ATLANTA – Ninety men and women from six Southern states were invested with membership in the Equestrian order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem during a three-day meeting in Atlanta.

The annual meeting of the Southeastern lieutenancy of the order in Atlanta was held the weekend of Oct. 15 and 16. During the meeting members heard eyewitness accounts concerning the Israeli/Palestinian peace process and descriptions of conditions in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

Eyewitness accounts on Mideast peace talks were provided by Msgr. Robert Stern, secretary general of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, Msgr. Richard J. Maholwald and Father David-Maria A. Jaeger, a member of the Bilateral Working Commission established by the Holy See and Israel in 1992.

In addition to the 90 new members, 66 Knights and 64 Ladies were promoted to higher ranks in recognition of their contributions to the order and its apostolate.

Archbishop John F. Donoghue was the official host for the meeting and also celebrated the memorial Mass on Saturday for members who had died since the last meeting.

Archbishop Francis B. Schulte of New Orleans was the investing prelate for the Sunday investiture service. He was also the celebrant of the investiture Mass at the Cathedral of Christ the King.

The ceremonies were attended by new investees Bishop John Snyder of Saint Augustine, Fla. and Bishop David Foley of Birmingham, Ala., and by 10 other bishops including Archbishop Oscar Lipscomb of Mobile, Ala., Bishop Raymond Lessard of Savannah, Bishop John C. Favalora of St. Petersburg, Fla., Bishop Keith Symons of Palm Beach, Bishop William Houck of Jackson, Miss. and Bishop John J. Nevins of Venice, Fla.