Priest Forever: About the Diocese

Bishop Higi

Bishop Higi is the fifth Bishop of Lafayette-in-Indiana. He recently celebrated his 50th anniversary as a priest and 25th anniversary as a bishop . 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 ordained and installed as Bishop of the Diocese on June 6, 1984.Bishop Higi is the fifth Bishop of Lafayette-in-Indiana. He will begin his 23rd year as bishop in 2007. 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 ordained and installed as Bishop of the Diocese on June 6, 1984.

On the uppermost portion of the crest is a crescent shaped moon. This is a Marian symbol of the Immaculate Conception and suggests the Diocese of Lafayette’s link to her mother diocese of Fort Wayne, Indiana, which is also under the patronage of the Immaculate Conception. The Virgin Mother, under the title of the Immaculate Conception, is also the patroness of the United States. Mary is often portrayed standing upon the crescent moon “… a woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet (Revelation 12:1).” The crescent moon is also a symbol of purity.

Beneath the crescent moon is what appears to be the top of a castle. This image recalls Fort Ouiatenon (located southwest of Lafayette, Indiana) where Catholicism first arrived within the geographical boundaries of the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana in 1717. In that era, Father Mermet tended to the spiritual needs of the Wea (Ouiatenon) Indians and the local French settlers.

In the background of the crest, there appears a bell-shaped pattern. This pattern was borrowed from the heraldic arms of the Frenchman, General Marquis de Lafayette, who fought with General George Washington in the American Revolution and for whom the See City of the Diocese is named. The inner-shield that appears in the forefront of the crest is also originally from General Marquis de Lafayette’s own coat of arms. In Christian tradition, a bell symbolizes the need to prioritize the things of God over the things of the world and the proclamation of the Word.

The color of the Diocesan Crest is silver and blue. Although original to General Lafayette’s coat of arms, it now symbolizes the entrustment of the Diocese to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

HISTORY OF THE DIOCESE OF LAFAYETTE-IN-INDIANA

Pope Pius XII established the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana on October 21, 1944. The Diocese of Fort Wayne, the Mother Diocese, was established in 1857. Then, the territory now occupied by the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana had only three small brick churches with resident pastors, and four frame missions. Total Catholic population was about 5,000 people. Missionaries were still active in the area.

On November 11, 1944, the Holy See made the announcement regarding the partitioning of the Fort Wayne Diocese creating the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana. The name was expressed in that manner to distinguish it from the Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana. The new diocese had 54 parishes and a Catholic population of 31,700. The area designated had 9,832 square miles and comprised 24 counties in Northcentral Indiana extending from the Illinois to the Ohio state lines. Catholics comprised fewer than 6 percent of the total population. The area was largely rural.
John George Bennett was consecrated first bishop of the Lafayette See on January 10, 1945. He was a son of a parish in the new diocese, St. Mary’s in Dunnington. His successors have been John Joseph Cardinal Carberry, Bishop Raymond Gallagher, Bishop George Fulcher, and the current ordinary, Bishop William L. Higi, also a son of the diocese. Bishop Higi’s home parish is St. Mary, Anderson.

Lafayette was the first home in America for the Poor Sisters of St. Francis Seraph of the Perpetual Adoration. Arriving in 1875 to minister to the sick and to teach, they remain active here today. The Sisters of Providence have served in Northcentral Indiana parishes for more than 125 years. The Sisters of St. Joseph founded a Motherhouse at Tipton in 1888 and continue their ministry from there today.

The Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana has had as many as 67 parishes. The number is now 63. The most recent faith community, St. John Vianney, Fishers, was established in 2005. The diocese currently has 34,962 households and 105,711 individuals

The mission of the Catholic people of Northcentral Indiana is to proclaim the Kingdom of God, to praise the name of Jesus and to follow Him by LOVING God and our neighbor, especially those in need; WORSHIPPING God as a faith community in word and sacrament; TEACHING of the Gospel message in the Catholic tradition; and ENGAGING in renewal, outreach, evangelization, and ecumenical cooperation. We, the people of the Local Church, gathered by the power of the Holy Spirit, are committed to responsible stewardship of our human and financial resources.




