Rev. William Norvel, SSJ

As a teen in Biloxi, MS (early 1950’s), William Norvel was told by his archdiocese that there was “no place in the church” for him; priesthood was for Whites. But his pastor, Fr. Edward Lawlor — a White Josephite priest — persuaded Norvel to try a seminary in Newburgh, New York.  From there, he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education and philosophy from St. Joseph Seminary in Washington, D.C. In 1965, affirmed by his pastor’s faith, he indeed was ordained a priest – a Josephite.

His first assignment was at Holy Family Parish in Natchez, MS.  Norvell had to stand up to the Ku Klux Klan when “city officials” objected to a dance that was being held for teenagers.  Among his many pastoral and teaching assignments, he has taught at St. Augustine H.S. in New Orleans (the Josephite flagship school), the University of Notre Dame, and the Institute for Pastoral Ministry in the Black Community at Loyola Marymount University.

In a storied life of humble yet innovative priestly service, Norvell not only taught and ministered at numerous parishes and schools around the country.  He served faithfully as NBCCC president during a critical time for the organization. He established the first Catholic gospel choirs in D.C. and Los Angeles, creating a model for other parishes around the country.  He was a contributing author for Lead Me, Guide Me: The African American Catholic Hymnal.  At the turn of the century, he successfully initiated Josephite recruitment of Nigerian seminarians to the U.S.  But perhaps most noteworthy: In 2011, Norvell became the first African-American in the history of the Josephites — a religious order founded in 1870 to serve the African-American community — to be elected Superior General.  Until his retirement in 2015, that also made him the only African American head of a community of Catholic priests in all the United States.