Spoken style Your Excellency Reference style The Reverend Name William Higi | Posthumous style none Religious style Bishop | |
Bishop Higi NCYC 2009 Rally Video
William Leo Higi is Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana, where he served as its fifth bishop from 1984-2010.
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Biography
William Leo Higi was born in Anderson, Indiana, 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 on January 14, 1965 and Chancellor on June 16, 1967. Pope Paul VI named him a Prelate of Honor on November 16, 1976.
Appointed Vicar General 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, and consecrated and installed on June 6, 1984. During Bishop Higi's tenure, 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 to the third-world country. After twenty-six years as head of the diocese, Bishop Higi retired in May 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 consecrated and installed as the sixth bishop of Lafayette on July 15, 2010.