William Norvel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bill Norvel |
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|---|---|
| Superior general | |
 |
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| Enthroned | 2011 |
| Reign ended | 2014 |
| Predecessor | Fr Edward J. Chiffriller, SSJ |
| Successor | Fr Michael Thompson, SSJ |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1965 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1935 Biloxi, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Parents | Velma and William Norvel Sr. |
| Occupation | Administrator, pastor, Activist, liturgist, and author |
| Education | St. Joseph's Seminary (Washington, DC) Epiphany Apostolic College |
William Leonard "Bill" Norvel (born around 1935) is an amazing African-American Catholic priest. He made history by becoming the first Black leader of the Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart, also known as the Josephites. This group of priests was started in 1893 to help and serve African Americans.
Father Norvel became a priest in 1965. In 2011, he was chosen to be the "Superior General" of the Josephites. This means he was the main leader of the entire group! It was a very important moment because he was the first Black person to lead a Catholic religious community in the United States.
He is also famous for his work during the Black Catholic Movement. He helped bring Black gospel music and other parts of Black spirituality into African-American Catholic churches across the country. People say he even started the very first Catholic gospel choirs!
Contents
Early Life and Calling
Bill Norvel was born in Biloxi, Mississippi, in the mid-1930s. His parents were William and Velma Norvel. He grew up in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and went to St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church. He attended St. Peter's Elementary and Our Mother of Sorrows High School.
When he was a teenager, Bill felt a strong desire to become a priest. However, the local church leaders at the time told him there wasn't a place for him as an African-American priest. For a long time, Black men faced many challenges when trying to become Catholic priests in the United States.
Joining the Josephites
Even though he faced this challenge, Bill didn't give up. His local Josephite pastor encouraged him to join the Josephite community. The Josephites are a special group of priests dedicated to serving African Americans.
Bill went to Epiphany Apostolic College in New York and then to St. Joseph's Seminary in Washington, D.C. There, he earned a degree in theology.
A Life of Service
In 1965, Bill Norvel was ordained as a priest in New Orleans, Louisiana. His first assignment was at Holy Family Catholic Church in Natchez, Mississippi. In this role, he sometimes faced difficulties from groups that were against Black people.
Over the years, Father Norvel served in many different cities. These included Washington, D.C., Mobile, Alabama, Baltimore, Maryland, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Los Angeles, California, and Pascagoula. He also taught at St. Augustine High School in New Orleans, which is a school for Black boys run by the Josephites. He also taught at the University of Notre Dame and Loyola Marymount University.
Bringing Gospel Music to Church
Father Norvel is especially known for his work in bringing Black traditions into the Catholic Church. He traveled all over the country, helping to start gospel choirs in African-American Catholic churches.
He also helped create Lead Me, Guide Me: The African American Catholic Hymnal, which was published in 1987. This was the first hymnal of its kind, filled with songs and hymns that reflected African-American culture and spirituality.
The Black Catholic Movement
Father Norvel's work with gospel music and Black spirituality was part of a bigger movement called the Black Catholic Movement. This movement started in 1968 after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.. Many priests, religious sisters, and regular church members worked together to fight racism within the U.S. Catholic Church. They also wanted to celebrate and strengthen a unique way of being Black and Catholic.
Leading the Josephites
Later in his priesthood, Father Norvel helped the Josephites start a new program in Nigeria. Many young men in Nigeria wanted to become priests, and the Josephites wanted to help them. Father Norvel lived in Nigeria for five years, helping to set up a training house for future priests. He also shared African-American worship styles with Nigerian Catholics.
After his work in Nigeria, Father Norvel became the pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Washington, D.C. While he was there, he was asked to become the "Superior General" of the Josephites. For 118 years, only White leaders had held this position. Father Norvel was 75 years old and had been planning to retire, but he accepted the important role. He became Superior General in 2011 and served one term, retiring in 2015. This was his 50th year as a priest!
Memberships
Father Norvel is a member of several important organizations, including the Knights of Peter Claver, the Knights of Columbus, and the National Association of Superiors General.
Published Works
- A Hallelujah Song!: Memoir of a Black Catholic Priest from the Jim Crow South
See also
- Josephites (Maryland)
- Black Catholicism
- St. Joseph's Seminary (Washington, DC)
- Epiphany Apostolic College
