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Archiver > CASANFRA > 2004-12 > 1102631181


From: "Mike O'Brien" <>
Subject: Re: [CASANFRA] Freemasons in SF c. 1900
Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2004 14:26:21 -0800
References: <000901c4de1a$51f652b0$4a2664d8@ibmt7pnkmvabkv>


Hi Sue,

Just my thoughts.

My father was a 32nd degree Mason in May 1929. Member of the SF lodge and
later the Woodstock Lodge of Alameda. He died in 1955.

Catholics had the Knights of Columbus organization to join. My
understanding is that the Free Masons, Odd Fellow (I.O.O.F.) and others
were mainly Protestants.

The Catholics didn't allow anyone associated with Free Masons as they
believed it was an anti religious organization. Mainly because of the
secrecy.

It is interesting that my grandfather and g-grandfather were not Masons and
are buried at Holy Cross. Yet my father never followed the Catholic faith
and is buried at Roselawn in Livermore (an I.O.O.F.) cemetery.

I'm getting to your other situation.


Mike

----- Original Message -----
From: "S. F. O'Donnell" <>
To: <>
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 10:10 AM
Subject: [CASANFRA] Freemasons in SF c. 1900


> Hello SF list again,
>
> Ok, problem (query) #2:
>
> My great grand uncle, John Thomas O'Donnell (1863-1905) was born in New
> York and he died in 1905 and is buried at Holy Cross (big fancy decked out
> site it is too with plenty of bizarre inscriptions on the cross alluding
> to an affiliation in a variety of masonic orders).
>
> It seems that John T. O'Donnell was among other things a Freemason. He
> belonged to numerous orders, like IOOF (Independent Order of Odd Fellows)
> as well as the Native Sons of the Golden West (how did he pull this one
> off being he was born in New York?), etc.
>
> There was plenty of talk going way back in my family about freemasons in
> San Francisco and my father often alluded to the fact that the family had
> memberships in Masonic orders.
>
> When I recently spoke to Holy Cross they told me that they did not allow
> freemasons to be buried there being it is a Catholic cemetery. I then told
> them about my great grand uncle John and his affiliations which he made no
> apparent attempt to hide.
>
> While this is the case with John T. O'Donnell (being a Catholic that is),
> he was also a freemason. Seems like a conflict of interest to me at best.
>
> Does anyone else have any family members that were Catholics that were
> also Freemasons? Why is it that Freemasons are not allowed supposedly to
> be buried at a Catholic cemetery?
>
> I just don't quite get it.
>
> Another big ? I suppose.
>
> Comments, experiences, etc. appreciated.
>
> Regards again,
>
> Sue O'Donnell
>
>
> One should always look for a possible alternative and provide against it.
> It is the first rule of criminal investigation. - Sherlock Holmes
>
>
> ==== CASANFRA Mailing List ====
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> http://www.sfgenealogy.com
>
>


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