Lawrence Preston Joseph Graves

Lawrence Preston Joseph Graves (May 4, 1916 – January 15, 1994) served as the seventh Bishop of Alexandria in Louisiana (1973-1982).

Lawrence Preston Joseph Graves
Bishop of Alexandria, Louisiana Born in Texarkana, Lawrence served 51 years as a priest and 24 years as a bishop. Major designations included: Priest of little rock, Arkansas, US Auxiliary bishop of little rock Titular bishop of vina Bishop of Alexandria, Louisiana, Us Bishop Emeritus of Alexandria-Shreveport.
In office	1973-1982
Orders
Ordination	June 11, 1942
Consecration	April 25, 1970 by Bishop Albert Lewis Fletcher
Personal details
Born	May 4, 1916 Texarkana, Miller County Arkansas, USA
Died	January 15, 1994 (aged 77)
Education	St. John Home Mission Seminary
Alma mater	Pontifical North American College

Biography

Graves was born in Texarkana in Miller County in southwestern Arkansas, and attended the St. John Home Mission Seminary in the capital city of Little Rock. He then studied at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, and at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 11, 1942.[1]

On February 24, 1969, Graves was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Little Rock and Titular Bishop of Vina by Pope Paul VI.[1] He received his episcopal consecration on the following April 25 from Bishop Albert Lewis Fletcher, with Bishops Lawrence Michael De Falco and Warren L. Boudreaux serving as co-consecrators.[1]

Following the retirement of Bishop Charles Pasquale Greco, on May 10, 1973, Graves was named Bishop of Alexandria to succeed Charles Pasquale Greco.[1] During his tenure, he was established or improved continuing education for priests, offices for religious education and youth ministry, permanent diaconate program, and the communications apostolate in newspaper, radio, and television.[2] The name of the diocese was changed to the Diocese of Alexandria-Shreveport in 1976.

After nine years at Louisiana, Graves resigned as bishop on July 20, 1982.[1] He died eleven years thereafter at the age of seventy-seven.

References

1. "Bishop Lawrence Preston Joseph Graves". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
2. "History of the Diocese". Roman Catholic Diocese of Alexandria in Louisiana. Archived from the original on 2010-08-08.

Episcopal succession