Frequently Asked Questions

Shriners are known for their enjoyment of life and a commitment to philanthropy. They enjoy parades, trips, dances, dinners, sporting events and other social occasions. In which they support what has been called the “World’s Greatest Philanthropy,” Shriners Hospitals for Children, a network of 22 pediatric specialty hospitals, operated and maintained by the Shriners. All children, up to 18 years old, may be eligible for treatment at Shriners Hospitals. Eligibility is not based on financial need or relationship to a Shriner.

In order to become a Shriner, a man must first be a Master Mason. The fraternity of Freemasonry is the oldest, largest and most widely known fraternity in the world. It dates back hundreds of years to the time when stonemasons and other craftsmen gathered in shelter houses or lodges. Over the years, formal Masonic lodges emerged, with members bound together not by trade, but by their own desire to be fraternal brothers.

The basic unit of Masonry is the Blue Lodge, where members earn the first three Masonic Degrees known as the Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason. There is no higher degree than that of Master Mason (the Third Degree).

Only when a man has achieved the status of Master Mason can he petition to become a Noble of Shriners International.

Shriners International supports Shriners Hospitals for Children in many ways:

• Shrine Temples and clubs often help arrange and pay for transportation for children and parents to the hospitals.
• Thousands of Shriners spend many hours of their own time driving families to the hospitals and entertaining the patients.
• Shriners help support the hospitals financially, with each Shriner paying an annual $5 hospital assessment.
• Temples and clubs also hold many fundraisers, some of which benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children