Leonard Olivier
Encyclopedia
Leonard James Olivier SVD (October 12, 1923) is a Roman Catholic bishop
. He was born in Lake Charles
, Louisiana
. In 1951 he was ordained a priest for the Society of the Divine Word (Divine Word Missionaries
) in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
.
From 1952 to 1973, he served as Assistant Dean and Dean of Seminarians, and rector of the Religious Community. From 1974 to 1982, he was Secretary of Studies for all USA Divine Word Seminaries and Rector of the Religious Community of Divine Word Seminary
, Epworth
, Iowa
.
St. Anthony's parish in Lafayette, Louisiana was his first pastorate. In the last two years of that assignment, he also served as part time Vicar
for Black Catholics in the Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana
. He became full time Vicar in 1986. Two years later, November 7, 1988 he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington
by Pope John Paul II
. Ordained Bishop on December 20, 1988, he has been serving as Regional Bishop of Northeast, Southeast. and East Northwest Deaneries of the District of Columbia, and Deaneries of North and Middle Prince George's Counties, and since 1995, the Deaneries of Northeast and Southeast of the District of Columbia, of Lower Prince George County, and Counties of Charles, Calvert, and St. Mary's.
Bishop Olivier is a Fourth Degree Knights of St. Peter Claver, a Fourth Degree Knight of St. John and Columbus. He served as the Convener of the African American Catholic Bishops Subcommittee on Youth, the Ad Hoc Steering Committee for the National Strategy on Vocations, and the Task Force Group for American Adaptations to the Order of Christian Marriage, and the Liturgy Committee of USCC/NCCB. He is also a member of NCCB Committee on Bishops Life and Ministry, Board Member of Covenant House Washington, Member of the Inter-Faith Conference, Member of Maryland Catholic Conference, Board Member of The National Black Catholic Congress
, Member of National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus, and Episcopal Moderator of the Pan African Roman Catholic Clergy Conference.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
. He was born in Lake Charles
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Located in Calcasieu Parish, a major cultural, industrial, and educational center in the southwest region of the state, and one of the most important in...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. In 1951 he was ordained a priest for the Society of the Divine Word (Divine Word Missionaries
Divine Word Missionaries
The Society of the Divine Word , popularly called the Divine Word Missionaries, and sometimes the Steyler Missionaries, is a missionary religious congregation in the Latin Church, one of the 23 sui iuris churches which make up the Catholic Church. As of 2006 it consisted of 6,102 members composed...
) in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
.
From 1952 to 1973, he served as Assistant Dean and Dean of Seminarians, and rector of the Religious Community. From 1974 to 1982, he was Secretary of Studies for all USA Divine Word Seminaries and Rector of the Religious Community of Divine Word Seminary
Divine Word Seminary
The Divine Word Seminary-Tagaytay is a school of theology owned and administered by the Society of the Divine Word in the scenic city of Tagaytay in the Philippines. It is a mission seminary whose primary purpose is to prepare missionaries for both the Philippine and foreign missions...
, Epworth
Epworth, Iowa
Epworth is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States. It is part of the Dubuque, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,428 at the 2000 census, but is now estimated to be 1,589 ....
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
.
St. Anthony's parish in Lafayette, Louisiana was his first pastorate. In the last two years of that assignment, he also served as part time Vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
for Black Catholics in the Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana
Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana
The Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana is an ecclesiastical division of the Catholic Church in the United States. The oldest church in the diocese is the parish church of St. Martinville, dating back to 1756. The diocese was created on January 11, 1918 from the western part of the Archdiocese of New...
. He became full time Vicar in 1986. Two years later, November 7, 1988 he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. It comprises the District of Columbia and Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George's and Saint Mary's counties in the state of Maryland....
by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. Ordained Bishop on December 20, 1988, he has been serving as Regional Bishop of Northeast, Southeast. and East Northwest Deaneries of the District of Columbia, and Deaneries of North and Middle Prince George's Counties, and since 1995, the Deaneries of Northeast and Southeast of the District of Columbia, of Lower Prince George County, and Counties of Charles, Calvert, and St. Mary's.
Bishop Olivier is a Fourth Degree Knights of St. Peter Claver, a Fourth Degree Knight of St. John and Columbus. He served as the Convener of the African American Catholic Bishops Subcommittee on Youth, the Ad Hoc Steering Committee for the National Strategy on Vocations, and the Task Force Group for American Adaptations to the Order of Christian Marriage, and the Liturgy Committee of USCC/NCCB. He is also a member of NCCB Committee on Bishops Life and Ministry, Board Member of Covenant House Washington, Member of the Inter-Faith Conference, Member of Maryland Catholic Conference, Board Member of The National Black Catholic Congress
National Black Catholic Congress
The National Black Catholic Congress is an organization of African American Roman Catholics founded in 1889 by Daniel Rudd. Their symbol is the Acacia. Their mission is to improve and enrich the lives of African American Catholics...
, Member of National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus, and Episcopal Moderator of the Pan African Roman Catholic Clergy Conference.
External links
- National Black Catholic Congress bio of Leonard Olivier
- National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus bio of Leonard Olivier