Society of Blue Friars

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The Society of Blue Friars (SBF) is a Masonic organization established in 1932 with the explicit purpose of recognizing Masonic authors. It is widely regarded as one of the smallest and most distinctive appendant bodies within Freemasonry.^[1]

The core of the organization consists of three officers:

1. The Grand Abbot, who presides over the Society and holds office for as long as they wish or as long as they live.
2. The Deputy Grand Abbot, designated as the successor to the Grand Abbot.
3. The Secretary-General, responsible for administrative matters.^[2][3]

The Grand Abbot has the authority to appoint new Friars, and their decisions are final. Additionally, only the Grand Abbot has the power to change the Society's regulations. The term "Abbot" and "Friar" were deliberately chosen to hark back to monastic traditions of the Middle Ages when monks wrote many of the books of their time.

The following authors and researchers have been recognized as Friars as of 2023:

• 1. Wallace E. McLeod (Initiated as a Friar in 1984. Location: Ontario, Canada.)
• 2. John M. Hamill (Initiated as a Friar in 1988. Location: England.)
• 3. Christopher L. Murphy (Initiated as a Friar in 1995. Location: British Columbia, Canada.)
• 4. Richard E. Fletcher (Initiated as a Friar in 1997. Location: Maryland, USA.)
• 5. S. Brent Morris (Initiated as a Friar in 1998. Location: Maryland, USA. Serves as the Grand Abbot of the Society.)
• 6. Rex R. Hutchens (Initiated as a Friar in 1998.Location: Arizona, USA.)
• 7. Robin L. Carr (Initiated as a Friar in 1998. Location: Illinois, USA.)
• 8. John W. Boettjer (Initiated as a Friar in 1999.Location: District of Columbia, USA.)
• 9. Arturo de Hoyos (son) (Initiated as a Friar in 2000. Location: Virginia, USA. Serves as the Deputy Grand Abbot of the Society.)
• 10. Leon Zeldis (Initiated as a Friar in 2000. Location: Israel.)
• 11. Robert L. Uzzel (Initiated as a Friar in 2003. Location: Texas, USA.)
• 12. Thomas W. Jackson (Initiated as a Friar in 2004. Location: Pennsylvania, USA.)
• 13. W. Kirk MacNulty (Initiated as a Friar in 2005. Location: Virginia, USA.)
• 14. Mark A. Tabbert (Initiated as a Friar in 2006. Location: Virginia, USA.)
• 15. Alain Bernheim (Initiated as a Friar in 2007. Location: Switzerland.)
• 16. Gary H. Leazer (Initiated as a Friar in 2008.Location: Georgia, USA.)
• 17. Yasha Beresiner (Initiated as a Friar in 2009. Location: England.)
• 18. Pierre G. Normand, Jr. (Initiated as a Friar in 2010.Location: Texas, USA.)
• 19. Alton G. Roundtree (Initiated as a Friar in 2011.Location: District of Columbia, USA.)
• 20.Christopher L. Hodapp (Initiated as a Friar in 2012. Location: Indiana, USA.)

Christopher L. Hodapp is a well-known Masonic author and researcher. He gained recognition as Friar #101 in the Society of Blue Friars in 2012. Hodapp is the creator of the widely read "Freemasons For Dummies" blog, established in 2006, which is a significant source of current international news about the Masonic fraternity.

In 2019, Christopher L. Hodapp was named Worshipful Master of the Dwight L. Smith Lodge of Research in Indiana.

Alain Bernheim, an esteemed Freemason since 1963, held memberships in the Regular Grand Loge of Belgium and the Grand Lodge Alpina of Switzerland. He was also awarded the 33° by the Supreme Council of the United States (Southern Jurisdiction) and was elected a Chapter Knight of the Great Priory of Belgium. Furthermore, he was a member of the Royal Order of Scotland. Notably, he became the first French Freemason to be elected as a full member of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076 under the United Grand Lodge of England. The Supreme Council of France recognized him as a Member of Honour in 2014 and awarded him the distinction of Grand Commander Honoris Causa in 2018.

Alain Bernheim was awarded the Norman Spencer Award by the premier Lodge of Research, Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076, in 1986 and 1993. He also received the Certificate of Literature from the Philalethes Society (US) in 1997. In 2001, he was honored with the Albert Gallatin Mackey Scholar Award by the Scottish Rite Research Society (Washington, D.C.), which also elected him as a Fellow. In 2007, he was selected as a member of the Society of Blue Friars.

• Abbot. (n.d.). Retrieved from Online Etymology Dictionary.
• Bessel, P. M., & McLeod, W. (n.d.). Society of Blue Friars. Retrieved from Paul M. Bessel's Homepage.
• Friar. (n.d.). Retrieved from Online Etymology Dictionary.
• Information. Retrieved from The Society of Blue Friars.
• Morris, S. D. (2006). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Freemasonry. New York: Penguin Publisher.
• Regulations. (n.d.). Retrieved from The Society of Blue Friars.
• Society of Blue Friars. (2009, February 17). Retrieved from The Magpie Mason.