By Paul Rodriguez-Obrien, PM—Master Brethren and Families, I recently had the pleasure of attending the April DeMolay stated meeting, and I was truly moved by the exceptional work demonstrated by these young men. Their memory work and floor performance were outstanding, and I hold great hope that we may one day welcome many of them as Officers in our Lodge. That would have been enough for a great night, but there’s more! Just two days prior, my wife Diana and I attended Acaci

By Alex Von Stadt, PM — Sr. Warden Brethren: The Month of May is upon us and Spring is officially here. It is believed that May is named after the Greek goddess Maia, the daughter of Atlas and the mother of Hermes. She was considered the goddess of Spring and growth. Her Roman equivalent, Bona Dea, was known as the goddess of fertility and is related to the Latin word "Maius". She was also associated with growth and springtime. For avid gardeners like myself, May is the time

By Andrew Hawes, PM — Jr. Warden To be entirely unoriginal and yet hopeful: May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face. May the rain fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, May you keep safe. May is a month synonymous with Spring for those of us living in the northern hemisphere, and we celebrate our release from the cold grip of winter... or at least the somewhat chilly on occasion handshake of winter that

By Denise Jow—Past Grand Guardian Thank you to those who supported our Annual Spaghetti Feed & Silent Auction. We had about 50 baskets/items to bid on which will help the Bethel Daughters go to our State Convention, Grand Bethel, in June. The Bethel Daughters are busy entering the various competitions and start planning their look-a-likes & mascots. The Bethel Daughters have been traveling to the various Grand Bethel Officer receptions and will enter the Friendship Bethel C

By Paul Rodriguez-Obrian, PM—Master Brethren and Families, This spring is off to a great start. We’re bringing in several new Entered Apprentices and have already welcomed two new Brothers to the lodge, Brother Brian Rodgers and Brother Jacob Mapp, who joined us on March 26. Both have shown real enthusiasm for the Craft and have now been placed in the capable hands of their coaches. Thank you to the Officers who performed a fantastic degree and the brethren who were in attend

By Alex Von Stadt — Sr. Warden Brethren: April is now upon us, and Spring is now officially here. As the cold Winter temperatures and rainfall come to a close, it is now time to think about planting gardens and planning outdoor activities once again. The word, April, is believed to be derived from the Latin words "aperio" or "aperire" meaning "to open". It is thought that both words refer to the opening of buds on trees and flowers that occur during this month. Two notable e

By Andrew Hawes, PM — Jr. Warden Welcome to April, brethren. After one of the hottest March months ever, I am already prepared for it to be winter again... and yet here we are, merely a quarter of the way through the year. As is typical for my monthly article, I shall endeavor to enjoinder you to: Let it go. Turn the other cheek. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. With heart and tongue, promote one another's welfare, and rejoice in one another's prosperity! Be

Celebrating a Century of Masonic Support for Education April 30, 2026 at 6:00 PM —Our lodge is proud to carry this legacy forward with this year’s Public Schools Night, a community focused evening dedicated to the Castro Valley Unified School District. The event begins with a shared dinner, giving members, families, and guests time to connect and reflect on the vital role public education plays in the life of our community. Following the meal, we will honor two exceptional te

By Denise Jow—Past Grand Guide On March 11th we welcomed two new members into our Bethel! We are so happy to have Fiara and Noreen join! March 14th was the Dublin St. Patrick's Parade. The Bethel Daughters decorated the truck and marched in the parade with JoBee (our CAJDI mascot) right behind the Shriners. They passed out information about Job’s Daughters and our Ice Cream Social on March 25th. We were even featured in The Mercury News! In March we continue to travel and

By Paul Rodriguez-Obrian, PM—Master Brethren and Families, Congratulations to our newest Fellowcraft Masons, Bro. Ildjer Baron and Bro. Robert Johnson, who received their First Degree from our lodge officers on February 19. It is always rewarding to be reminded that no two degrees are ever the same. Often, the most meaningful (or humorous) moments come from the unscripted interactions between officers and candidates, moments that become lasting memories for everyone involved.

By Alex Von Stadt — Sr. Warden Welcome to the month of March. March is named after Mars, the Roman God of War. It was at this time of year that Roman military campaigns resumed after they were paused during the winter months. The month of March marks the arrival of the Vernal Equinox on March 20th which signals that Spring is now upon us. For avid gardeners like myself, it is now time to dust off the shovel, sharpen the hoe, and get to work preparing the soil for Spring plant

By Andrew Hawes, PM — Jr. Warden There's a good chance that of the people you have to deal with today, there will be some who are ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest or surly. Perhaps many. Perhaps even most. Sadly, the world is full of darkness. People who lie, cheat and steal. People who don't care about anything but themselves. But the fact that they're out there, so many of them, doesn't mean we should join them. Instead, it is our duty, as good men and Masons, to be b

For more than 100 years, California Masons have championed the importance of strong public schools. In 1920, the Grand Lodge of California established Public Schools Week, encouraging lodges statewide to honor educators and promote the belief—central to Masonry—that an informed, educated community is essential to a free society. That tradition continues today as lodges partner with local districts, support literacy and youth programs, and recognize the teachers who shape the

By Denise Jow—Past Grand Guide March will be a very busy month for our Bethel with some great opportunities for us to promote Job’s Daughters in Tri-Valley. March 7th we are selling used books & handmade bookmarks at the Trinity Lutheran Church on Hopyard in Pleasanton. Stop by and say “Hi”. March 11th we are having a Membership Ceremony for one new member maybe more! March 14th the Bethel will be participating in the annual Dublin St. Patrick’s Parade. Come visit us at

By Paul Rodriguez-Obrian, PM—Master Brethren and Families, Here we are in February, and I am excited to share that our Lodge is revving up its activities for the year. Your officers and I are very much looking forward to seeing you at each event this Lodge hosts in your honor. We have scheduled a Super Bowl party (2/8 @ 2:30 PM) in the Lodge fellowship hall (for Brothers, wives, and guests). We expect it will be well attended, lively, and full of enthusiasm, both Masonic and

By Alex Von Stadt — Sr. Warden Welcome to the month of February, the shortest month of this year. The name February is derived from the Latin word "februa" which means to clean or purify. It was named after Februalia, the Roman festival of purification and atonement, which was a month-long event. Two notable events during the month of February include Valentine's Day on February 14th, and Presidents' Day on February 16th. Another February event that I look forward to every y

By Andrew Hawes, PM — Jr. Warden Wow, look at us, over 8 percent of the way through 2026. We live in a world of technological marvels, taken for granted every day. Our electronic alarms wake us in the morning, our computerized cars drive us to work (with less and less assistance from us) we can use a palm-sized device to check the time of day, read predictions about the future weather, and learn about events from around the world. We can walk into a vehicle and sit down,

By Ron Katz with assistance from Microsoft CoPilot Brethren, As we gather in the spirit of fellowship, it is fitting that we pause to reflect on President’s Day, a time set aside to honor the leaders who have guided our nation through trials and triumphs. While the holiday often brings to mind the towering figures of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, it also invites us to consider the deeper qualities of leadership — qualities that resonate strongly with our Masonic pr