		About the Diocese Our Bishop Our Crest Our History Our Mission Bishop Higi Bishop Higi is the fifth Bishop of Lafayette-in-Indiana. He recently celebrated his 50th anniversary as a priest and 25th anniversary as a bishop . 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 ordained and installed as Bishop of the Diocese on June 6, 1984.Bishop Higi is the fifth Bishop of Lafayette-in-Indiana. He will begin his 23rd year as bishop in 2007. 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 ordained and installed as Bishop of the Diocese on June 6, 1984. On the uppermost portion of the crest is a crescent shaped moon. This is a Marian symbol of the Immaculate Conception and suggests the Diocese of Lafayette’s link to her mother diocese of Fort Wayne, Indiana, which is also under the patronage of the Immaculate Conception. The Virgin Mother, under the title of the Immaculate Conception, is also the patroness of the United States. Mary is often portrayed standing upon the crescent moon “… a woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet (Revelation 12:1).” The crescent moon is also a symbol of purity. Beneath the crescent moon is what appears to be the top of a castle. This image recalls Fort Ouiatenon (located southwest of Lafayette, Indiana) where Catholicism first arrived within the geographical boundaries of the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana in 1717. In that era, Father Mermet tended to the spiritual needs of the Wea (Ouiatenon) Indians and the local French settlers. In the background of the crest, there appears a bell-shaped pattern. This pattern was borrowed from the heraldic arms of the Frenchman, General Marquis de Lafayette, who fought with General George Washington in the American Revolution and for whom the See City of the Diocese is named. The inner-shield that appears in the forefront of the crest is also originally from General Marquis de Lafayette’s own coat of arms. In Christian tradition, a bell symbolizes the need to prioritize the things of God over the things of the world and the proclamation of the Word. The color of the Diocesan Crest is silver and blue. Although original to General Lafayette’s coat of arms, it now symbolizes the entrustment of the Diocese to the Blessed Virgin Mary. HISTORY OF THE DIOCESE OF LAFAYETTE-IN-INDIANA Pope Pius XII established the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana on October 21, 1944. The Diocese of Fort Wayne, the Mother Diocese, was established in 1857. Then, the territory now occupied by the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana had only three small brick churches with resident pastors, and four frame missions. Total Catholic population was about 5,000 people. Missionaries were still active in the area. On November 11, 1944, the Holy See made the announcement regarding the partitioning of the Fort Wayne Diocese creating the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana. The name was expressed in that manner to distinguish it from the Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana. The new diocese had 54 parishes and a Catholic population of 31,700. The area designated had 9,832 square miles and comprised 24 counties in Northcentral Indiana extending from the Illinois to the Ohio state lines. Catholics comprised fewer than 6 percent of the total population. The area was largely rural. John George Bennett was consecrated first bishop of the Lafayette See on January 10, 1945. He was a son of a parish in the new diocese, St. Mary’s in Dunnington. His successors have been John Joseph Cardinal Carberry, Bishop Raymond Gallagher, Bishop George Fulcher, and the current ordinary, Bishop William L. Higi, also a son of the diocese. Bishop Higi’s home parish is St. Mary, Anderson. Lafayette was the first home in America for the Poor Sisters of St. Francis Seraph of the Perpetual Adoration. Arriving in 1875 to minister to the sick and to teach, they remain active here today. The Sisters of Providence have served in Northcentral Indiana parishes for more than 125 years. The Sisters of St. Joseph founded a Motherhouse at Tipton in 1888 and continue their ministry from there today. The Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana has had as many as 67 parishes. The number is now 63. The most recent faith community, St. John Vianney, Fishers, was established in 2005. The diocese currently has 34,962 households and 105,711 individuals The mission of the Catholic people of Northcentral Indiana is to proclaim the Kingdom of God, to praise the name of Jesus and to follow Him by LOVING God and our neighbor, especially those in need; WORSHIPPING God as a faith community in word and sacrament; TEACHING of the Gospel message in the Catholic tradition; and ENGAGING in renewal, outreach, evangelization, and ecumenical cooperation. We, the people of the Local Church, gathered by the power of the Holy Spirit, are committed to responsible stewardship of our human and financial resources.