BILBAO. Adolfo Zabala, a 60 years old, entrepreneur in the construction industry, joined the order in 1999. He entered freemasonry attracted through the reading of some books to channel its spiritual anxieties. He is a member of the Lodge Tolerancia in Bilbao, one of the largest in the state. Adolfo is aware that the Freemasons are still seen as "people demonized.
How you come to Freemasonry?
Through reading books related to Freemasonry.
And that led to an interest in that kind of reading?
The desire I had to recover a certain spirit that I was falling asleep.
What spirit are you referring?
A personal aspirations for freedom and democracy that, once the transition achieved had become somewhat obsolete and numb. So when I put my hands in a few books on Masonry, I got in touch with Brethren Freemasons and here I am.
What year are you talking about?
In the late nineties. Specifically, 10 March 1999. It is a date that I would not to forget in my life.
How do you come into contact with the brethren Masons?
Throughout Lodge Tolerancia, number 16 in Bilbao. It is a lodge that was formed in 1981 and one of the most important in Spain as come from here Brethren that have created other lodges in Donostia, Asturyas and Santander. Is a Lodge that educate freemasons, strengthens and expand them.
How many freemasons form Lodge Tolerancia of Bilbao?
Not more than 25 people. We believe that the lodges should not be more than 20 or 25 members. If more than 25, the outcome is for a certain number of Brethren to form another lodge.
Why the numerus clausus?
For if there are too many brothers in the lodge, we can not perform well our rites in the Temple.
Where do you perform these rites?
In a place that we have in an area of industrial buildings in Bilbao. Initially, Tolerancias have some premises in calle Zumalacarregui, but that building become discontinued, urbanistically, they took them down to remodel the Plaza del Gas. The City Council swapped those premises for a flat, but at the end we sold it because he was no feasible for our work.
What are these tasks?
In meetings that we held and call “tenidas” and celebrate once a month.
Are they so ritualistic and ceremonial as the books tell?
Yes. The ritual is very important. It is the essence of Freemasonry. Anyway, in the “tenidas” there is an administrative part, another spiritual and the closing of the works. All this ends with an “ agape”.
Tell us about the spiritual part.
In this phase, the brothers read some writings that they elaborate by themselves and what we call “planchas”, because all our terms are related to architecture. Once they are read them, the rest of the brothers discussed it, but never criticize them.
What do they talk about?
Of any topic that you can imagine except religion and politics.
Does religion is forbidden for a Mason?
No. Quite the opposite. We belong to what are called regular lodges, and that means that agnostics or atheists are not allowed within. Therefore, we are religious, believe in God and have a very good relationship with the Catholic Church. We even have priests within the lodges.
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