Day with DeMolay

     Today was totally awesome! I got to bond again with my brethren of the Order of DeMolay Pangasinan Chapter. Although there were only few participants, I can say we at least bonded. I miss our fellowship moments, I bet tomorrow after the election we will be celebrating the victory of the Three Lights who will be elected tomorrow. According to the orientation I attended when I was still a petitioner, the Three Lights are the top positions for the Order of DeMolay wherein it is composed of the Master Councilor, the Senior Councilor, and the Junior Councilor.

     I also had the chance to be the first DeMolay to enter the newly-built house of our Chapter Advisor Dad Melvin Calimlim, according to him. I think bonus factor was the fact that he toured me inside of it and told me stories that really left me astonished and amazed. The house I think is your typical American house with cool interiors. Mom and Dad Melvin said that the design was based on a magazine and they just matched the dimensions of their lot.  I do not know, but that moment wherein Mom and Dad told me about their love story, just made me envious- I wanted to have such a story wherein faith made them together.

    We talked different topics for two hours and so, from serious DeMolay matters to my being a student and a lot more. He really is the "barkada" whom you can talk to whenever you feel the need to be advised, seriously. He talks a lot of sense and encourages you to be who you are and that you are left with no choice but your own. Dad Melvin really is the one responsible for the bond that our chapter brethren have. He is one of the reasons why I do like to be a part of this brotherhood, he acknowledges your strengths and helps you improve on your weaknesses.

My brethren as they sing Christmas carols.

They were audibly great, I tell you!

  The Senior Brethren of the DeMolay Alumni Association of the Philippines or the DAAP, some of whom I just met tonight, have a very welcoming aura which I noticed as I shook hands with them. The caroling went very well though I was not able to sing with them because I prepared the food while they sang carols.  We were lucky because different groups came at our place to sing Christmas songs and one of which was the Good Shepherd Choir of the Mangaldan Roman Catholic Church. They had a performance which was beyond great. Some brethren were even amazed by some of the beautiful singers, and even the conductor, haha.

Logo designed by Bro. Adriane Dela Cruz Sison. 

The photo is available at Bro. Adriane's facebook photo album HERE.

No copyright infringement intended. Used here non-commercially.

     DeMolay will always be DeMolay, but the faith of DeMolay relies on each brethren's desire and passion to be part of the bigger picture other than their selves. It is about being selfless, yet it teaches you not to undermine your academics and responsibilities to other affiliations or concerns.

    In less than 24 hours, Pangasinan Chapter will hail its Three Lights. The Three Lights who will make the chapter active, who will make every brethren responsible, who will make everyone an agent of change not only in the micro perspectives but also of the macro aspects. These individuals will be the prime movers of every endeavor that the chapter will undertake.

    As I blog this entry, I am still memorizing the Initiatory and DeMolay Degree Obligations, the prerequisites to be able to vote, to be able to voice out one's opinion, to be able to select the people who can lead the chapter. I am relying my faith on luck- the bizarre idea I always have whenever memorization kills me. But knowing that this is a must for one to be able to practice his right to choice the leader he thinks qualifies the position, I am left with no choice but to memorize.