What is a Knighthood Priory?

The following description of the Order of Knighthood was copied from the DeMolay international website:

The Order of Knighthood is an appendent organization of Older DeMolays. The Knighthood program is for active DeMolays between 17 and 21 years of age who are organized into a subordinate unit known as a Priory with its own officers and ritual.

The Order of Knighthood made its debut in 1946, when it’s ritual was exemplified before the Grand Council, now known as DeMolay International’s Supreme Council.

Through the years, the activities of the Knights have consisted of social and educational programs geared to older DeMolays, with a special emphasis on career planning and coed activities.

The official name of the order of Knighthood is the Chivalric Knights of the Holy Order of the Fellow Soldiers of Jacques DeMolay. It is not an honorary degree or award, but a working body whose purpose is to extend fellowship and serve the Order of DeMolay.

The main functions of a Priory are to:

1. Extend and assist the Order of DeMolay and its Chapters.
2. Maintain the active interest of older DeMolays.
3. Provide an interesting program for the Priory members.
4. Above all to provide and maintain a proper example for all DeMolays.

The officers of a Priory are:

• Illustrious Knight Commander
• Squire Commander
• Page Commander
• Registrar
• Senior Deacon
• Junior Deacon
• Prior
• Preceptor
• Sacristan
• Standard Bearer
• Sentinel

Some of the services that may be provided by a Priory are:

1. Conducting the Majority Service.
2. Conducting memorial services.
3. Assisting with jurisdictional activities.
4. Serving as coaches, umpires or referees in athletic events.
5. Participating in Masonic service projects.

History of the Saint Bernard Priory

The following excerpt was taken from a SCJ DeMolay Alumni Association blog:

In 1970, Dad Mel Pixley approved the creation of a DeMolay Priory. It was named the Saint Bernard Priory of the Chivalric Knights of the Holy Order of Jacques DeMolay. The first Illustrious Knight Commander was R. Stephen Doan. We held the first class in Long Beach and DeMolay’s from all over Southern California to be initatiated. The first core of Officers was from West League, with Bill Wilson and Martin Fentress as the second and third in Command. The second term resulted in Martin Fentress serving as IKC. The officers were selected from each of the 11 leagues. The orginal plan was that each DeMolay League was to have their own Priory. Dad Pixley thought that by having members from each League in the second core of officers that this might happen sooner. Unfortunately, this did not happen, as it made having meetings and functions more difficult. The Priory has gone through many changes over the years, at times, just being an honoray title to an active group of older DeMolays.

In March 2012, after nearly 11 years of inactivity, the young men of the Southern California took the initiative and re-instated the Priory program within our Jurisdiction. We hope that this revival will bring with it a new wave of prosperity, comradeship, and progress to SCJ.

Priory Advisory Council

Left to right: Raymond Davies (Priory Director), Joseph Hunter, Kevin Monahan, Victor Key, Dana Vrsalovich, Timothy Hunt (Priory Dad), Ira Mazer (Priory Registrar Advisor), and Marvin Finnefrock.

Current Corps of Officers

Back row: Andrew Flora (Sacristan), Paul Camantigue (Standard Bearer), Nick Flora (Junior Deacon), Chris Baker (Preceptor), Aaron Payne (Sentinel), and Chris Parenteau (Prior).

Front row: Kevin Gonzales (Senior Deacon), Edward Lujan (Squire Commander), George Goldman (Illustrious Knight Commander), Ryan Tondares (Page Commander), and Joseph Musgrove (Registrar).

Contacting the Priory for Assistance

Please note that the Priory (as a whole) must have at least two and a half weeks of notice prior to committing to assisting a chapter. At this time, the Sir Knights are busy learning the Knighthood ritual and we do not have enough alternates to (quickly) put together traveling degree teams. We are hoping that, after the investiture at Conclave, we will have enough people to pull together a larger and more flexible team.

But, in the meantime, if you would like to request assistance from the Priory, please send an e-mail to priory@scjdemolay.org and remember that we should be given at least two and a half weeks of notice. If you ask us to help you with a degree one week before it occurs, we will do our best to accommodate but cannot guarantee our availability.

Furthermore, only the Priory Director (Dad Davies), Priory Dad (Dad Hunt), and the Illustrious Knight Commander (me) can officially commit the Priory (as a whole) to assisting a chapter.

How to join

If you are a DeMolay of good standing and meet all of  the requirements set forth by the Bylaws of our Priory, you may apply to become a member.

If you would like to download a petition to join the Saint Bernard Priory, please click here. The first induction of (approved) members who fill out this petition will be held at Conclave later this year (in August, 2012).

Please keep in mind that in order to join, you must be a member of the Order of DeMolay in good standing and be of 17 to 21 years of age.

Once you have filled out this petition, please send it to the Southern California Jurisdiction, Order of DeMolay at 303 W. Lincoln Avenue, Suite #200, Anaheim, California 92805.

For more information on the Priory program, please contact Dad Hunt (Priory Dad) or George Goldman (IKC).

Note: Senior DeMolays who have been active between 2001-2012 are eligible to apply for the investiture and, if accepted, will become Senior Knights immediately following the ceremony.