Black Catholic Bishops of the US

On September 29, 1965, Divine Word Father Harold Robert Perry was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans by Pope Paul VI, becoming the first African American of the modern era to become a Catholic Bishop. When publicizing the appointment, Archbishop Philip Matthew Hannan said, “We welcome the first American-born Negro bishop.” Unbeknownst to many American Catholics, Bishop James Augustine Healy of Portland in Maine — who was the son of a white plantation owner and a biracial slave — holds the distinction of being the first African American to be elevated to the episcopate.

While Bishop Perry’s appointment was praised by many civil and religious leaders, including President Lyndon B. Johnson, the appointment was also met with much resistance. White protestors held demonstrations outside Saint Louis Cathedral where one woman described it as “another reason why God will destroy the Vatican.”

When speaking of the scene outside the cathedral, Bishop Joseph A. Francis later remarked, “Harold Perry knew in his heart of hearts that the racial epitaphs so blatantly displayed by the protestors were no match for the pride and love of hundreds of thousands of black Catholics and others, who saw him as a symbol of great things to come. After all, we had never experienced anything like this in the history of the Catholic church.”

In expressing the significance of the appointment and episcopal ordination, Archbishop Egidio Vagnozzi, the Apostolic Delegate to the United States, stated to all present, “the consecration of Bishop Perry was not an honor bestowed upon the Negro race, so much as it was a contribution of the Negro people to the Catholic Church.”

Today, the African American presence within the Catholic Church in the United States is a precious witness to the universal character of Catholicism. Each of the following bishops is a visible reminder that the Christ African American Catholics proclaim is the Christ who prayed on the night before he died “so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me” (John 17:21)

His Eminence Wilton Daniel Cardinal Gregory   The Most Reverend Wilton Daniel Gregory was born December 7, 1947 in Chicago, Illinois. Ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago on May 9, 1973, he was ordained Titular Bishop of Oliva and Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago by His Eminence Joseph Louis Cardinal Bernardin of Chicago with Bishop Alfred Leo Abramowicz (Titular Bishop of Pesto) and Bishop Nevin William Hayes, OCarm (Titular Bishop of Nova Sinna on December 13, 1983. After being appointed Bishop of Belleville, he was installed on February 10, 1994. He was appointed Archbishop of Atlanta on December 9, 2004 and was installed January 17, 2005. He was subsequently appointed Archbishop of Washington on April 4, 2019 and installed on May 21, 2019. He was named a cardinal by Pope Francis on October 25, 2020 and installed on November 28, 2020.

Most Reverend Shelton Joseph Fabre The Most Reverend Shelton Joseph Fabre was born on October 25, 1963 in New Roads, Louisiana. Ordained a priest of the Diocese of Baton Rouge on Saturday, August 5, 1989, he was ordained Titular Bishop of Pudentiana and Auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans by Archbishop Alfred Clifton Hughes of New Orleans with Bishop Robert William Muench (Bishop of Baton Rouge) and Bishop John Huston Ricard, SSJ (Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee) on February 28, 2007. After being appointed Bishop of Houma-Thibodaux, Bishop Fabre was installed on October 30, 2013. He was subsequently appointed Archbishop of Louisville on February 8, 2022 and installed on March 30, 2022.

Most Reverend Roy Edward Campbell The Most Reverend Roy Edward Campbell was born on November 19, 1947. Ordained a priest of The Archdiocese of Washington on May 26, 2007, he was ordained by Titular Bishop of Ucres and Auxiliary Bishop of Washington by His Eminence Donald William Cardinal Wuerl of Washington with Bishop Martin David Holley (Bishop of Memphis) and Bishop Barry Christopher Knestout (Titular Bishop of Leavenworth) on  April 21, 2017.

Most Reverend Fernand Joseph Cheri, OFM The Most Reverend Fernand Joseph Cheri, OFM was born on January 28, 1952 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of New Orleans on May 20, 1978 and subsequently becoming a solemnly professed member of the of Order of Friars Minor on August 26, 1996, he was ordained Titular Bishop of Membressa and Auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans by Archbishop Gregory Michael Aymond of New Orleans with Archbishop Wilton Daniel Gregory (Archbishop of Atlanta) and Bishop James Terry Steib, SVD (Bishop of Memphis) on March 23, 2015.

