Bishop

Bishop

A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...

 William Leo Higi is Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana

Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana

The Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana was established by Pope Pius XII on October 21, 1944, from the territory of the Diocese of Fort Wayne. At that time, there were 54 parishes. The diocese contained approximately 31,700 Roman Catholics at its inception...

, where he served as its fifth bishop from 1984-2010. William Leo Higi was born in Anderson, Indiana

Anderson, Indiana

Anderson is a city in and the county seat of Madison County, Indiana, United States. It is the principal city of the Anderson, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses Madison county. Anderson is the headquarters of the Church of God and home of Anderson University, which is...

, August 29, 1933, and ordained a priest May 30, 1959. Appointed Secretary to Most Reverend John J. Carberry August 13, 1962, he was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Diocese

Diocese

A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...

 on January 14, 1965 and Chancellor on June 16, 1967. Pope Paul VI

Pope Paul VI

Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...

 named him a Prelate of Honor on November 16, 1976.

Appointed Vicar General

Vicar general

A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...

 of the Diocese on June 29, 1979 he was elected Administrator of the Diocese on January 26, 1984, upon the death of Bishop George A. Fulcher. He was appointed Bishop of Lafayette-in-Indiana by Pope John Paul II

Pope John Paul II

Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...

, and ordained and installed as Bishop of the Diocese on June 6, 1984. During Bishop Higi's reign, he not only expanded the Diocese by dedicating new churches, but also added the second high school to the diocese, St. Theodore Guerin High School in Noblesville. Not only did Higi work within the diocese, but also made connections to Haiti with many outreaches the third-world country. After over twenty-six years as head of the diocese, Bishop Higi retired in May of 2010. It was announced that same month that Timothy Doherty would succeeded Higi as the sixth bishop of the diocese, though Higi remained Apostolic Administrator until Doherty's consecration. Doherty was ordained and installed as the sixth bishop of Lafayette on July 15, 2010.

• Information from A History of the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana by Rev. Anthony Prosen

Sources

• Diocese of Lafayette