Novus Veteris is a Masonic lodge that is the essence of a reformation of what lodges once were and still are in many parts of the world — small in numbers with comradery, formality, excellence and attendance high. At the core of Novus Veteris is a fully balanced representation of the principal tenets of Freemasonry — brotherly love, relief and truth.
Novus Veteris is a lodge that does not and will not own a building to maintain, manage or rent, but rather uses the time that would be spent on building management on furthering the pursuit of the principal tenets. Novus Veteris travels. It has a home base, which is set by a consensus of the Executive Committee, but meetings are held in varying locations such as private rooms in restaurants and hotels, as well as existing Masonic lodges all over San Diego County and Southern California.
Novus Veteris holds business meetings monthly, as required by the California Masonic Code, however, only five members are required to be present (the Executive Committee or a representation thereof) eight months out of the year, and quarterly — extended business, information, ritual and knowledge abundant — reunions are the core focus. This is to ensure the Lodge is respectful of every member’s time and enables everyone to plan ahead for the import quarterly meetings.
Education and research is a staple of Novus Veteris Lodge. Novus Veteris is not an esoteric research lodge, however, the pursuit of further light is one of its core focuses and three principal tenets along with brotherly love and relief. Social gatherings are scheduled monthly to continue to build strong bonds among the brethren in promoting brotherly love and to give prospects and interested affiliators opportunity to meet with us. Traditional feasts, festivals and solstices are observed and celebrated in promoting the embodiment of Masonic ideals of knowledge, history, regularity, constancy and order. Service or fund-raising projects are selected frequently for the members to take part in relief efforts and to promote making a profound impact on society.
In order to promote the wellbeing of the fraternity and the craft, Novus Veteris will provide various services to local lodges. These services include ritual work (degree team), website and communications, lodge management and finance, as well as assistance with membership development. The potential of forming a Research Lodge is also a desire of the founding members.
Novus Veteris practices ritual excellence and has traditions that are truly meaningful to its members.
Once Novus Veteris reaches membership between thirty and forty Masons, it is expected that splitting the lodge in order to start a new lodge will be explored.