Bishop Mark Beckman was invested with the Knight Commander Cross of the Order of the Fleur de Lis on Aug. 22 at St. Stephen Church in Chattanooga.
A Mass celebrated by Bishop Beckman preceded the investiture ceremony, with Bishop J. Mark Spalding of the Diocese of Nashville, St. Stephen pastor Father Manuel Pérez, and Father A.J. Houston, St. Stephen associate pastor, serving as concelebrants.
Deacon Hicks Armor, who is at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga, served as master of ceremonies. St. Stephen’s Deacon Gary Brinkworth and Deacon Dave Waguespack served as deacons of the Word and Eucharist.
Bishop Beckman, who was ordained as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville on July 26, 2024, after previously serving as a priest in the Diocese of Nashville, joins about a dozen East Tennessee men who have been installed in the Order of the Fleur de Lis.
“I had the joy of joining the gathering of the Fleur de Lis at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Chattanooga. It was a blessing to gather in fellowship and celebrate the faith that unites us across Tennessee. May God continue to strengthen our Catholic communities and draw each of us closer to Christ,” Bishop Spalding said following the investiture.
Father A.J. Houston receives a memorial chalice presented to recently ordained priests from Commander Pete Parrish as Grand Chancellor Stephen Koach applauds at right. (Photo courtesy Mike Horten)
The Order of the Fleur de Lis is an organization of Catholic men incorporated under the laws of Louisiana as a not-for-profit organization. The order’s domain is a five-state region consisting of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
The objectives of the order include supporting and defending the Catholic Church and its teachings; promoting patriotism and good citizenship; encouraging public morality and unselfish service to God and country; assisting and publicizing the activities of other organizations that also promote the above; and memorializing and popularizing the memories and achievements of Catholic leaders in religion, the arts and sciences, philanthropy education, exploration and archeology, government and international relations, medicine and jurisprudence, and other established professions.
The Order of the Fleur de Lis encourages and recognizes leadership in living the values and principles of the Catholic faith by presenting the Monsignor Joseph Susi Award of Honor to an individual who has excelled as a Catholic leader in any one of the following: religion, family values, youth, aging, politics, patriotism, the arts and sciences, education, philanthropy, public morality, management-labor, the media, or medicine and jurisprudence.
Other Knight Commanders in the Diocese of Knoxville include Father John Orr, Deacon Sean Smith, Deacon Paul Nelson, Deacon David Duhamel, Raleigh E. Cooper III, Ronnie Holmes, C. Michael Horten, Eric J. Pelton, Paul Simoneau, Victor Williams, and Michael Wills.
During the ceremony, Father Houston received a memorial chalice given to a recently ordained priest.