Quinta Essentia Lodge, U.D., exists under the jurisdiction of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge, A.F. & A.M., of the State of Connecticut. We believe that the purpose of Freemasonry is to promote fellowship and learning; to improve virtue and understanding; and to practice the lessons of our Fraternity under the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man.

Our goal is to divest ourselves of the vices and superfluities of life in accordance with the ancient teachings of our Craft, while also using modern technology to divest our business meetings and practices of the toil and drudgery of outdated methods. We believe that the lessons of our Fraternity are best learned in the spirit of Fellowship. We believe that Freemasonry has great value to us and the world --- and that this value should be acknowledged in our dues and in our conduct. We believe that excellence in conduct, ritual, and dress should be the norm; not the exception. We believe that we should strive to exemplify the high standards of our Fraternity, while also shunning any sense of “elitism” that only serves to separate us from others.

We seek to meet in public houses, invoking the spirit of our ancient brethren. We will share fellowship at Festive Boards, that also serve as opportunities for learning and enlightenment. We will impose high dues on ourselves to remind us of the value of our Fraternity --- but will never allow this to keep a worthy brother from becoming one with us. We will seek to understand and practice the “essentials” of our Craft. We will seek to become an example--one of many--of how “best to serve” as Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.

Although we adhere to many of the tenets of the “European Concept” model of Freemasonry, this model (as is explained in more detail here) is a broad-based concept, which has many paths and can take many forms.

We also believe that the model we propose, here, can be both changed and varied by those who follow us. We know that there is a great interest (in Connecticut and elsewhere) in the concept we are proposing. We stand willing to help others to create lodges with their own forms and distinctions. At the same time, we firmly adhere to the allegiances which we have already freely given to the Constitution, Landmarks, Rules & Regulations of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge, A.F. & A.M. of the State of Connecticut.

The next meeting of Quinta Essentia Lodge Under Dispensation is scheduled for the evening of Saturday, Dec 10th. We will be meeting at the Graduate Club in New Haven (http://www.graduateclub.com/) beginning at 5:00 pm.

Lodge will open at 5:30 pm with a short business meeting and the portrayal of the Entered Apprentice Degree for a candidate of Hiram Lodge No. 1. Lodge will close at approximately 7:15 pm. Afterwards, a cocktail hour with cash bar and our traditional toasts will be held beginning at 7:30 pm. Following the cocktails, dinner, an open discussion and the extended lectures of the Entered Apprentice Degree will be held.

The cost of the dinner is seventy-five dollars and reservations are required. In addition, cancelled reservations and no-shows (unless an emergency) will be expected to still pay due to the restricted number of seats available. The number of reservations is limited, so please RSVP with Charles Tirrell ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) as soon as possible. The dress for the evening is formal (a tuxedo or dark suit and black tie is required). This event is for masons only (Entered Apprentices and Fellowcrafts are welcome). The cost of the dinner does not include the cost for drinks. Please bring extra cash for drinks.

Feel free to announce this event to other brothers who may be interested and have them contact Charles Tirrell ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) if they would like to attend.

The first meeting of Quinta Essentia Lodge Under Dispensation is scheduled for the evening of Saturday, June 18th.  We will be meeting in the Captains Room and Library of Mory's in New Haven (http://www.morys1849.org/) beginning at 5:00 pm.

Lodge will open at 5:30 pm with a short stated communication and will close at approximately 6:15 pm.  Afterwards, a cocktail hour with cash bar and entertainment will be held, followed by a brief presentation regarding the concept behind Quinta Essentia Lodge U.D.  Dinner is scheduled to begin at 7:30 pm.  As with all Quinta Essentia gatherings an open discussion will be held during dinner and the topic for this evening is "Fiat Lux:  The Meaning of Masonic Light."

The cost of the dinner is seventy dollars and reservations are required.  In addition, cancelled reservations and no-shows (unless an emergency) will be expected to still pay due to the restricted number of seats available.  The number of reservations is limited, so please reply to this message as soon as possible.  The dress for the evening is formal (a tuxedo or dark suit and black tie is required).  This event is for masons only (Entered Apprentices and Fellowcrafts are welcome).

We expect that this evening will be a historic event for Connecticut Masonry and hope to see you all there.  Feel free to announce this event to other brothers who may be interested and have them contact Charles Tirrell (  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) if they would like to attend.

At the Grand Lodge of Connecticut Annual Communication on April 4th, 2011, a dispensation was granted for the formation of Quinta Essentia Lodge. This dispensation is the product of two years of hard work by brothers in the Southern Connecticut Region to create a European Concept Lodge. These brothers have been meeting as a dinner club during these two years and discussing their plans for the formation of a new lodge.  The structure and format of the lodge is similar to Lodge Vitruvian and other highly successful European Concept Lodges.

R:.W:. Brother Bradley K. Cooney will serve as our first Worshipful Master and I will serve as our first Secretary. Although our by-laws are not yet set, here are some of the concepts that the new lodge will be based on:

• Meetings and festive boards will take place at a local restaurant with high quality food in a private dining space, instead of a Masonic Building.
• The lodge will meet only six times a year and each meeting will be an outstanding event.
• Every lodge meeting has an accompanying cocktail hour, festive board and open discussion topic during the dinner.
• Our discussion topics are typically philosophical in nature.
• We require excellence in dress.  All brothers are required to dress in tuxes or dark suit and dark tie.  Lodge paraphernalia will exemplify simplicity in an effort to symbolize the equality of our brotherhood.
• The dues structure of the lodge will be significantly higher than most blue lodges.
• There will be no long introductions of past masters, officers from other lodges or appendent bodies. The only brothers to be recognized are the Grand Master (or his representative) and his suite.
• The lodge will never have a large, inactive membership.  Brothers are required to regularly attend meetings unless there an acceptable reason not to attend determined by the Worshipful Master.  Brothers who do not regularly attend will be required to demit and join another lodge.   We will cap membership at about 35 members. Once we hit the maximum, a new lodge should be formed.
• We will demand ritual excellence.
• We will not elect officers based on a "progressive line". Brothers will be elected based on their abilities and may repeat several terms in the same chair.
• We will actively participate in community service. This lodge will not simply write a check. The mason's place is in the world, not separate from it.

The list of petitioning Brothers are as follows:

• Bro. L. Scott Brand
• M:.W:. Bro. Charles A Buck Jr.
• R:.W:. Bro. Bradley K Cooney
• W:. Bro. Paul L Chello
• R:.W:. Bro. Theodore J Doolittle
• W:. Bro. Martin Ede
• R:.W:. Bro. Kenneth I Greenhill
• M:.W:. Bro. Alfred J Lobo
• Bro. Kristian Maiorino
• W:. Bro. Randy S Stevens
• R:.W:. Bro. Charles H Tirrell
• W:. Bro. James A Tirrell
• Bro. Howard D Turner
• W:. Bro. Jordan T Yelinek

For more information about Quinta Essentia Lodge U.D., email Charles Tirrell ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )