BILOXI, Miss.— Bishop Joseph Lawson Howze, the founding bishop of the Diocese of Biloxi and the first black bishop in the 20th century to head a U.S. diocese, died Jan. 9. He was 95.
Bishop Howze was also the first priest of the Diocese of Charlotte to become a bishop. When the Diocese of Charlotte was carved out of the Diocese of Raleigh in 1972, then Father Howze was serving as the pastor of the Parish (now Basilica) of St. Lawrence in Asheville. Soon after, he was consecrated auxiliary bishop of Natchez-Jackson, Miss., and in 1977 he became the first bishop of the Diocese of Biloxi. He retired in 2001.
"While we are saddened by the death of Bishop Joseph Lawson Howze, we rejoice in his life," said Bishop Louis F. Kihneman III of Biloxi. "His was a life well lived in faithful service to almighty God and to the people of Mississippi, both as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson and later as first bishop of Biloxi from 1977 to 2001."
Noting that establishing a new diocese was difficult work, Bishop Kihneman said Bishop Howze was "very proud of what he, with the help of devoted clergy, religious and laity, accomplished during his tenure" and was "forever grateful to the people of the diocese for their unfailing generosity of time, talent and treasure."
Despite deteriorating health in recent years, Bishop Howze remained interested in events in the diocese, Bishop Kihneman said.
"He loved the Diocese of Biloxi and prayed unceasingly for its continued success. He had a genuine concern for the salvation of souls," he added.
A visitation is scheduled for 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15, at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cathedral, 870 Howard Ave. in Biloxi. The Vigil for the Deceased will be celebrated at 7 p.m. A further opportunity for visitation is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 16, at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cathedral from 8:30 a.m. until the funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cathedral on Wednesday, Jan. 16, at 10:30 a.m. Interment will follow at the new Bishops’ Prayer Garden behind Nativity Cathedral. A livestream of the funeral Mass will be available on the Diocese of Biloxi's website: https://www.biloxidiocese.org.
Joseph Lawson Howze was born in Daphne, Ala., Aug. 30, 1923, to Albert Otis Howze Sr. and Helen (Lawson) Howze. He began his school years at Most Pure Heart of Mary School in Mobile, Ala., but his first year of school was interrupted in 1928 by the death of his mother, just six days after she bore her fourth child. The eldest, then age 5, young Lawson (Joseph is his baptismal name) was shuttled back and forth between the homes of his grandparents, aunts and father, who later remarried and fathered three more children.
After graduating as valedictorian of his 1944 high school class, a young Lawson Howze graduated with honors and as president of the senior class from Alabama State College. He had intended to study medicine, but instead earned a bachelor's degree in science and education and began teaching biology and chemistry at Central High School in Mobile.
Bishop Howze first had been a Baptist, then a Methodist, serving as a choir director and church organist and pianist. But while teaching at Central High School he was drawn to the Catholic faith through the example of Marion Carroll Jr., one of seven Catholic students in his biology class. Soon he began instruction in the Catholic faith under the direction of Josephite Father Benjamin Horton.
At age 25 on Dec. 4, 1948, he was baptized a Catholic at Most Pure Heart of Mary Church in Mobile. An interest in the priesthood soon developed. After inquiring about becoming a priest with Bishop Vincent S. Waters of Raleigh, he later was adopted as a student for the diocese and began studies at the Diocesan Preparatory Seminary in Buffalo, N.Y.
He was ordained to the priesthood for the Raleigh diocese at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Raleigh on May 7, 1959. He was only the diocese’s second African-American priest, and his was the first ordination of an African-American diocesan priest that took place in the state of North Carolina.
His first priestly assignment was as assistant pastor of Our Lady of Consolation Church in Charlotte.
On May 10, 1959, he offered his first Solemn High Mass at Most Pure Heart of Mary Church in Mobile – the church where he had been baptized 10 years earlier.
Then Father Joseph L. Howze (second from right) is pictured following his priestly ordination in Raleigh in 1959. Installed as the first bishop of the Diocese of Biloxi, Miss., in 1977, he was the first black Catholic bishop in the 20th century to head a diocese. (Diocese of Charlotte Archives)During his 13 years of ministry in North Carolina, he served at parishes in Sanford, Southern Pines, Asheville and Durham, besides serving as assistant vocation director for the Diocese of Raleigh and as associate editor of the North Carolina Catholic newspaper.
On May 17, 1961, in his hometown of Daphne, Father Howze baptized his sister and her eight children, and received them into the Catholic Church.
When the Diocese of Charlotte was carved out of the Raleigh diocese in January 1972, then Father Howze was serving as the 12th pastor of the Parish (now Basilica) of St. Lawrence in Asheville. In November 1972, St. Paul VI appointed Father Howze as auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson. His episcopal ordination followed on Jan. 28, 1973, in Jackson. He chose “Unity of God’s People” as his episcopal motto.
Within a year, Bishop Howze accepted the presidency of the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus.
On March 8, 1977, Bishop Howze was appointed as the first bishop of the newly established Diocese of Biloxi.
During his leadership of the Biloxi Diocese, Bishop Howze served on several U.S. bishops' committees focusing on justice, peace, interreligious and ecumenical affairs, and black Catholic ministry.
He held several honorary degrees and was a Fourth Degree member of the Knights of Peter Claver and a Third Degree member of the Knights of Columbus.
He retired May 15, 2001, after serving the Biloxi diocese for 24 years.
