion’s mentor succored to the defense of his son by warding off the legal battle that was filed by a certain Atty. Bonifacio Alentajan at the metropolitan trial court.

His job as Managing Editor expired three years later as it was co-terminus to the tenure of his mentor as Editor-in-Chief of the said publication. But his apprenticeship was not to end there. His mentor also saw to it that his ward review an still-unpublished book titled “Famous Filipino Masons” which unfortunately did not go off the press due to the untimely death of Ill. Alberto Reyes. In addition, his mentor also assigned him to review the monumental book titled “The Golden Years” of the Scottish Rite and in addition was required to also write the brief biographical sketches of the four recent additions to the Sovereign Grand Inspector Generals of the Scottish Rite to complete the said book.

In late 2001, his mentor also asked him to co-author the book Philippine Lodges and while the lion was adamant as he was already mulling plans to transfer residence to Bohol, the former simply said, “don’t worry, we’ll finish the task, the powers of the Internet is awesome, all I’ll do is send you the materials by mail, you compose the write-ups and send these back to me for final review. And that’s how the book titled “Philippine Lodges” was done.

The lion’s transfer of residence had aborted their physical contact and save for intermittent mails at the Internet may be considered really irregular. Whenever in the big city, however, the aging lion would make a call at his mentor’s residence at Project 8, their respective places of abode being but a few blocks away, and there talk about things Masonic and also about old times.

So it was that on January 29, 2006 at about nine o’clock, Sis. Betty Exmundo relayed a rare and unusual message that MW Reynold S. Fajardo, PGM, GMH, incumbent Grand Secretary of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines, and Sovereign Grand Inspector General of the Scottish Rite has just pole-vaulted to the Great Beyond. Her husband, VW Saul knew the aging lion should be informed for reasons the couple surely knew!

Many eulogies will indeed be said about the man, not only for his credentials in Freemasonry and out of it, but more so because he is the only credible Masonic writer the Craft ever had. But to the aging lion his MW Reynold, who is both his mentor and foster father, the memory will surely linger for a long, long time to come.

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Note: The last email that the aging lion received from his mentor was dated not more than a week from his death, and was titled “Japanese Proverb” the message of which says: “You look silly” (or something).. Perhaps RW Jimmy Y. Gonzales, SGW, who was also furnished a copy, remembers.
- posted by Kherwal @ 1:11 PM