Most Reverend Joseph Nathaniel Perry The Most Reverend Joseph Nathaniel Perry was born on April 18, 1948 in Chicago, Illinois. Ordained a priest the Archdiocese of Milwaukee on May 24, 1975, he was ordained Titular Bishop of Lead and Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago by His Eminence Francis Eugene Cardinal George, OMI of Chicago with Archbishop Rembert George Weakland, OSB (Archbishop of Milwaukee) and Bishop George Vance Murry, SJ (Coadjutor Bishop of Saint Thomas) on June 29, 1998.

Most Reverend Gordon Dunlap Bennett, SJ The Most Reverend Gordon Dunlap Bennett, SJ was born October 21, 1946 in Denver, Colorado. Ordained a priest of the Society of Jesus on June 14, 1975, he was ordained Titular Bishop of Nesqually and Auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore by William Henry Cardinal Keeler of Baltimore with Bishop Carlos Arthur Sevilla, SJ (Bishop of Yakima) and Bishop George Vance Murry, SJ (Titular Bishop of Fuerteventura) on March 3, 1998. After being appointed Bishop of Mandeville, he was installed on September 24, 2004. Bishop Bennett retired on August 8, 2006.

Most Reverend Edward K. Braxton The Most Reverend Edward K. Braxton was born on June 28, 1944 in Chicago, Illinois. Ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago on May 13, 1970, he was ordained Titular Bishop of Macomades Rusticiana and Auxiliary Bishop of Saint Louis by Archbishop Justin Francis Rigali of Saint Louis with Bishop James Terry Steib, SVD (Bishop of Memphis) and Bishop Paul Albert Zipfel (Titular Bishop of Walla Walla) on May 17, 1995. After being appointed Bishop of Lake Charles, he was installed on February 22, 2001. He was subsequently appointed Bishop of Belleville where he was installed June 22, 2005. Bishop Braxton retired on April 3, 2020.

Most Reverend Curtis John Guillory, SVD The Most Reverend Curtis John Guillory, SVD was born on September 1, 1943 in Mallet, Louisiana. Ordained a priest of the Society of the Divine Word on December 16, 1972, he was ordained Titular Bishop of Stagnum and Auxiliary Bishop of Galveston-Houston by Bishop Joseph Anthony Fiorenza of Galveston-Houston with Archbishop Philip Matthew Hannan (Archbishop of New Orleans) and Bishop James Terry Steib, SVD (Titular Bishop of Fallaba) on February 19, 1988. He was installed Bishop of Beaumont on July 28, 2000 and retired on June 9, 2020.

Most Reverend Martin David Holley The Most Reverend Martin David Holley was born December 31, 1954 in Pensacola, Florida. Ordained a priest of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee on May 8, 1987, he was ordained Titular Bishop of Rusibisir and Auxiliary Bishop of Washington by Archbishop Theodore Edgar McCarrick of Washington with Bishop John Huston Ricard, SSJ (Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee) and Bishop Leonard James Olivier, SVD (Titular Bishop of Legia) on July 2, 2004. Installed as the Bishop of Memphis on October 19, 2016, he became Bishop Emeritus of Memphis on October 24, 2018.

Most Reverend John Huston Ricard, SSJ The Most Reverend John Huston Ricard, SSJ was born February 29, 1940 in New Roads, Louisiana. Ordained a priest of St. Joseph’s Society of the Sacred Heart on May 25, 1968, he was ordained Titular Bishop of Rucuma and Auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore by Archbishop William Donald Borders of Baltimore with Bishop Thomas Austin Murphy (Titular Bishop of Appiaria) and Bishop Eugene Antonio Marino, SSJ (Titular Bishop of Walla Walla) on July 2, 1984. He was installed Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee on March 13, 1997 and retired on March 11, 2011.

Most Reverend James Terry Steib, SVD The Most Reverend James Terry Steib, SVD was born on May 17, 1940 in Vacherie, Louisiana. Ordained a priest of the Society of the Divine Word on January 6, 1967, he was ordained Titular Bishop of Fallaba and Auxiliary Bishop of Saint Louis by Archbishop John Lawrence May of Saint Louis with Bishop George Joseph Gottwald (Titular Bishop of Cedamusa) and Bishop Charles Roman Koester (Titular Bishop of Suacia) on February 10, 1984. He was installed Bishop of Memphis on March 24, 1993 and retired on August 23, 2016.

