Monsignor Laurence E. Higgins Dead at 87

TAMPA, FL — Members of Tampa’s St. Lawrence Catholic Parish are mourning the loss of their longtime leader Monsignor Laurence E. Higgins. The 87-year-old passed away Wednesday morning at his parish rectory home.

Higgins was St. Lawrence’s founder and served as its pastor for 49 years. His tenure there, which ran from 1958 to 2007, was the longest of any priest in the St. Petersburg Diocese’s history, according to the church.

Higgins retired in June 2007, but remained pastor emeritus at St. Lawrence Catholic Church, 5225 N. Himes Ave. He also continued his work on behalf of the poor, the parish said in a statement.

Higgins was born on Sept. 3, 1928, in Magherafelt, Ireland, to John and Philomena Higgins. His father served as a government administrator. Higgins was the third oldest of eight children.

Higgins was ordained on June 21, 1953, and was soon after sent to the Florida Diocese of St. Augustine. He worked in Miami before coming to the Tampa Bay area in 1958.

When Higgins arrived in Tampa, he was given 20 acres of pastureland at Hillsborough and Himes avenues. At the time, Archbishop Joseph Hurley gave him a directive: “Build a parish.”

Higgins did just that. The parish was canonically established in 1959 and held its first Masses at other locations, including the barracks at Drew Park and Jesuit High School’s chapel. By 1961, a provisional church building was completed. As the parish grew to included 2,200 families, the permanent church was built and dedicated on April 5, 1981.

Higgins was awarded the title of Monsignor Prelate of Honor by Pope John Paul II in 1983. He later earned the title Protonotary Apostolic, which is the highest rank of monsignor. He also served as the chaplain for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Rowdies.

Higgins’ reputation as a good Samaritan extended well beyond the Tampa Bay area. President Jimmy Carter appointed him to the U.S. Commission for Civil Rights for the southern states in the 1970s as he was helping build three more Catholic parishes in Tampa: St. Paul, Incarnation and Epiphany.

The Raphael Foundation was one of Higgins’ creations. Launched in 1997, the organization supports such programs as the Judeo Christian Health Clinic, the McDonald Training Center and Trinity Café.

Funeral details have not yet been released. Services are expected to take place next week.

Photo used with permission from St. Lawrence Parish