Josef Wäges Named Newest Blue Friar For 2018

The Society of Blue Friars was formed back in 1932 to specifically recognize the excellence of Masonic authors, and their annual meeting is held each year in February during AMD/Masonic Week in the Washington D.C. area. It is arguably the smallest of Masonic organizations, and possibly the oddest, since it has no ritual and few rules. The Grand Abbott chooses the new Friar, and it is usually a closely guarded secret until its announcement. Each new Friar, upon the announcement, is required to give a short paper to the audience and fellow Friars. 

This morning in Arlington, Virginia, the 74th Consistory of the Society was convened by Grand Abbott, S. Brent Morris, who named Brother Josef Wäges of Fate, Texas as the 108th Blue Friar. 

Josef is the co-author of The Secret School of Wisdom: The Authentic Ritual and Doctrines of the Illuminati (2015), and he is a dedicated and careful scholar and researcher.

His presentation today was on Etienne (Stephen) Morin and an obscure 1764 manuscript of ritual from Santo Domingo, known in some circles as the Baylot Manuscript. Morin was a French dignitary in the Caribbean who was responsible for the early spread of Masonic degrees of the Order of the Royal Secret (later the Rite of Perfection) between 1763 and 1771. These would become the foundation of what we know today as the Scottish Rite. The rough and hard to read Santo Domingo Manuscript comes from the French Masonic archives of Jean Baylot in Paris' Bibliothèque Nationale, and predates the far more famous Francken Manuscript by almost twenty years.

Congratulations to Josef for this honor and recognition of his scholarship and talents. I'm looking forward to his rumored new project later this year.

Following the presentation, the fellow Friars who are in attendance always gather for lunch. To my great bewilderment, I was accorded the honor of being named Friar No. 101 in 2012. I was unable to attend Masonic Week again this year, but Brother Shawn Eyer (Friar No. 102) posted a photo on his Facebook page of the assembled authors today.

LtoR: Robert G. Davis (103), S. Brent Morris (83), Arturo De Hoyos (88), Mark A. Tabbert (95), 

Richard E. Fletcher (81), Thomas Jackson (93), Josef Wäges (108), Shawn Eyer (102).