Most Reverend Guy Sansaricq The Most Reverend Guy Sansaricq was born October 6, 1934 in Jérémie, Haïti. Ordained a priest of the Diocese of Les Cayes on June 29, 1960 and incardinated into the Diocese of Brooklyn on January 9, 1991he was ordained Titular Bishop of Glenndálocha and Auxiliary Bishop of Brooklyn by Bishop Nicholas Anthony DiMarzio of Brooklyn with Bishop Thomas Vose Daily (Bishop Emeritus of Brooklyn) and Bishop Ignatius Anthony Catanello (Titular Bishop of Deultum) on August 22, 2006. Bishop Sansaricq retired on October 6, 2010.

Most Reverend James Patterson Lyke, ​OFM The Most Reverend James Patterson Lyke, ​OFM was born February 18 1939 in Chicago, Illinois. Ordained a priest of the Order of Friars Minor on June 24, 1966, he was ordained Titular Bishop of Furnos Maior and Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland by Bishop James Aloysius Hickey of Cleveland with Bishop Clarence George Issenmann (Bishop Emeritus of Cleveland) and Bishop Joseph Abel Francis, SVD (Titular Bishop of Valliposita) on August 1, 1979. He was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Atlanta on July 10, 1990. After being subsequently appointed Archbishop of Atlanta, he was installed on June 24, 1991. Archbishop Lyke died on December 27, 1992.

Most Reverend Eugene Antonio Marino, SSJ The Most Reverend Eugene Antonio Marino, SSJ was born on May 29, 1934 in Biloxi, Mississippi. Ordained a priest of St. Joseph’s Society of the Sacred Heart on June 9, 1962, he was ordained Titular Bishop of Walla Walla and Auxiliary Bishop of Washington by Archbishop William Wakefield Baum of Washington with Bishop Harold Robert Perry, SVD (Titular Bishop of Mons in Mauretania) and Bishop Edward John Herrmann (Bishop of Columbus) on September 12, 1974. He was installed as the Archbishop of Atlanta on May 5, 1988. Archbishop Marino resigned on July 10, 1990 and died November 12, 2000.

Most Reverend Moses Bosco Anderson, SSE The Most Reverend Moses Bosco Anderson, SSE was born on September 9, 1928 in Selma, Alabama. Ordained a priest of the Society of Saint Edmund on May 30, 1958, he was ordained Titular Bishop of Vatarba and Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit by Archbishop Edmund Casimir Szoka of Detroit with Bishop Harold Robert Perry, SVD (Titular Bishop of Mons in Mauretania) and Bishop Arthur Henry Krawczak (Titular Bishop of Subbar) on January 27, 1983. Bishop Anderson retired on October 24, 2003 and died on January 1, 2013.

Most Reverend Dominic Carmon, SVD The Most Reverend Dominic Carmon, SVD was born December 13, 1930 in Opelousas, Louisiana. Ordained a priest of the Society of the Divine Word on February 2, 1960, he was ordained Titular Bishop of Rusicade and Auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans by Archbishop Francis Bible Schulte of New Orleans with Bishop Wilton Daniel Gregory (Titular Bishop of Oliva) and Bishop Harry Joseph Flynn (Bishop of Lafayette) on  February 11, 1993. Bishop Carmon retired on December 13, 2006 and died on November 11, 2018.

Most Reverend Carl Anthony Fisher, SSJ ​The Most Reverend Carl Anthony Fisher, SSJ was born on November 24, 1945 in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Ordained a priest of St. Joseph’s Society of the Sacred Heart on June 2, 1973, he was ordained Titular Bishop of Tlos and Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles by Archbishop Roger Michael Mahony of Los Angeles with Bishop John James Ward (Titular Bishop of Bria) and Bishop Juan Alfredo Arzube (Titular Bishop of Civitate) on February 23, 1987. Bishop Fisher died on September 2, 1993.