In his retirement Bishop Howze visited his former parishes in the Charlotte diocese, celebrating an African American culture day at St. Lawrence Basilica in 1994 and saying Mass at Our Lady of Consolation Church on Jan. 1, 2012.
Bishop Howze was welcomed home to Charlotte in 2012 when he visited Our Lady of Consolation Church, which had been his first assignment as a new priest in 1959. He said Mass and was presented with a gift from the City of Charlotte. Pictured with him is OLC’s Deacon Charles Knight; then Charlotte Mayor Pro Tem Patrick Cannon, whom Bishop Howze had baptized; Joseph Hunt; OLC’s then pastor, Father Martin Schratz, OFM Cap; and his cousin Floyd Howze. (Photo provided by Father Schratz)Capuchin Franciscan Father Martin Schratz, now pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Hendersonville, was pastor of Our Lady of Consolation Church in 2012 and celebrated the Jan. 1 Mass with Bishop Howze. He remembers the bishop's visit with fondness.
“I remember asking if he wanted to preach and without batting an eye he said yes,” Father Schratz recalled. “He stood at the pulpit and went on telling story after story, oftentimes looking into the congregation, seeing a familiar face, and remembering another story. He was awesome with names and dates and details. What a sharp mind he had. He ended by tying it all together to the feast of Mary, Mother of God. At the end of Mass he sat in a chair out in front of church to greet everyone. It was such a joyful day."
“He was such a humble man with a big heart and joyful spirit,” he said.
Floyd Howze, a “close cousin” to the bishop and member of Our Lady of Consolation Church, agreed, describing him as a down-to-earth man who didn’t dwell on the ground-breaking nature of his ministry, but simply loved serving God and His Church as a priest.
He noted that Bishop Howze kept in close contact throughout his life with many of his former parishioners, remembering them in his prayers and inquiring about them often. When he returned to Charlotte in 2012, Howze said, “the people just crowded around him – they didn’t want to let him go.”
“He loved people, he loved God,” he said.
— Terrance P. Dickson, Catholic News Service. Catholic News Herald contributed.
Related stories from the Catholic News Herald archives:
Biloxi's retired bishop has historic local ties
Bishop Howze returns to St. Lawrence for parish celebration
Milestones in Bishop Howze's life and ministry:
Bishop Joseph L. Howze was the second African-American priest ordained for the Diocese of Raleigh. Father Howze served as a priest in central and western North Carolina, prior to his appointment as the auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson, Miss., in November 1972.
30 August 1923 – Lawson Howze born in Daphne, Ala.
1948 – He graduated from Alabama State University in Mobile, Ala., and taught biology and chemistry at Central High School in Mobile, Ala.
4 December 1948 – Lawson Howze baptized and received into the Catholic Church. At this time, he took the name of Joseph.
1950 – Joseph Howze attended Epiphany Apostolic College in Newburgh, N.Y. - a seminary associated with the Josephite Fathers.
1952 – He began teaching at St. Monica High School in Tulsa, Okla.
September 1953 – Joseph Howze attended the Little Seminary in Buffalo, N.Y. as a seminarian for the Diocese of Raleigh.
7 May 1959 – Having graduated from Christ the King Seminary in St. Bonaventure, N.Y., Bishop Vincent Waters ordained Joseph Howze to the priesthood at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Raleigh. His was the first ordination of an African-American diocesan priest that took place in the state of North Carolina. Immediately, Bishop of Waters named Fr. Howze the assistant pastor of Our Lady of Consolation Church in Charlotte.
10 May 1959 – Fr. Howze offered his first Solemn High Mass at Most Pure Heart of Mary Church in Mobile, Ala., the church where he was baptized 10 years earlier.
15 October 1959 – Fr. Howze began his second assignment as administrator of Our Lady of Victory Parish in Southern Pines.
11 June 1960 – Fr. Howze became assistant pastor at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Sanford.
18 November 1960 - In addition to being assistant pastor in Sanford, Fr. Howze was re-assigned as assistant pastor to Our Lady of Victory Church in Southern Pines.
14 March 1961 – Bishop Vincent Waters appointed Fr. Howze as assistant vocation director for the Diocese of Raleigh.
17 May 1961 – In his hometown of Daphne, Ala., Fr. Joseph Howze baptized his sister and her eight children, and received them into the Church.
1 August 1961 – He returned to Our Lady of Consolation Church as assistant pastor.
30 July 1962 – Fr. Howze was named pastor of St. Teresa of Avila Parish in Durham.
3 December 1964 – Bishop Waters appointed Fr. Howze as associate editor of the North Carolina Catholic newspaper.
28 December 1965 – He became pastor of St. Anthony Church in Asheville.
12 September 1969 – Bishop Waters combined the Asheville parishes of St. Anthony of Padua and St. Lawrence and appointed Fr. Howze as pastor. He became the 12th pastor of St. Lawrence.
8 November 1972 – Pope Paul VI appointed Fr. Joseph Howze Titular Bishop of Maxita and Auxiliary Bishop of Natchez-Jackson, Miss.
28 January 1973 – Fr. Howze was ordained auxiliary bishop, becoming the first African American bishop ordained in the 20th century. He chose “Unity of God’s People” as his episcopal motto.
6 June 1977 – Bishop Howze was installed as the first bishop of the new Diocese of Biloxi.
15 May 2001 – Bishop Howze retired as Bishop of Biloxi. After retiring, he dedicated more time to prayer, especially the rosary.
7 May 2009 – Bishop Howze celebrated his golden jubilee as a priest.
9 January 2019 – Bishop Howze passed away at the age of 95.