Knights of Peter Claver

Established November 7, 1909 Incorporated July 12, 1911 in Mobile, Alabama

1825 Orleans Avenue • , 70116-2825 National Office: 504.821.4225 • Office: 504.821.4226 • Fax: 504.821.4253 Website: http://www.kofpc.org • Email: [email protected]

Office of F. DeKARLOS BLACKMON, Obl.S.B. Supreme Knight and Chief Executive Officer

Thursday evening, November 20, 2014

HIS EXCELLENCY THE MOST REVEREND LEONARD JAMES OLIVIER, S.V.D. TITULAR OF LEGIA AND AUXILIARY BISHOP EMERITUS OF WASHINGTON, DC Lead Me, Guide Me • Requiescat In Pace

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Born 1923 Lake Charles, Louisiana Presbyteral Ordination 1951 Society of the Divine Word Episcopal Appointment 1988 Titular Bishop of Legia and Auxiliary Bishop of Washington Episcopal Ordination 1988 Titular Bishop of Legia and Auxiliary Bishop of Washington Retirement 2004 Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Washington Died 2014 Washington, District of Columbia ______

A friend has died. There is no other way to begin to speak of Divine Word Bishop Leonard James Olivier. A friend to the disenfranchised, a friend to priests and religious, a friend to his brother , a friend to Clavers, a friend to fellow companions on the journey: a good friend.

In June 2011, together with Knights of Saint John, Knights of Columbus, Knights and Ladies of Peter Claver, the Esteemed Geralyn C. Shelvin, the Twelfth Supreme Lady, Gracious Lady Kanobia A. Russell- Blackmon, and I participated in Bishop Olivier’s Sixtieth Anniversary of Presbyteral Ordination Mass of Thanksgiving at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. The wonderful pastor of souls he was, on that blessed occasion, Bishop Olivier conveyed to each of us a very special request to “attend Mass frequently, learn about the value of the Mass in [our] lives and support our priests.”

When Past Supreme Lady Shelvin called to inform me of Bishop Olivier’s death on Wednesday evening, she expressed the following:

“I am saddened to hear of the loss of His Excellency. He and my mother were friends in high school, and I have had the privilege of knowing Bishop Olivier my entire life. He was my pastor when assigned at Saint Anthony Church in Lafayette, Louisiana and married Thomas and I more than thirty years ago. He has been a presence whose wisdom and dialogue I will sorely miss. Every time I was in the Baltimore-Washington area, we would spend time together with a good meal (He loved to eat but always said he was not hungry) and reminisced about family, friends, and acquaintances. Bishop Olivier possessed a keen mind for remembering details and never forgot a name. He often said ‘I have had a good life being of service to Him who continually Leads Me and Guides Me.’”

The formal representatives of the Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary will be the Most Worthy Supreme Knight and Esteemed Past Supreme Lady Shelvin for the Funeral Masses of Bishop Olivier to be held in Washington and Lake Charles, respectively.

VISITATION AND VIGIL - WASHINGTON FUNERAL MASS - WASHINGTON LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR CHAPEL, WASHINGTON CATHEDRAL OF SAINT MATTHEW, WASHINGTON Sunday, November 23, 2014 Monday, November 24, 2014 Viewing — 5:00-7:00 pm, Vigil Mass — 7:30 pm Funeral Mass — 10:30 am Bishop Martin D. Holley, Principal Celebrant Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Principal Celebrant Monsignor Eddie Tolentino, Homilist Bishop Martin D. Holley, Homilist

FUNERAL MASS - LAKE CHARLES SACRED HEART OF JESUS CHURCH Saturday, November 29, 2014 Funeral Mass — 12:00 pm Bishop Glen Provost, Principal Celebrant

INTERMENT - LAKE CHARLES SACRED HEART OF JESUS CEMETERY

Let us be thankful that today, in heaven, one more voice will lend its expression to the powers which intercede for us unceasingly around the throne of God. We pray earnestly for this humble pastor of souls, this friend, priest, bishop, and cornerstone we knew, who has been gathered on the way, en- folded by the truth, and crowned with the eternal Life which is Jesus Christ.

In Christ and Claverism,

FREDRON DeKARLOS BLACKMON, Obl.S.B. Supreme Knight and Chief Executive Officer The Most Reverend  LEONARD JAMES OLIVIER, S.V.D. Titular Bishop of Legia and Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Washington

orn in Lake Charles, Louisiana in 1923, Bishop Olivier B was the fifth of eight children. He attended Sacred Heart of Jesus grade school in Lake Charles and then Saint Augustine Seminary in Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi and Saint Mary’s Seminary in Techny, . He was ordained a Divine Word Missionary in Bay Saint Louis in 1951.

From 1951 to 1973, he was assistant dean, then dean of seminarians and, finally, rector of the religious community. From 1974 to 1982, he was Secretary of Studies for all United States Divine Word seminaries and rector of the religious community at Divine Word Seminary in Epworth, Iowa.

Saint Anthony’s parish in Lafayette, Louisiana was his first pastorate. In the last two years of that assignment, then-Father Olivier also was part-time Vicar for Black Catholics in the Diocese of Lafayette. He was named full time Vicar in 1986, a position he held until appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Washington by Pope Saint John Paul II on November 7, 1988.

Ordained bishop on December 20, 1988, Bishop Olivier has served at different times as Regional Bishop of Deaneries in the District of Columbia, Prince George’s County and Southern Maryland. He is a Fourth Degree Knight of Peter Claver, a Knight of Saint John and a Knight of Columbus.

He served as the convenor of the African American Catholic Bishops and as the Episcopal liaison for the National African American Catholic Youth Ministry Network, and has served on a number of committees for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.