R.W. Bro. Abraham R. Garcia

R.W. Bro. Abraham R. Garcia, District Deputy Grand Master, Ottawa District 1

R.W. Bro. Abraham R. Garcia was born in Manila, Philippines. His family immigrated to Canada, during his youth, in 1992, and they became Canadian citizens in 1995.

In his teens, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Cadets and finished his cadet career with the rank of Warrant Officer 1st Class and the title of Cadet Commanding Officer of 188 Cobra Squadron, Downsview. His family’s old apartment in North York was just steps away from the Rameses Shrine Temple on Keele Street. Though he didn’t know it at the time that he would be joining the Fraternity years later.

He studied at the University of Ottawa and graduated with the Bachelor of Commerce Honours degree with Specialization in Accounting. He worked for a number of private companies in the Greater Toronto Area before getting into the public sector and moving back to Ottawa in 2009, which he now calls home.

He is an advocate of volunteerism: he is very involved with his union - the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC). And every Spring, he helps prepare income tax returns for low-income families, and trains other volunteers as part of the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP).

R.W. Bro. Garcia is affiliated with Temple Lodge No. 665 G.R.C. and has been a member since September 2016. He started his journey in Freemasonry by being initiated at Civil Service Lodge No. 148 on November 2012, was passed on January 2013 and was raised on March 2013. He served as the Worshipful Master of his mother lodge from May 2019 to June 2022.

He’s been a part of various masonic committees including Ottawa Masonic Association, Valentine’s Charity Ball, the District’s Grand Lodge Programs, Fraternal Visitations, Masonic Education, the Grand Lodge’s Worshipful Master Preparation Course and the Board of Ottawa Masonic Corporation.

He is a Past First Principal of the Ottawa Chapter Royal Arch Masons; a Knights Templar of the Ottawa Preceptory; a 32nd Degree of the Ottawa Valley Scottish Rite; a Noble of the Tunis Shriners; and a Cuzzin’ of the Moonliter Hillbilly Clan – with which he can usually be seen parading in an outhouse every Summer.

R.W. Bro. Garcia has a passion for travelling and visiting brethren in different districts and jurisdictions. He has attended lodge meetings in Quebec, New York State, California, England, Spain, the Bahamas and the Philippines. But one aspect he is most passionate about are his family and friends, whom he keeps close to his heart. He is affectionately known to his nephews and nieces as “Tito”, and to his siblings and cousins as “Kuya”.