The International Order of DeMolay, the world’s largest and most prestigious youth fraternity, was founded by Dad Frank Sherman Land and 9 high school students with the aim of helping young men become better citizens, better leaders, and better men!
To quote from one of the many ceremonies of our Great Order, “The fourth Candle, the candle in the center of our seven, stands symbolically for Comradeship. Millions of young men such as ourselves have knelt at this symbolic altar and dedicated themselves to the same high principles of good sonship and good citizenship. As long as we remain faithful to these pledges, as long as there is an Order of DeMolay- we are one”.
In 2007 and 2008 respectively, having kept the 4th candle lit in their hearts and the longing for the comradeship, Bro. Conrado “Popoy” Gomez, in two separate occasions, spoke with Bro. Arnel Thomas Lee and Bro Willie Romero Jr. to start a DeMolay Alumni Group in Manitoba. A Facebook Group was started in 2013 in an effort to find and meet brothers from different chapters who are residing in Manitoba. It was not until 2015 when the first 7 members formally met for coffee, and it took another two years to get the word out to most of the members. In 2017, the Manitoba Senior DeMolay was formally organized to honor the memory of our late Bro. Popoy Gomez who, as many of us considered, was the one who spread the fire of comradeship to each of the members.
On the 22nd day of August, year 2022, the Manitoba Senior DeMolay was officially incorporated, becoming what is now known as the Manitoba Senior DeMolay Incorporated.
To date, we are comprised of 40 people from different walks of life, who hailed from 24 Chapters of the Order of DeMolay from various provinces in the Philippines. We are united by the lessons imparted to us, strengthened by our experiences, bound by our commitment to becoming better citizens, and better men. True to our saying that “Once a DeMolay, Always a DeMolay!”
