ISLAND-LUZ-MINERVA LODGE NO. 5

The Name

  This lodge was originally known as Island Lodge. The name "Island" was chosen because the lodge was located at Ft. Mills on Corregidor Island. They could not call it Corregidor Lodge, since Lodge No. 3 had already appropriated that name.

     The lodge acquired its present name when it consolidated with Luz Oceanica Lodge No. 85 and Minerva Lodge No. 41. See the history of these two lodges for the etymology of their names.

The Lodge

   As early as 1913, the Masons residing on Corregidor Island held meetings for the purpose of discussing the formation of a lodge for American enlisted men on the Island, but it was not until October 1914 that definite action was taken. A petition for dispensation to form a lodge was sent to the Grand Lodge. On November 12, 1914, Grand Master Newton C. Comfort issued the dispensation. Five days later, the new lodge held its first meeting under dispensation. It had then a membership of 30 on its rolls and its officers were Mark L. Ireland, Master; William H. Stevens, Senior Warden; John F. Connally, Junior Warden; H. Hagenah, Treasurer and Charles G. Gableman, Secretary. On February 2, 1915, after complying with the requirements of the Grand Lodge, Island Lodge was given charter. On March 1,1915, at about 9 o'clock in the evening, Grand Master George Harvey opened a special Communication of the Grand Lodge on Corregidor Island for the purpose of constituting Island Lodge. The Mason among the officers and men on "The Rock' entertained the Grand Lodge delegation and attended the ceremonies. Grand Master Harvey noted that the lodge had done well having grown from 30 to 48 members within the year.

     Island Lodge had a healthy existence before the Second World War. It held its meetings in the Spanish War Veterans Hall in Fort Mills. Its membership grew to 117 in 1921 and 139 in 1927. Practically all its members, however, were Americans in the military service with only a few Filipinos, like Enrique R. Martine, who served as Master of the lodge in 1925.

     On August 5, 1924, for the first time in the history of the lodge, a team of Filipino Masons coming from sister lodges conferred the first degree of Masonry on a member of the lodge. The team was led by Cornelio Aguirre and Armado Esleta of Mt. Mainam Lodge No. 49 based in Naic, Cavite. That event marked the start of more cordial fellowships with Filipino Masons.

   Island Lodge had to suspend its labors when the Second World War War broke out. Many of its members perished the war member. When peace was restored, the surviving members discovered it was impossible to reactivate the lodge on Corregidor Island, for not one of them was living in the island.  Moreover, the island was devastated and there was no Place where they could hold their meetings. The members, therefore, asked the Grand Lodge for permission to reestablish their lodge at the Plaridel Masonic Temple in Manila.

     In 1949, Island Lodge was finally reactivated. Immediately thereafter it merged with LUZ Oceanica Lodge No. 85 "for the mutual benefit of the two lodges. The following year, another consolidation was affected with Minerva Lodge No. 41. The three lodges are now known as Island-Luz-Minerva Lodge No. 5.

    These days. among the stalwarts of the lodge are Isaac F. Anivas, Jr. Generoso Calonge, Camillo Parilla, Antonio Tuason, Jose Marlowe Pedregosa, Ely Dante Solano, Rodolfo Tor, Ronel Briones, Elpidio S. de Chavez , Jaime Areglo, Romeo I. Espanto, and Edmund Sim Hao

Location: Plaridel Masonic Temple, Manila