Becoming a Member

The Order of the Grail is open to men and women of good character who feel called to the work described in these pages and who are willing to keep its Rule. It admits men and women on a fully equal footing and makes no distinction of race, nationality, faith or station. It does not advertise and does not recruit; the Charter forbids both. Those who come, come because they have read, reflected and decided. If you are such a person, this page describes what is asked of you and how to proceed.

Who may petition

A petitioner for membership must be at least twenty-one years of age; must acknowledge a Supreme Principle, the source and end of all things, under whatever name the petitioner finds true; must be of good character and sound mind; must be free of any obligation that would conflict with the Twelve Articles; and must be able to attend the meetings of a Commandery or Oratory, or in exceptional cases to pursue the work by correspondence. No prior membership of any other order, lodge, church or society is required, and none is a bar.

The Order does not admit persons who seek it for commercial advantage, for social standing, for the acquisition of powers over others, or as a means of proselytising for another body. Nor does it admit those who are unwilling to undertake the works of service that every degree requires. The Order is not for everyone, and it says so plainly.

What is asked of a member

A member of the Order undertakes to keep the Twelve Articles in daily life; to follow the course of study and the rule of practice of his or her degree; to attend the Chapters of the Commandery, ordinarily held monthly, and the Annual Convocation when able; to undertake the works of service that the degrees require; to pay the modest annual subscription of the Commandery, which may be remitted in hardship; and to hold in confidence the private matters of the Order and of its members. The Order asks for perhaps six to eight hours a month in meetings and a daily practice of some twenty minutes. It asks also for honesty, which cannot be measured in hours.

How to petition

1. Read

   Read these pages, and in particular the Epistle to the Pages, the Twelve Articles and the Frequently Asked Questions. Reflect for some weeks. The Order is not going anywhere.

2. Write

   Write a letter, in your own hand if you can, to the Grand Chancellor at the Chancery of the Order, Post Box 1987, Harrowmere Station. Say who you are, how you came to the Order, what you understand its work to be, and why you wish to undertake it. There is no form.

3. Meet

   If the Chancellor judges that your petition should be considered, you will be invited to meet two members of the Commandery or Oratory nearest to you. This is a conversation, not an examination. You may ask anything.

4. Attend

   If the meeting is satisfactory on both sides, you will be invited to attend the open meetings of the body for a period, and to meet a sponsor appointed from among its members.

5. Postulancy

   On the recommendation of your sponsor and the consent of the body, you will be admitted as a Postulant for not less than six months, during which you will study the Articles and the introductory texts.

6. Reception

   At the end of the postulancy you will be examined upon the Articles by the Prior and, with the consent of the Commandery, received as a Page at the next Chapter.

Cost

No fee is charged for petition, for postulancy or for any degree. Members pay an annual subscription to their Commandery, set by the Commandery and ordinarily modest, toward the cost of premises, materials and the common table; this may be remitted or reduced in cases of hardship on application to the Commander, without question. Travel to the Annual Convocation is at the member's own expense, and a fund exists to assist those who cannot afford it. The Order has never charged for instruction and the Charter forbids it.

A word of caution

The Order has no representatives who solicit members, no agents, no online registration and no electronic correspondence. If you are approached by any person claiming to recruit for the Order, or asked for any payment in its name, you are being deceived, and the Order would be grateful to hear of it by post.