Catholic Diocese of Biloxi  

"unity of God's people"

Bishop Joseph Lawson Howze, D.D., was the first bishop of the Diocese of Biloxi, serving from its establishment in 1977 until his retirement in 2001. His appointment marked a historic milestone for the Catholic Church in the United States, as he became the first African American bishop in the 20th century to lead a Catholic diocese.

Born Lawson Howze on August 30, 1923, in Daphne, Alabama, he was the oldest of four children born to Albert Otis Howze Sr. and Helen Lawson Howze. After growing up alongside Catholic neighbors, he was received into the Catholic Church in 1948 at the age of 24, taking the name Joseph.

That same year, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Alabama State University. Following his conversion, he taught science before discerning a call to the priesthood. He completed his seminary formation at Christ the King Seminary at St. Bonaventure University in New York, where he received his Doctor of Divinity degree. On May 7, 1959, he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Raleigh, North Carolina, and went on to serve in several parishes, eventually becoming pastor of the Basilica of St. Lawrence in Asheville.

On November 14, 1972, Pope Paul VI appointed Father Howze as Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson. He was ordained to the episcopate on January 28, 1973. Four years later, when the Diocese of Biloxi was established on March 1, 1977, Bishop Howze was appointed its first bishop.  Bishop Howze's episcopal motto is “Unity of God's People.” 

During his 24 years as Bishop of Biloxi, he provided faithful leadership as the new diocese grew and developed, guiding its parishes, schools, ministries, and people with humility, wisdom, and steadfast dedication. His leadership also represented a significant moment in the history of the Catholic Church in America, breaking barriers as the first Black bishop in the 20th century to head a Catholic diocese in the United States.

Bishop Howze retired on June 6, 2001, after nearly four decades of episcopal ministry. He remained a beloved presence in the Diocese of Biloxi until his death on January 9, 2019. His legacy continues to inspire generations through his unwavering faith, commitment to the Gospel, and pioneering witness to the Church.

"Caritas Christi urget nos"
"The love of Christ urges us on"

Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi served as the second Bishop of the Diocese of Biloxi from 2001 to 2008. During his episcopacy, he guided the diocese through one of the most challenging periods in its history, providing steady pastoral leadership in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina while overseeing the rebuilding of parishes, schools, and diocesan ministries across the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

A native of New Orleans, Archbishop Rodi graduated from De La Salle High School in 1967 before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from Georgetown University in 1971. He returned to New Orleans to receive a law degree from Tulane University Law School in 1974 before discerning a call to the priesthood. He entered Notre Dame Seminary, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree in 1978.

Bishop Howze lays hands on Archbishop Rodi during his 2001 Installation as Bishop of BiloxiArchbishop Rodi was ordained to the priesthood on May 20, 1978, for the Archdiocese of New Orleans. He served as associate pastor at St. Ann and St. Christopher the Martyr parishes in Metairie and at St. Agnes Parish in Jefferson. In 1983, he was appointed judge for the Metropolitan Tribunal, which handles marriage cases. He later earned a Licentiate in Canon Law from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., in 1986 and served as professor of canon law at Notre Dame Seminary from 1986 to 1995.

Throughout his priestly ministry, Archbishop Rodi held several leadership positions within the Archdiocese of New Orleans. He served as Director of the Office of Religious Education from 1988 to 1989 and as Executive Director of the Department of Pastoral Services from 1989 to 1996. In 1992, Pope John Paul II named him a Prelate of Honor with the title of Monsignor. That same year, he was appointed Chancellor of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, and in 1996 he became Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia. In addition to these responsibilities, he also served as administrator of St. Matthew the Apostle Parish in River Ridge, ministered at Our Lady of the Rosary and St. Pius X parishes in New Orleans, and was pastor of St. Rita Church in New Orleans.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Bishop William Houck, then president of Catholic Extension, presents a check to Archbishop Thomas Rodi of Mobile (bishop of Biloxi at the time)On July 2, 2001, Archbishop Rodi was ordained a bishop and installed as the second Bishop of Biloxi, succeeding Bishop Joseph Lawson Howze. Bishop Rodi's episcopal motto is " Caritas Christi urget nos," which translates to " The love of Christ urges us on." During his seven years leading the Diocese of Biloxi, he shepherded the faithful through Hurricane Katrina and its devastating impact on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. His steadfast leadership helped guide the diocese's recovery as churches, schools, and communities rebuilt in the years following the storm.

Bishop Roger Paul Morin served as the third Bishop of the Diocese of Biloxi from 2009 until his retirement in 2016. Throughout his priesthood and episcopal ministry, he was widely recognized for his commitment to Catholic social ministry, charitable outreach, and service to those in need. His episcopal motto, "Walk Humbly and Act Justly," reflected the values that guided his life and ministry.

A native of Dracut, Massachusetts, Bishop Morin was born on March 7, 1941, to Germain J. and Lillian E. Morin. After completing high school and college studies, he earned a Bachelor of Philosophy degree from St. John's Seminary in Brighton, Massachusetts, in 1966 and continued graduate theology studies there for two years.

In 1967, he traveled to New Orleans to serve in the Archdiocese's newly established Summer Witness Program through the Social Apostolate. Returning to New Orleans in 1968, he became director of The Center, a neighborhood social service organization, while pursuing theological studies at Notre Dame Seminary during evenings and weekends. He later earned a Master of Divinity degree from Notre Dame Seminary and was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Philip M. Hannan on April 15, 1971, in his home parish of St. Therese in Dracut, Massachusetts.

Following his ordination, Bishop Morin served at St. Henry Parish in New Orleans before being appointed Associate Director of the Social Apostolate in 1973 and Director in 1975, overseeing nine year-round social service centers sponsored by the Archdiocese of New Orleans. He also earned a Master of Science degree in Urban Studies from Tulane University and completed a community economic development program in 1974.

Throughout his priestly ministry, Bishop Morin devoted himself to serving both the Church and the wider community. He was the Founding President of Second Harvest Food Bank and served the City of New Orleans as Deputy Special Assistant to the Mayor for Federal Programs and Projects. In 1981, he was appointed Archdiocesan Vicar for Community Affairs, overseeing Catholic Charities, the Social Apostolate, human relations, disaster relief, hospital and prison ministries, cemeteries, the Apostleship of the Sea, and alcoholics' ministry. He also served at Incarnate Word Parish beginning in 1981 and was its pastor from 1988 until April 2002.

In 1985, Pope John Paul II named him a Prelate of Honor with the title of Monsignor. Among the highlights of his priesthood were directing the Archdiocese of New Orleans' preparations for the historic 1987 visit of Saint Pope John Paul II and coordinating the archdiocese's bicentennial celebrations in 1993. His dedication to human dignity and social justice was recognized in 1995 when he received the Weiss Brotherhood Award from the National Conference of Christians and Jews.

Pope John Paul II appointed Bishop Morin as Auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans on February 11, 2003, and he was ordained to the episcopate on April 22, 2003. He also served as Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia for the Archdiocese of New Orleans from 2001 to 2009. On March 2, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI named him the third Bishop of Biloxi, and he was installed on April 27, 2009, at the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary by Archbishop Pietro Sambi, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, and Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi.

In addition to his diocesan ministry, Bishop Morin served on several committees of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, including the Subcommittee on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, where he served as chairman from 2008 to 2010. In 2011, he received the Sister Margaret Cafferty Development of People Award from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for his work with the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. He also served on the Jesuit Social Research Institute Board at Loyola University New Orleans.

On April 28, 2017, at the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Biloxi, Mississippi, Bishop Louis F. Kihneman III was installed as the fourth Bishop of the Diocese of Biloxi.