Templum Fidelis, latin for Temple of Fidelity.

Fidelity (oxford dictionary) /fidelliti/ .noun

1. Continuing faithfulness to a person, cause or belief.

2. The degree of exactness with which something is copied or reproduced.

Templum Fidelis is a Traditional Observance Masonic Lodge in Bath, Ontario, Canada operating in the jurisdiction of The Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario. Having received permission from M.W. Bro. Allan Petrisor, to begin meeting Under Dispensation in January of 2008, the Lodge was then consecrated and received it's Warrant on June 6th, 2009.

We are looking for an experience where the focus is on the Work, protocol and the candidate. We envision quality as far more important than quantity, only one voice in the lodge room - the Master and only anyone he has given the floor too - no side bars, no private meetings, no cell phones or electronic planners - that carries on into the banquet room (agape). We envision candidates that learn more about Masonry as they go along, who will not only prove themselves before advancing, but also present a paper on their experiences and significance of the former Degree before they advance much like the European model. We envision a lodge where the focus is on candidate development rather than a Mason-making-machine - expecting the average period between candidates Degrees to be a year. We envision tuxedos, white gloves, candles and solemnity that will make a lasting impression on the candidate and our members.

Six of us started meeting regularly in 2006 for breakfast, lunch or dinner (always a focus on food) and just talked about what we would each like our Lodges to look like. Then we started researching and sharing that research on the Lodge 'models' that were in existence throughout the world. After several months we decided that the Traditional Observance model brought together the best of all that we agreed was adding to the Masonic experience of our fellow Masons throughout the world. In California, W. Bro. Dennis Chornenky, had the same epiphany a few years ago and created the Masonic Restoration Foundation.

We then invited a number of other Masons, who we thought would be interested in such a Masonic experience, to join us as members of the Templum Fidelis Masonic Club. We hosted W. Bro. Chornenky in Kingston for a weekend in December 2007 where he put on a seminar to bring all members up to the same level of understanding, along with our District Deputy Grand Master, R.W. Bro. Bill Bowick. Our Grand Master had been most encouraging in our discussions with him regarding this subject and we wanted his representative kept in the loop.

This seminar being completed, we were recognized by the Masonic Restoration Foundation as a Traditional Observance Club. Shortly after we applied to the Grand Master for dispensation to meet in Bath, 20 minutes west of Kingston, Ontario and be recognized as a lodge in Frontenac District in the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario. This was done in such a fashion so that, rather than using the 'stand alone' The Heritage Lodge model, we would not limit the number of such lodges in our Grand Jurisdiction. We well expect that this experience will grow to other centres of the Province such as Ottawa, Toronto and beyond. Hence our Charter membership was not developed exclusive to Frontenac District.

It is our belief that the members of Templum Fidelis will maintain their interest, membership and support of their respective Mother Lodges, but we will be Initiating new members into Masonry. The fact that we meet only quarterly, plus a January Installation and Investiture will motivate current members to maintain their Mother Lodge membership - and our new members will likely want to Affiliate elsewhere to expand their Masonic experience.

Our hopes became realized when we received our Constitution as a duly operating Lodge at the 2008 Annual Communication of Grand Lodge to thereafter be so Consecrated. Prior to this, we had our first meeting on March 15, 2008 as a Committee of General Purposes to assure all the business and protocol matters were clear to all the Charter Members before we get started with our first full-blown-head-on meeting in the Traditional Observance format on June 21. This done with the hope that our DDGM could report to the Board of General Purposes before our next Annual Communication that we were "meeting regularly as a Lodge."

Once Consecrated in June 2009, Templum Fidelis Lodge began accepting visitors and applications for Initiation and Affiliation, with membership to be capped off at 72 members.

Templum Fidelis meets in The Village of Bath on the shores of Lake Ontario near the city of Kingston, Ontario.

For further information on the Traditional Observance model, please read The Traditional Observance Lodge.

For non-Masons and Masons alike we recommend this paper entitled Introduction to Freemasonry as a good place to start for all those interested in Freemasonry.