EOHSJ invests, promotes, and honors members from the Diocese of Fort Worth
Father Brett Metzler, Diocesan Director of Vocations, is pictured following his investiture with Sir Bill and Dame Tessy Ross (left) and Sir Charles W. and Dame Lydia Moore.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, Grand Prior of the Southwestern Lieutenancy of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, invested more than one hundred lay men, women, and clergy at ceremonies held at the Shrine of Blessed Stanley Rother in Oklahoma City on Sunday, October 22. Among the new investees from the Diocese of Fort Worth were Amira Kobty, Barry Martines, Reverend Brett Metzler, and Patrick and Teresa Quinn.
The EOHSJ is a papal order whose members make a commitment to “profess their faith through witness, generosity, and love for the Gospel.” Through their prayers, pilgrimages, and financial support they pledge to care for the Holy Places in the Holy Land.
The Annual Investiture Weekend, attended by more than 800 members, included a Saturday Promotion Rite and Memorial Liturgy during which promotion medals are presented to members who have completed milestone participation in the Order. Among the promotees were Fort Worth members Sir Charles W. and Dame Lydia Clado Moore, Sir Robert A. and Dame Deborah Shippey Meyer, Sir Thang Cao and Dame Theresa Ngan Nguyen, and Dame Renée Underwood.
During the liturgy special remembrance prayers were offered for members of the Lieutenancy who passed away during the previous year,
The weekend activities also included a special presentation honoring Sir Bruns A. Watts and Sir Benjamin L. and Dame Mary Frances Doskocil for their faithful participation and generosity of service of 50 years, or more, in the Order.
The Southwestern Lieutenancy comprises 2,400 active members from Arkansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. The Order today is estimated to have some 30,000 Knights and Dames in 60 Lieutenancies around the world.
The Shrine of Blessed Stanley Rother was dedicated in February 2023, and named for Father Stanley Rother, a native of Oklahoma who was martyred in 1981 while serving as a missionary in Guatemala. Father Rother was beatified in 2017, and is the first U.S.-born priest to be beatified and the first martyr from the United States.
by Tessy Ross, special to the North Texas Catholic.
Sir Bruns Watts (left) is presented a certificate of appreciation by Sir John Niemann, Chancellor, for his loyal and dedicated 52 years of service and generosity to the Order.