William Benedict Friend
Encyclopedia
William Benedict Friend (born 22 October 1931) is the retired bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Shreveport
, in Louisiana
, and its first bishop.
He was ordained on 7 May 1959 as a priest of the Diocese of Mobile-Birmingham
, Alabama
. On 31 August 1979, Pope John Paul II
appointed him Auxiliary Bishop
of the Diocese of Alexandria-Shreveport, and that same day was named bishop
of the titular see
of Pomaria
. He was consecrated Titular Bishop of Pomaria on 30 October 1979. On 17 November 1982, he was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Alexandria-Shreveport.
The Diocese of Shreveport was created on 16 June 1986, from territory carved from the Diocese of Alexandria-Shreveport, which itself was renamed Diocese of Alexandria in Louisiana
. On the same day, Bishop Friend was appointed the first Bishop of Shreveport and was installed as bishop on 30 July 1986.
On 22 October 2006, Bishop Friend sent the mandatory letter to Pope Benedict XVI
resigning the diocese as he had reached the age of 75. His resignation was accepted on 20 December 2006. Bishop Friend will remain at the helm of the diocese as apostolic administrator
until a new Bishop is appointed. On 1 April 2008 Pope Benedict named Michael Duca as the new bishop of the diocese ending Friend's duties as apostolic administrator.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Shreveport
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Shreveport is a Roman Catholic diocese located in northwestern Louisiana, and a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. It is under the governance of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and belongs to Conference Region V...
, 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...
, and its first bishop.
He was ordained on 7 May 1959 as a priest of the Diocese of Mobile-Birmingham
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mobile
The Archdiocese of Mobile is a Roman Catholic archdiocese comprising the lower 28 counties of Alabama. It is the metropolitan seat of the Province of Mobile, which includes the suffragan bishopric sees of the Diocese of Biloxi, the Diocese of Jackson, and the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. On 31 August 1979, 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 ...
appointed him 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 Diocese of Alexandria-Shreveport, and that same day was named bishop
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...
of the titular see
Titular see
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular bishop", "titular metropolitan", or "titular archbishop"....
of Pomaria
Pomaria
Pomaria can refer to:* Pomaria, the Roman municipality on the site of modern Tlemcen, in Algeria* Pomaria, South Carolina, USA* Pomaria , on the list of NRHPs in South Carolina...
. He was consecrated Titular Bishop of Pomaria on 30 October 1979. On 17 November 1982, he was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Alexandria-Shreveport.
The Diocese of Shreveport was created on 16 June 1986, from territory carved from the Diocese of Alexandria-Shreveport, which itself was renamed Diocese of Alexandria in Louisiana
Roman Catholic Diocese of Alexandria in Louisiana
The Diocese of Alexandria is the Roman Catholic diocese for central Louisiana, based in Alexandria, with its see at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral...
. On the same day, Bishop Friend was appointed the first Bishop of Shreveport and was installed as bishop on 30 July 1986.
On 22 October 2006, Bishop Friend sent the mandatory letter to Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
resigning the diocese as he had reached the age of 75. His resignation was accepted on 20 December 2006. Bishop Friend will remain at the helm of the diocese as apostolic administrator
Apostolic Administrator
An apostolic administrator in the Roman Catholic Church is a prelate appointed by the Pope to serve as the ordinary for an apostolic administration...
until a new Bishop is appointed. On 1 April 2008 Pope Benedict named Michael Duca as the new bishop of the diocese ending Friend's duties as apostolic administrator.