William Leonard "Bill" Norvel, SSJ (c. 1935–) is an African-American Catholic priest who served as the 13th and first Black superior general of the Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart, also known as the Josephites.

[1][2][4] (Since the introduction of Catholicism to North America in the 16th century, Black men had been largely barred from Catholic seminaries in the New World, and especially the United States.

)[5] Norvel was eventually encouraged by his Josephite pastor to pursue membership in that religious community, which serves African Americans specifically.

[2] Norvel was ordained in 1965 at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis in New Orleans, Louisiana and was first assigned to Holy Family Catholic Church in Natchez, Mississippi.

He later served in parishes in DC; Mobile, Alabama; Baltimore, Maryland; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Los Angeles, California; and Pascagoula.