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Rev Fr John W Higgins

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Rev Fr John W Higgins

Birth
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA
Death
4 Apr 1972 (aged 64)
Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa, USA
Burial
Winterset, Madison County, Iowa, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
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Winterset Madisonian Page 1 April 5, 1972
Local Priest Dies At 64
Monsignor John W Higgins, well-known spiritual leader of St. Joseph's Catholic parish in Winterset for the past 17 years, died this Tuesday morning, April 4, at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. He had been hospitalized for about three weeks with a heart condition.
He was 64 years of age.
Msgr. Higgins came to Winterset in 1955 as pastor of St. Joseph's church. Prior to that he served many years as a teacher at Dowling high school in Des Moines, and was also a parish priest at Lacona, Iowa.
For many years he was an active member of the Des Moines Serra Club, which emphasises vocations to the priesthood. At the time of his death he was Chaplain of the club.
Msgr. Higgins also had a long record of religious work with the deaf. Here in Winterset he organized the Pope John XXIII fraternity of the Third Order of St. Francis, and served as spiritual advisor.
Locally he was active in the Lions club and currently was serving as head of the Cancer Crusade.
Funeral services for Msgr. Higgins will be at 11 am this Friday at St. Joseph's church. There will be two rosary services, at 8 pm both Wednesday and Thursday, at the church.
Winterset Madisonian Page 1 April 12, 1972
Bishop Conducts Requiem Mass for Father Higgins
Bishop Maurice Dingman of the Des Moines diocese of the Roman Catholic church conducted the requiem mass Friday at St. Joseph's Catholic church in Winterset for Msgr. John W. Higgins, pastor of the church, whose death had occurred Tuesday, April 4, at Mercy hospital in Des Moines.
The Rev. Charles Phelan, pastor of St. Theresa's Catholic church in Des Moines, a close friend of Monsignor Higgins, gave the eulogy. Other priests assisting with the Mass included Monsignor Higgins brother, the Rev. Daniel Higgins of Omaha, and Monsignor Thomas Costin of Council Bluffs, the Rev. John Hart of Council Bluffs and the Rev. John Ryan of Cummings and the Revs Mark Neiman and Daniel Ryan of Omaha.
Rosaries for Monsignor Higgins had been recited last Wednesday and Thursday evenings at St. Joseph's church. Burial was made in the Winterset cemetery.
Msgr. John W. Higgins was a native of Chicago, where he was born July 17, 1907, a son of Hugh C. and Teresa Murray Higgins. Most of his early life was spent in Council Bluffs, where he graduated from St. Francis High school. He started his studies for the priesthood at Creighton university in Omaha, where he graduated in 1930. He then studied at St. Marys' seminary in Baltimore, Md. and was ordained into the priesthood in 1934 by Bishop Gerald Bergan of the Des Moines diocese. He took graduate work at Harvard university in Massachusetts and the State University of Iowa in Iowa City, and taught at St. Anthony's school in Des Moines in 1934, and at Iowa City in 1935 and 1936. From 1936 until 1953 he taught and served as registrar at Dowling High School in Des Moines. He then served two years as pastor at Lacona, before coming to Winterset in 1955 where the last 17 years of his life were spent as pastor of St. Joseph's church.
Monsignor Higgins served as chaplain for the Catholic Deaf association in the Des Moines area, and his outstanding work in that field over a long period of years was a major factor in his elevation to the title of monsignor, by Pope John XXIII, after coming to the Winterset church.
Monsignor Higgins also served as chaplain to the Des Moines chapter of Serra International, and to the Des Moines Knights of Columbus.
After coming to St. Joseph's parish Monsignor Higgins helped organize the Pope John XXIII fraternity of the third Order of St. Francis, and served as its spiritual advisor until his death.
During his 17 years of residence in Winterset Monsignor Higgins took an active and leading part in many phases of community life. For many years he had served as chairman of the annual fund drive of the American Cancer society in Madison county. He was active in the Winterset Lions club, president of the Winterset Ministerial association and member of the Madison county Health Planning council.
Monsignor Higgins is survived by three brothers, the Rev. Daniel J. Higgins of Omaha, Hugh M. P. Higgins of Omaha, and William J. Higgins of Council Bluffs; and two sisters, Mrs. James E. Carr of Chicago and Mrs. Robert J. McCabe of Denver, Colo.
Contributor: A J Hill
Winterset Madisonian Page 1 April 5, 1972
