Leonard Olivier

Who is Leonard Olivier?

Leonard James Olivier SVD is a Roman Catholic bishop. He was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana. In 1951 he was ordained a priest for the Society of the Divine Word in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

From 1952 to 1973, he served as Assistant Dean and Dean of Seminarians, and rector of the Religious Community. From 1974 to 1982, he was Secretary of Studies for all USA Divine Word Seminaries and Rector of the Religious Community of Divine Word Seminary, Epworth, Iowa.

St. Anthony's parish in Lafayette, Louisiana was his first pastorate. In the last two years of that assignment, he also served as part-time Vicar for Black Catholics in the Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana. He became full-time Vicar in 1986. Two years later, November 7, 1988 he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington by Pope John Paul II.