The CLHOE Federation brings together local associations that adhere to the charter of our ethics. Faithful to the spirit and will of its Founders, CLHOE’s sole purpose is to promote mutual aid and solidarity between Masons (including descendants and ascendants), to defend employment and to fight against social exclusion. CLHOE is characterized by its independence from all Masonic Obediences. It thus constitutes the only International Federation on the theme of solidarity that can rally all Masonic Lodges without a priori exclusions.
Findings
The fundamental moral values shared by Freemasons of all countries and persuasions include solidarity, mutual aid and charity. Now, in the context of a global and widespread economic crisis, the particular situation of Freemasons is not immune from rising unemployment or job insecurity and the unfortunate consequences of exclusion. For example, in France, although structures have been put in place by some chapters to address this problem, it is clear that a degree of selection occurs in the cases considered. The idea therefore is to create a worldwide scheme to effectively help masons and their families in the areas of finding employment, training, seeking internships and in general to provide personalised and free assistance. This does not involve competing with state-run services, but instead to provide complementary and effective fraternal assistance supported by the capabilities of skilled and willing Brothers and sisters.
Suggested Solution
The guiding principle is to favour the local treatment of Masons applying for assistance, in situations and local contexts that may be very different from one region or one country to another, but underpinned by the overall cohesion provided by belonging to a central unifying structure with adherence to a Charter of Ethics. The central structure will provide, among other things, logistics and IT support to facilitate exchanges and share feedback about experiences for enhanced overall efficiency. Thus an International Federation known as CLHOE (Centre de Liaison des Hospitaliers Opératifs pour l’Entraide – Liaison committee of operative hospitallers for mutual assistance) has been created in the form of an association (French law of 1901) whose members are all local Branches, themselves constituted as non-profit associations within the legislative framework specific to their countries of incorporation. The members of these local Branches will be either locally established Lodges, without affecting their membership to a particular chapter, or isolated masons.
