All DeMolay honors must be presented in accordance with the approved ritual, given from memory, as printed in the current edition of the Monitor of Ceremonies which is available online from DeMolay International here as a .pdf. The Executive Officer will arrange for the conferral of the Legion of Honor on all recipients.
The Degree of Chevalier and the Cross of Honor should be conferred at the Chapter level, unless a conferral at Convention is offered as an option to some recipients, but these are best presented in the home Chapter and in front of those who benefited from their service. These must be scheduled and the teams approved by the Deputy Executive Officer before they are presented. The Chapter Advisor should make sure that the teams are well-rehearsed before allowing the ceremonies to be performed. It is grossly unfair to give the highest honors of DeMolay International and spoil the day by poor ritualistic performance.
Everything about the ceremonies should be done with dignity and class, from the ritual to the printed invitations and program to the music, speeches and the refreshments. Advise the recipients that they will be called on to speak so they are prepared to make some brief remarks. Care should be taken to present the very best public program DeMolay has to offer. This is a prime opportunity to showcase DeMolay to the community and to the Masonic Fraternity.
Only Chevaliers, or others approved by the Executive Officer, may confer the Chevalier Degree. If your Chapter doesn't have a Chevalier Court to do this, your Deputy Executive Officer will help you arrange for a team of Chevaliers to confer the honor. The Degree of Chevalier now allows for an optional knighting by sword, and this should be done with solemnity and dignity.
The Councilors, or three good ritualists in the Chapter, should learn and confer the Cross of Honor. It is also appropriate to have sons of the recipient, who are still active DeMolays, participate in the ceremony. The Executive Officer, or his Deputy Executive Officer will take part in the ceremony where called for, and may, at their discretion, involve other family members in the presentation of the regalia.
These honors conferrals should be open by invitation to anyone who wants to help celebrate this very special milestone in the life of each honoree. Many Chapters will hold these ceremonies in conjunction with an Awards Banquet or an Installation of Officers. Some will schedule the presentations immediately over the summer, before the older members who may be willing to learn the parts go back to college. Occasionally these ceremonies may be presented as a program for a Masonic Lodge or sponsoring body, but they should still be open for others to attend.
Once the honors are approved by DeMolay International, it usually takes about four weeks for the regalia to be packaged and sent to the Executive Officer. He will see that it is distributed to the Deputy Executive Officer for your Chapter, who will then bring it to the conferral after he has approved the presentation plans. It is the Deputy Executive Officer's responsibility to make sure that the certification documents sent with each honor are completed and returned to the PA DeMolay office for filing with DeMolay International.
Remember-these are the highest honors that the Order of DeMolay presents to dedicated leaders for their service. The presentation of these honors must be conducted with the dignity, precision and respect due to those who have given much to merit this accolade.
Lastly, when your conferral date has been approved and coordinated with your Deputy Executive Officer, be sure to submit the date for publication on this website and in the Keystone Crusader. Follow up by submitting some digital photos and captions for publication. |
