William L. Norvel, Michael Thompson, and Bishop John Ricard are the first three African American Priests to lead the Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart, and their tenure only started on June 15, 2011.
The Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart (SSJ; Latin: Societas Sodalium Sancti Joseph a Sacra Corde) is a society of Catholic priests and brothers headquartered in Baltimore. The members are called Josephites and work specifically among African-Americans.
They were formed in 1893 by a group of Mill Hill priests working with newly-freed people emancipated during the American Civil War. This group included Fr John R. Slattery, who led the group and would become the first Josephite Superior General, and one of the nation’s first Black priests, Charles Uncles. With permission from the Mill Hill leaders as well as Archbishop of Baltimore Cardinal Gibbons, the group established a mission society independent from Mill Hill, based in America, and dedicated totally to the African-American cause.
Josephite Father William L. Norvel has become the first African-American to lead the Josephite priests and brothers in the Baltimore-based order’s 140-year history.
Founded to serve African-American Catholics, the Josephites minister in seven states and the District of Columbia.
“Having more black leadership in the church is fulfilling the dreams of many,” said Father Norvel, a 76-year-old former pastor of St. Francis Xavier in Baltimore. “My election shows that the Josephites feel that it’s time that we have black leadership and they will support it.”
Father Norvel, currently pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Washington, D.C., was elected during the Josephites’ quadrennial General Conference June 13-17 at St. Joseph Seminary in Washington. His term runs for four years.
A native of Pascagoula, Mississippi, Father Norvel is the 13th superior general to lead the Josephites.
In the coming years, he said, the Josephites will be considering ways to increase vocations, campus ministry opportunities, reviewing the Josephite Pastoral Center and helping to strengthen parishes.
Father Norvel has been a leader in bringing African-American spirituality into liturgy in the United States.
“My thrust in ministry has been to bring black culture and black spirituality to the Catholic Church,” Father Norvel told The Josephite Harvest shortly after his election.
He is credited with starting the gospel choir movement in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles. He opened a Josephite house of spiritual formation in Nigeria, where he served for five years from 1999 to 2004. A number of Josephite priests have been ordained as a result of the Nigerian connection.
Father Norvel said it will be a special challenge to take over the leadership of the Josephite Society at this critical stage. Increasing vocations will be a priority, Father Norvel said. As for the relationship with Nigeria, he said, “We have to go back. I intend to revive the House of Formation and we need to prepare men to go there.”
Father Norvel had served as consultor general for the Josephites from 1983 to 1987 when Josephite Father John Filippelli was superior general. He also has served as president of the Black Catholic Clergy Caucus from 1985 to 1987.
During the conference, two other members were selected for Josephite leadership. Father Michael L. Thompson, 53, was picked as vicar general. He is currently pastor of St. Francis Xavier in Baton Rouge, La. Father Thomas Frank, 59, was selected as consultor general. He is currently pastor of St. Brigid in Los Angeles.
Father Thompson, 57, a native of Port Arthur who grew up attending Sacred Heart Church, had been serving as Vicar General since 2011. He is the 14th Superior General of the religious community, founded 144 years ago to minister to African Americans. His term runs for four years.
Ordained in 2004, Father Thompson was parochial vicar at Corpus Christi/Epiphany Church in New Orleans. Following Hurricane Katrina, Father Thompson assisted at the post-Katrina Recovery Office, which the Josephites had set up in Breaux Bridge. At that time, he also served as pastor of Our Mother of Mercy Church in Beaumont. When the Recovery Office was closed, Father Thompson was appointed pastor of St. Francis Xavier Church in Baton Rouge. He moved to the Josephites’ generalate in Baltimore in 2011 when he was named Vicar General.
Father Thompson said, “It’s a great honor to have your brothers choose you to be their leader. I now have a deeper responsibility to care for the men and to guide them in their ministry.”
He said that he had not fully formed an agenda for his administration but he is reflecting on the history and charism of the Josephites.
“After 142 years, we Josephites are still here fighting for justice, peace and dignity in our black Catholic communities,” he said, noting that he would be establishing a justice and peace committee in the near future.
He added, “I am really excited about the dedication of the Josephites who serve in ministry now and the men who are coming to join us. The excitement they have about continuing the mission of the Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart gets me rejuvenated.”
During the conference, two other members were selected for Josephite leadership. Father Roderick Coates was selected as vicar general. He is currently pastor of Corpus Christi/Epiphany Church in New Orleans. Father Thomas Frank, SSJ, 63, was reappointed as consultor general. He is currently pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Washington, D.C.
The St. Joseph Society of the Sacred Heart, (the Josephites) is a congregation of priests and brothers whose exclusive mission is to the African American community. Founded after the Civil War to minister to newly freed slaves, the organization has served the African American community since 1871. The Society serves in parishes and special ministries, spanning seven states and the District of Columbia.
OUR SUPERIOR GENERAL
Most Reverend John H. Ricard, SSJ
He is also the Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee.[1]
BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF BISHOP JOHN H. RICARD’S HISTORY:
Early life and education
John Ricard was born in Baton Rouge; he is Creole. After graduating from St. Francis Xavier High School in 1958, he joined the Josephite Fathers at Mary Immaculate Novitiate in Walden, New York, and entered Epiphany Apostolic College in Newburgh, NY. He completed his theological studies at St. Joseph Seminary in Washington, D.C., and was ordained to the priesthood on May 25, 1968. He earned an M.A. from Tulane University in 1970 and a Ph.D. from The Catholic University of America in 1983.
Priestly ministry
He served as associate pastor at St. Peter Claver Church in New Orleans until 1972. He was then assigned as pastor of Holy Redeemer Church (1972–75) and of Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian Church (1975–79), both in Washington, D.C., where he also served as an instructor at the National Catholic School of Social Service at the Catholic University of America from 1976 to 1978. From 1979 until his appointment to the episcopacy, he was pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
Episcopacy
In 1984, he was appointed an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. In 1997, Ricard was made Bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee.
Later life
On Tuesday, December 22, 2009, John Ricard suffered a stroke and was treated at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. He tendered his resignation to Pope Benedict XVI in February 2011 due to poor health. Pope Benedict accepted Bishop Ricard’s request for retirement on March 11, 2011.
In June 2011, Bishop Ricard was appointed rector of St. Joseph Seminary in Washington, DC. He commenced service as rector on August 1, 2011.
In June 2019, Bishop Ricard was elected as Superior General of his religious community, the Society of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart (Josephites). He began serving as Superior General in August of the same year.
