Companions all, first may I welcome you to this Annual Convocation of Provincial Grand Chapter held here in the magnificent setting of Cardiff Masonic Hall, I hope we all feel we have come back home. This is a very special and important meeting in our Royal Arch calendar and most importantly for all the Companions receiving appointments and promotions today. This is your special day; and it has been a pleasure and delight to invest you with your new ranks and I offer you all my heartiest congratulations. Provincial honours are not conferred lightly and should not be taken for granted. They represent the hard work and commitment you have demonstrated in your Chapters and, hopefully, you will now be inspired to continue serving your Chapters and, indeed, the Province in your new capacity. We look to you to offer help, guidance and support to other Companions and never to rest on your laurels
Five weeks ago, many of us were in London to support the Brethren and Companions whom the Grand Master and First Grand Principal had appointed and promoted in Grand Lodge and Supreme Grand Chapter.
HRH The Duke of Kent attended United Grand Lodge this year and I am sure that those receiving honours and, indeed, all present will remember that occasion with great delight for many years to come. The following day at Supreme Grand Chapter, the M.E.Pro First Grand Principal presided and a number of Companions here today were invested with their new ranks, giving South Wales another memorable harvest.
M.E.Comp. Gareth Jones, OBE re-appointed as the Most Excellent Third Grand Principal
Promotions:
E.Comp. Robert Payne, to PDepGSwdB
E.Comp. Lyndon Howells, to PAGSoj
First Appointments:
E.Comp. Duncan Kennedy to PGStB
E.Comp. Phillip Saunders to PGStB
E.Comp. Ronald Slater to PGStB
E.Comp. Andrew Wood to PGStB
E.Comp. Philip Hanney to PAGDC
All these Companions have given, and are giving, meritorious service to Royal Arch Masonry and I feel certain that we would all like to add our congratulations to them in the usual way.
We hear much about the membership Challenge, and how vitally important it is. The Royal Arch can only be as strong as the foundations on which it stands, and this behoves us alI to play our part in ensuring that our Craft Lodges are healthy and able to give us the Candidates we need in our Chapters. In this Province we currently have just over 43% of our Craft membership as subscribing Royal Arch Companions, and I am most grateful for that. It does however give us a tremendous opportunity, especially with the single registration fee covering the complete journey in Pure Ancient Masonry, to improve on that figure, and I really feel that, with all of us working together, and with the right Royal Arch Representatives in post, we can realistically aim for 50% membership. Don’t let us leave everything to the Royal Arch Representatives; it’s something that we can all involve ourselves in. Let’s ensure that we channel our Brethren into the right Chapter for their needs, and most importantly, that they enjoy a good experience at their Exaltation, and that is something the Province can help with, thanks to the work of E.Comp. Lyndon Howells and his team. We are most fortunate in South Wales to have a group of dedicated, expert Companions, under the leadership of E.Comp. Lyndon, who are ready and willing to assist Chapters when help is needed at Exaltation Ceremonies and Installations. My Chapter in Swansea called on them again this year to get us through our Installation evening, and Companions, it worked like a dream. So, thank you, Lyndon and your Companions, for carrying on with this initiative.
The profile of Royal Arch Masonry is as high as it ever was, so let’s ensure that our Ceremonies are of the highest possible standard so the Candidate comes away from the meeting having had a truly memorable experience, for all the right reasons. When you consider that the Royal Arch possesses one of the ‘Magical Moments’ of Freemasonry when the blindfold is removed and the vault is before him in all its candlelit mystique, how can we possibly fail? I still recall vividly my exaltation of 46 years ago. Our Ceremonies remind us that Perfection is not always attainable. But as it’s said, if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.
As well as being proactive recruiters, we all need to be diligent Almoners. We still lose too many Companions through resignations which could possibly have been avoided if contact had been maintained and the Companion had realised that his membership means a great deal to us.
Companions, we have exciting times ahead of us, and undoubtedly a busy year before us. I am blessed with another dedicated team of Active Officers, I couldn’t possibly have a more supportive Deputy, Provincial Grand Principals and Assistants to the Provincial Grand Principals. I am so grateful to them all for being so willing to continue in Office.
We are certainly fortunate in having a professionally qualified Provincial Grand Treasurer to look after our finances, a superb Provincial Grand Scribe Ezra who, with the Assistant Provincial Grand Scribe Ezra and their Assistants, run a most efficient and happy office which is appreciated by us all. These, along with the Provincial Grand Registrar, his Deputy, the Provincial Grand Almoner, Charity Steward, Membership Officer, Communications Officer and Mentor, provide us all with first class service making this a Province we can all be proud of.
The success of this meeting has much to do with the work of the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies and those who assist him. I want to personally thank E.Comp. Amir Baig and his army of Stewards who have undertaken many onerous responsibilities in setting up this Convocation. I think all these Companions deserve an expression of our appreciation.
I am happy to say that we still have our 69 Chapters to look after and I know I can rely on you to assist the Province in maintaining them. The Province and all our Chapters remain fully supportive of the Tercentenary and 2032 Festival and I know you would want me to re-affirm your support to the Provincial Grand Master for these important milestones.
Before I close, some news hot off the press. For some time I have been in discussions with the President of the Committee of General Purposes regarding the translation of the South Wales Royal Arch Ritual into the Welsh language, so that Chapters, should they so desire, may deliver all or part of the Ceremonies in our mother tongue. I mentioned this, in passing, to E.Comp. Lyndon Howells and within a few weeks I had a document in my hand which I was able to submit for approval. I was further delighted on receiving this letter from the President of the Committee.
‘Dear Companion Clement,
At its meeting on 2 December 2025, the Committee of General Purposes confirmed that it is supportive, in principle, of Royal Arch Chapters conducting their work in the Welsh language, subject to the certification of any translation of the Royal Arch ritual intended for use by such Chapters.
I am pleased to inform you that the Welsh language version of the South Wales ritual has been certified as an accurate translation. Accordingly, the Committee of General Purposes is content for this ritual to be used in Royal Arch Chapters.
Yours sincerely and fraternally,’
Felly, Diolch yn fawr i chi, Lyndon
We are all very grateful to you for this new addition to our South Wales Royal Arch Masonry and I sense that certain Companions are already thinking of how we can weave it into our Ceremonies.
Thank you to all Companions for your kind attention and I look forward to our working together in the year ahead.
