Hall of Fame

Most Reverend William R. Houck
McGill Institute Class of '44

Bishop Houck has been a bishop for 28 years and served as the ninth Bishop of the Diocese of Jackson, Mississippi, from 1984 to 2003. He served first as Auxiliary Bishop to Bishop Joseph Brunini for five years. Both Bishop Brunini and Bishop Houck were taught by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, Bishop Brunini at St. Aloysius in Vicksburg and Bishop Houck at McGill Institute.

He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Mobile on May 19, 1951, in the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Father Houck served in Catholic school education from 1951 to 1974. In addition to assisting in parish ministry in Florida and Alabama , he served as teacher, principal and superintendent of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Mobile-Birmingham and later in the Diocese of Birmingham. He was Secretary for Education in the Diocese of Birmingham when it was organized. He served as pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Birmingham from 1974 until 1979.

On May 27, 1979, Bishop Houck was ordained a bishop by Pope John Paul II in St. Peter Basilica in Rome to serve as Auxiliary Bishop in the Diocese of Jackson.

He has served on various committees of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He was Chairman of the Committee on Evangelization from 1984 until 1993. Other committees include the Committee on the Laity, the Domestic Policy Committee on Peace & Justice and the Conference Nominations Committee. He also served on the Episcopal Advisory Committee of the Catholic Committee of the South.

He served on the Board of Governors for the Catholic Church Extension Society for twelve years and, upon retirement as Bishop of the Diocese of Jackson, was appointed President of Catholic Extension Society from 2001 until 2007. He retired from that position in March of 2007.

His interest in education goes beyond Catholic schools. Bishop Houck was active in the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, is a past president and served as a member and chairman of the SACS Latin American Committee. He was active in the National Catholic Education Association, Southern Association of Independent Schools and the accreditation of American schools in Latin America .

While not being honored for his athletic accomplishments, it is a fact that Bishop Houck played on the McGill Institute basketball team in 1942-43. His nephew's wife, Mrs. Kathleen Reilly, McGill-Toolen '85, currently teaches Religion at McGill-Toolen. She states that he has always maintained a keen interest in the families of all of his nieces and nephews.

Other members of Bishop Houck's family have shared in the blessings of a Catholic education in Mobile . His sister, Bettye Houck Hebert, Bishop Toolen '48; his brother, Raymond Houck, McGill Institute '53; his sister, Millie Houck Reilly, Convent of Mercy '63; his nephews, Russell Reilly, McGill-Toolen '85 and Christopher Reilly, McGill-Toolen '87; his nieces, Jennifer Reilly Martorana, McGill-Toolen '91 and Katie Reilly Sharpe, McGill-Toolen '99. A great-niece, Colleen Reilly, is presently a student at McGill-Toolen.

Inducted 2007
Biography updated 11/26/07

Hall of Fame

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