Local Priest Dies At 64
Monsignor John W Higgins, well-known spiritual leader of St. Joseph's Catholic parish in Winterset for the past 17 years, died this Tuesday morning, April 4, at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. He had been hospitalized for about three weeks with a heart condition.
He was 64 years of age.
Msgr. Higgins came to Winterset in 1955 as pastor of St. Joseph's church. Prior to that he served many years as a teacher at Dowling high school in Des Moines, and was also a parish priest at Lacona, Iowa.
For many years he was an active member of the Des Moines Serra Club, which emphasises vocations to the priesthood. At the time of his death he was Chaplain of the club.
Msgr. Higgins also had a long record of religious work with the deaf. Here in Winterset he organized the Pope John XXIII fraternity of the Third Order of St. Francis, and served as spiritual advisor.
Locally he was active in the Lions club and currently was serving as head of the Cancer Crusade.
Funeral services for Msgr. Higgins will be at 11 am this Friday at St. Joseph's church. There will be two rosary services, at 8 pm both Wednesday and Thursday, at the church.
Winterset Madisonian Page 1 April 12, 1972
Bishop Conducts Requiem Mass for Father Higgins
Bishop Maurice Dingman of the Des Moines diocese of the Roman Catholic church conducted the requiem mass Friday at St. Joseph's Catholic church in Winterset for Msgr. John W. Higgins, pastor of the church, whose death had occurred Tuesday, April 4, at Mercy hospital in Des Moines.
The Rev. Charles Phelan, pastor of St. Theresa's Catholic church in Des Moines, a close friend of Monsignor Higgins, gave the eulogy. Other priests assisting with the Mass included Monsignor Higgins brother, the Rev. Daniel Higgins of Omaha, and Monsignor Thomas Costin of Council Bluffs, the Rev. John Hart of Council Bluffs and the Rev. John Ryan of Cummings and the Revs Mark Neiman and Daniel Ryan of Omaha.
Rosaries for Monsignor Higgins had been recited last Wednesday and Thursday evenings at St. Joseph's church. Burial was made in the Winterset cemetery.
Msgr. John W. Higgins was a native of Chicago, where he was born July 17, 1907, a son of Hugh C. and Teresa Murray Higgins. Most of his early life was spent in Council Bluffs, where he graduated from St. Francis High school. He started his studies for the priesthood at Creighton university in Omaha, where he graduated in 1930. He then studied at St. Marys' seminary in Baltimore, Md. and was ordained into the priesthood in 1934 by Bishop Gerald Bergan of the Des Moines diocese. He took graduate work at Harvard university in Massachusetts and the State University of Iowa in Iowa City, and taught at St. Anthony's school in Des Moines in 1934, and at Iowa City in 1935 and 1936. From 1936 until 1953 he taught and served as registrar at Dowling High School in Des Moines. He then served two years as pastor at Lacona, before coming to Winterset in 1955 where the last 17 years of his life were spent as pastor of St. Joseph's church.
Monsignor Higgins served as chaplain for the Catholic Deaf association in the Des Moines area, and his outstanding work in that field over a long period of years was a major factor in his elevation to the title of monsignor, by Pope John XXIII, after coming to the Winterset church.
Monsignor Higgins also served as chaplain to the Des Moines chapter of Serra International, and to the Des Moines Knights of Columbus.
After coming to St. Joseph's parish Monsignor Higgins helped organize the Pope John XXIII fraternity of the third Order of St. Francis, and served as its spiritual advisor until his death.
During his 17 years of residence in Winterset Monsignor Higgins took an active and leading part in many phases of community life. For many years he had served as chairman of the annual fund drive of the American Cancer society in Madison county. He was active in the Winterset Lions club, president of the Winterset Ministerial association and member of the Madison county Health Planning council.
Monsignor Higgins is survived by three brothers, the Rev. Daniel J. Higgins of Omaha, Hugh M. P. Higgins of Omaha, and William J. Higgins of Council Bluffs; and two sisters, Mrs. James E. Carr of Chicago and Mrs. Robert J. McCabe of Denver, Colo.
Contributor: A J Hill

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Monsignor - Pastor St Joseph Catholic Church 1955 - 1972



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  • Created by: 46620252
  • Added: Dec 31, 2005
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/12833440/john_w-higgins: accessed ), memorial page for Rev Fr John W Higgins (17 Jul 1907–4 Apr 1972), Find a Grave Memorial ID 12833440, citing Winterset Cemetery, Winterset, Madison County, Iowa, USA; Maintained by 46620252 (contributor 46620252).