Most Reverend Joseph Abel Francis, ​SVD The Most Reverend Joseph Abel Francis, ​SVD was born on September 30, 1923 in Lafayette, Louisiana. Ordained a priest of the Society of the Divine Word on October 7, 1950, he was ordained Titular Bishop of Valliposita and Auxiliary Bishop of Newark by Archbishop Peter Leo Gerety of Newark with Archbishop Thomas Aloysius Boland (Archbishop Emeritus of Newark) and Bishop Harold Robert Perry, SVD (Titular Bishop of Mons in Mauretania) on June 25, 1976. Bishop Francis retired on June 30, 1995 and died on September 1, 1997.

Most Reverend Joseph Lawson Howze The Most Reverend Joseph Lawson Howze was born on August 30, 1923 in Daphne, Alabama. Ordained a priest for the Diocese of Raleigh on May 7, 1959, he was ordained Titular Bishop of Maxita and Auxiliary Bishop of Natchez-Jackson by Archbishop Luigi Raimondi (Titular Archbishop of Tarsus and Apostolic Delegate to the United States) with Bishop Harold Robert Perry, SVD (Titular Bishop of Mons in Mauretania) and Bishop Joseph Bernard Brunini (Bishop of Natchez-Jackson) on January 28, 1973. After being appointed the first Bishop of Biloxi, he was installed on June 6, 1977. Bishop Howze retired on May 15, 2001 and died on January 9, 2019

Most Reverend Emerson John Moore The Most Reverend Emerson John Moore was born on May 16, 1938 in Harlem, New York City. Ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of New York on May 30, 1964, he was ordained Titular Bishop of Curubis and Auxiliary Bishop of New York by His Eminence Terence Cardinal Cooke of New York with Archbishop John Joseph Maguire (Titular Archbishop of Tabalta) and Bishop Harold Robert Perry, SVD (Titular Bishop of Mons in Mauretania). Bishop Moore died on September 14, 1995.

Most Reverend George Vance Murry, SJ The Most Reverend George Vance Murry, SJ was born in December 28, 1948 in Camden, New Jersey. Ordained a priest of the Society of Jesus on June 9, 1979, he was ordained Titular Bishop of Fuerteventura and Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago by His Eminence Joseph Louis Cardinal Bernardin of Chicago with Bishop Alfred Leo Abramowicz (Titular Bishop of Pesto) and Bishop Timothy Joseph Lyne (Titular Bishop of Vamalla) on March 20, 1995. He was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Saint Thomas on May 5, 1998 and became its diocesan bishop on June 29, 1999. After being appointed Bishop of Youngstown, he was installed on March 28, 2007 and died on June 5, 2020.

Most Reverend Leonard James Olivier​, SVD The Most Reverend Leonard James Olivier was born on October 12, 1923 in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Ordained a priest for the Society of the Divine Word on June 29, 1951, he was ordained Titular Bishop of Legia and Auxiliary Bishop of Washington by His Eminence James Aloysius Cardinal Hickey of Washington with Archbishop Eugene Antonio Marino, SSJ (Archbishop of Atlanta) and Bishop Alvaro Corrada del Rio, SJ (Titular Bishop of Rusticiana) on December 20, 1988. Bishop Olivier retired on May 18, 2004 and died on November 19, 2014.

Most Reverend Harold Perry, SVD The Most Reverend Harold Perry, SVD was born on October 9, 1916 in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Ordained a priest of the Society of the Divine Word on January 6, 1944, he was ordained Titular Bishop of Mons in Mauretania and Auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans by Archbishop Egidio Vagnozzi (Titular Archbishop of Myra and Apostolic Delegate to the United States) with Archbishop Philip Matthew Hannan (Archbishop of New Orleans) and Archbishop John Patrick Cody (Archbishop of Chicago) on January 6, 1966. Bishop Perry died on July 17, 1991.

Most Reverend Elliott Griffin Thomas The Most Reverend Elliott Griffin Thomas was born on July 25, 1926 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Ordained a priest of the Diocese of Saint Thomas on June 6, 1986, he was ordained Bishop of Saint Thomas by His Eminence James Aloysius Cardinal Hickey of Washington with Bishop Seán Patrick O’Malley, OFMCap (Bishop of Fall River) and Bishop Donald James Reece (Bishop of Saint John’s-Basseterre) on December 12, 1993. He retired on June 29, 1999 and died on February 28, 2019.