| Type: | Bishop |
| Honorific-Prefix: | His Excellency, The Most Reverend |
| William Benedict Friend | |
| Bishop of Shreveport titular bishop of Pomaria | |
| Church: | Roman Catholic |
| Diocese: | Diocese of Shreveport |
| Term: | 1982–2006 |
| Predecessor: | None |
| Successor: | Michael Duca |
| Ordination: | May 7, 1959 |
| Ordained By: | James Gibbons |
| Consecration: | October 30, 1979 |
| Consecrated By: | Thomas Joseph Toolen |
| Birth Date: | 22 October 1931 |
| Birth Place: | Miami, Florida, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Coral Springs, Florida |
| Motto: | Live in the spirit |
| Bishop Name: | William Benedict Friend |
| Dipstyle: | His Excellency |
| Offstyle: | Your Excellency |
| Relstyle: | Monsignor |
William Benedict Friend (October 22, 1931 – April 2, 2015) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the first bishop of the new Diocese of Shreveport in Louisiana from 1986 to 2006. He previously served as auxiliary bishop and then bishop of the Diocese of Alexandria-Shreveport from 1979 to 1986.
William Friend was born on October 22, 1931, in Miami, Florida. He was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal James Gibbons on May 7, 1959, for the Diocese of Mobile-Birmingham, Alabama.
On August 31, 1979, Pope John Paul II appointed Friend as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Alexandria-Shreveport and titular bishop of Pomaria. He was consecrated by Archbishop Thomas Joseph Toolen on October 30, 1979. On November 17, 1982, John Paul II appointed him as bishop of the same diocese.
John Paul II erected the Diocese of Shreveport on June 16, 1986, and appointed Friend as its first bishop. He was installed as bishop on July 30, 1986.
On October 22, 2006, Bishop Friend sent the mandatory letter to Pope Benedict XVI resigning the diocese as he had reached the age of 75. His resignation was accepted on December 20, 2006. Bishop Friend remained at the helm of the diocese as apostolic administrator until a new bishop was appointed.
On April 1, 2008, Pope Benedict named Michael Duca as the new bishop of the diocese ending Friend's duties as apostolic administrator. On April 2, 2015, William Friend died at his home in Coral Springs, Florida.[1]