Father Bob Higginbotham invested with the Knight Commander Cross of the Order of the Fleur De Lis
Pictured, l-r, are Jim McCraw, Archbishop Mark Rivituso of Mobile, Larry Tabor, Msgr. Elvin Sunds and Father Bob Higginbotham.
On Friday, June 5, 2026, Father Robert P. Higginbotham was invested with the Knight Commander Cross of the Order of the Fleur De Lis in Mobile, Alabama. Rev. Higginbotham was joined in the Investiture by two other clergy investees: Most Reverend Archbishop Mark S. Rivituso of the Diocese of Mobile and Rev. Msgr. Elvin Sunds of the Diocese of Jackson. The Investiture was conducted in the chapel of the chancery in Mobile.
Father Bob was ordained June 21, 1975, for the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson, and in 1981, he requested permission to join the U.S. Air Force inactive reserves as a chaplain. He served in that capacity until 1984 when Bishop Howze granted permission to transfer to active duty and serve as an Air Force chaplain. He served from 1984–2004 at Air Force bases in Arkansas, California, Mississippi, New Mexico and Utah before retiring with the rank of major. He returned to diocesan ministry until retiring in 2019. Since that time, he has served where needed by Bishop Kihneman.
Father Bob has been an active member of the Knights of Columbus and has served as council chaplain and assembly friar in numerous parishes and was appointed state chaplain from 2011-2016. He attended several Knights of Columbus Supreme Conventions and Supreme Chaplain meetings. His counsel was appreciated by all state officers, and he played an integral part in all liturgical events during state conventions. Father Bob accepted the office of state chaplain as a responsibility and made efforts to attend all state meetings whenever possible, even if that meant traveling hundreds of miles. He made sure all liturgical protocols were followed and coordinated convention Masses with local pastors and bishops.
The Order of the Fleur de Lis is an organization of Catholic men incorporated under the laws of the state 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 Holy 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 which also promote the above; memorializing and popularizing the memories and achievements of Catholic leaders in religion, the arts and sciences, philanthropy, education, exploration and archaeology, 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 our Catholic faith by presenting the Msgr. 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 Biloxi include Msgr. T. Dominick Fulliam, JCL, Norman McDonald, Gerard Schmuck, Rodney L. Sandoz II and Larry Tabor.
