From Victoria Arruda | ChurchPop
“Ite ad loseph! Go to Joseph with extreme confidence, because I do not remember having asked anything from St. Joseph, without having obtained it readily.” – Saint Padre Pio
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Father Norvel, first Black superior general for U.S. men’s religious community, dies at 90
By | Catholic Review
Josephite Father William Norvel, a forceful voice for Black Catholic identity who spent more than six decades challenging the institutional church to live up to its claim of being universal, died March 8. He was 90.
A pioneer in bringing Gospel music into Catholic liturgy following the Second Vatican Council, Father Norvel helped shape the spiritual life of Black Catholic communities nationwide. He contributed to the groundbreaking Black Catholic hymnal “Lead Me, Guide Me” and founded the first Gospel choirs at Catholic churches in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.
Finding Hope
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New Papal Envoy Named for the United States
From the Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich
Pope Leo XIV has appointed Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia as the new Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, giving the Church in this country a new diplomatic representative at an important moment in its life.
The appointment was announced March 7. Archbishop Caccia, 68, succeeds Cardinal Christophe Pierre, who has served in the role since 2016.
With Sadness We Announce the Death of Rev. William Norvel, SSJ
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Rev. William Norvel, SSJ. Father Norvel went to be with the Lord on Sunday March 8, 2026.
Father Norvel was a faithful Josephite priest, pastor, teacher, author, and liturgical leader whose ministry spanned more than five decades. Born in Pascagoula, Mississippi, he was ordained to the priesthood in 1965 and dedicated his life to serving Black Catholic communities across the United States.
In 2011, Father Norvel made history when he was elected the 13th Superior General of the Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart, becoming the first African American to lead the Josephites and the first Black man to head a Catholic religious community of priests in the United States.
Throughout his priesthood, Father Norvel was widely known for his leadership during the Black Catholic Movement, helping to foster the incorporation of Black spiritual traditions within Catholic worship. He traveled the country helping establish gospel choirs in African American Catholic parishes and contributed to the landmark hymnal Lead Me, Guide Me: The African American Catholic Hymnal.
His ministry also extended internationally, where he helped establish a Josephite house of formation in Nigeria, strengthening vocations that continue to support the Josephite mission today.
We give thanks to Almighty God for Father Norvel’s life of priestly service, his courageous witness in the struggle for dignity and inclusion within the Church, and his steadfast commitment to the Josephite mission.
“Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.”
Funeral Arrangements
Washington, DC
March 18, 2026
Viewing: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Funeral Mass: 11:00 AM
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church
1600 Morris Rd SE
Washington, DC 20020
Pascagoula, Mississippi
March 26, 2026
Viewing: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Funeral Mass: 11:00 AM
Saint Peter the Apostle Catholic Church
1715 Telephone Rd
Pascagoula, MS 39567
Funeral Mass: 11:00 AM
Saint Peter the Apostle Catholic Church
1715 Telephone Rd
Pascagoula, MS 39567
Burial will follow at Gabriel Cemetery, located next to the parish
In Lieu of Flowers
Donations may be made in Father Norvel’s honor to support the continuing mission of the Josephites and the apostolate he faithfully shepherded and loved. Give Here.
