Invested as Knights of the Order were Rev. Anthony Fontenot, pastor of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Jennings, Charles Viccellio of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Lake Charles, and Paul Reed, a parishioner of Our Lady of LaSalette Catholic Church in Sulphur. Joanna Viccellio, a parishioner of the Cathedral was invested as a Lady of the Order. With these investitures, the number of members of the Order in the Diocese rose to 70.
Beaco, who serves as the Diocesan Section Representative of the Order, is a parishioner of St. Henry Catholic Church. The rank of Knight Grand Cross is the highest rank attainable by a member of the Order.
The Southeastern Lieutenancy includes the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina.
The Most Reverend Glen John Provost, Bishop of Lake Charles, led a contingent of 23 members, including the newly invested, from the Diocese at the meeting. Clergy members of the Order from the Diocese included Rev. Msgr. Jace Eskind and Rev. Msgr. Harry Greig.
The three-day meeting was held in the Roosevelt Hotel. An orientation meeting for new Investees took place Saturday morning and, following lunch, the attendees attended the celebration of the Memorial Mass for deceased members of the Order in the Church of the Immaculate Conception. The awarding of promotions occurred during the Memorial Mass.
On Sunday, the annual general meeting took place and important information regarding the business and mission of the Order was disseminated. Following lunch, Mass was celebrated with the investiture of new members in the Church of the Immaculate Conception.
A Traveler’s Mass was celebrated on Monday morning by Bishop Provost before the group departed.
The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is a Catholic order of knighthood under the protection of the pope. It traces its roots to Duke Godfrey of Bouillon, principal leader of the First Crusade. In 1496, Pope Alexander VI created the office of Grand Master of the Order, and the office vested in the papacy. The office of Grand Master remained so until 1949. Since then, a cardinal has been grand master. The Pope is sovereign of the Order, and it enjoys the protection of the Holy See and has legal seat at Vatican City. On June 27, 2007, Cardinal John Patrick Foley was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI Grand Master to succeed Cardinal Carlo Furno who resigned the office upon reaching the age limit of 85 years. Cardinal Foley was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1935, and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia at the age of 26. He was created a cardinal in 2007. On Thursday, February 24, 2011, the Holy Father, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, accepted Cardinal Foley's retirement because of ill health.
