C L I P S A S

 

CENTRE OF LIAISON AND INFORMATION OF MASONIC POWERS SIGNATORIES OF STRASBOURG APPEAL

It was founded on January 22, 1961 as an initiative of the Grand Orient of France and other eleven sovereign Masonic powers which, before the growing intransigence and the exclusivities of certain obediences, agreed to appeal to all Freemasons of the world to congregate, respecting their sovereignty, their faiths, their rites and their symbols, in a real and indissoluble Chain of Universal Union.

It is an association registered in Paris and ruled by the French law of July 1, 1901, for recognized associations.

CLIPSAS is an international liberal freemasonry organization from all over the world. Cohering with the ethics proposed by its founders, we are proud of submitting our fidelity only to the message of tolerance, fraternity and union.

Its objective is to congregate Freemasons, men and women, who consider that ABSOLUTE LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE is the humanity's great victory over itself.

The most important advances in the recognition of the Absolute Liberty of Conscience, which comprehends by definition the liberty of association in the direction of reconciliation among different metaphysical conceptions of Freemasonry, CLIPSAS Member Obedience Lodges are free to open their works with or without the Bible, under the aegis of the Great Architect of the Universe or not.

CLIPSAS is the Center of Fraternal Union of the Freemasons who consider that the liberty of conscience is a victory of the humanity over itself and, far away from being a factor of disunion; it leads, thanks to the free confrontation of opinions, to the suppression of all barriers.

Surpassing the simple relations of fraternal connections, the Obediences of CLIPSAS felt the need of studying together the problems that determine the future of the man. For that reason, Clipsas organizes an annual Colloquium in order to discuss the subjects that worry the modern world after they have been discussed throughout the year in the Member Obediences.

Very constructive syntheses are produced from those common reflections done by Freemasons from different continents and varied cultures.

The General Assembly is the supreme organ of CLIPSAS. It is composed by especially designated representatives, usually the Grand Master himself, and all the Freemasons can participate, men and women, even apprentices, from every Obedience.

To manage the association in Assembly meetings, every three years a Board of Directors composed by a President and six Vice-presidents is elected.

The Presidencies of CLIPSAS:

GRAND ORIENT DE BELGIQUE 1961-1990
Georges BEERNAERTS 1961-1962
Charles CASTEL 1962-1964
Walter HEINZ 1964-1966
Paul VAN HERCKE 1966
Robert DILLE 1966-1970
Victor MARTINY 1970-1973
Pierre BURTON 1973-1976
Jaak NUTKEWITZ 1976-1979
André MECHELYNCK 1979-1982
Nicolas BONTYES 1982-1985
Silvain LOCCUFIER 1985-1987
Guy VLAEMINCK 1987-1990

GRAND ORIENT DE FRANCE 1990-1993
Jean-Robert RAGACHE 1990-1993

GRAND ORIENT DE LUXEMBOURG 1993-1996
Marc-Antoine CAUCHIE 1993-1996

GRANDE LOGE FÉMININE DE FRANCE 1996-1998
Marie-France COQUARD 1996-1998

GRANDE LOGE SYMBOLIQUE ESPAGNOLE 1998-2000
Javier OTAOLA BAJENETA 1998-2000

GRAND ORIENT DE LUXEMBOURG 2000-2004
Marc-Antoine CAUCHIE 2000-2004

GRANDS ORIENT ET LOGE ASSOCIÉE DU CONGO 2004-2007
Gabriel NZAMBILA 2004-2007

GRANDE LOJA UNIDA DO PARANÁ 2007-2010
Jefferson Isaac Joăo SCHEER 2007-V2007

GRAND ORIENT DE LUXEMBOURG 2008-2011
Marc-Antoine CAUCHIE 2008-2011