Sunday, November 23, 2008

R.I.P. Fr Higham

It is with sadness that I learn of the death of Fr David Anthony Higham this weekend. I have known him since attending his parish of St Mary's at Harvington Hall in Worcestershire, where he said a traditional Latin Mass every month. Earlier this year he suffered a stroke and has since been recovering at Oulton Abbey in retirement.

Fr Higham was parish priest at Harvington Hall from 1999 till 2008. He wrote the book "The Priests and People of Harvington" published in 2006, which has been an excellent contribution to the history of this important recusant area. I have written a little about Harvington Hall before, but want to reflect today on his life, mainly in his own words, and recount some of the contributions Fr Higham made to the parish.

David Higham was educated by the Dominicans at Blackfriars, Laxton, and entered the Benedictine Order at Prinknash Abbey, Gloucestershire in 1944. He was subsequently sent with other monks to repopulate St Michael's Abbey at Farnborough in Hampshire. He was ordained priest in 1954, and eventually appointed superior at Farnborough. In 1980, when the monastery achieved autonomy, he was elected conventual prior. For three years Dom Higham also combined his duties with that of parish priest of Our Lady of Lourdes in nearby Cove.

Ten years later, for reasons Fr Higham was always quite reserved about, he relinquished his office of prior and returned to the Midlands to become chaplain to the Benedictine nuns at Oulton near Stone in Staffordshire (It was here that Fr Higham returned to be nursed in his final months). Around this time he was briefly the superior of a small traditional monastic community at Alton, which included fellow monk Dom Andrew Southwell.

Fr Higham joined the Archdiocese of Birmingham in 1997, and after serving parishes in Staffordshire was assigned to the metropolitan Cathedral of St Chad's in the city centre of Birmingham. It was therefore with pleasure that Fr Higham was then reassigned in 1999 to his beloved countryside of Worcestershire and the little parish of Harvington.

Fr Higham soon set about restoring the Georgian-style priest's house adjoining the church of St Mary's, and investigating the archives. For company he shared the house with a border collie and two Burmese cats, who Fr Higham commented managed to live together more peacefully than some humans he has known! It was with sadness that his dog died in 2007, and Fr Higham hoped to be soon buried in the same grave in the garden of the Priest's House.

Fr Higham will leave a grand legacy behind him at the parish of Harvington, the shrine of St John Wall: in 2003 the roof and walls were repaired and refurbished to include angelic paintings on each ceiling overlooking the sanctuary (see pictures below). Other refurbishments include improved fittings for the reredos and tabernacle, a brass eagle lectern (where I will always remember Fr Higham's beautiful, intelligent and powerful sermons), new stained glass windows, new oak seating, and new paving outside the porch. Of note is also a sculpture of St John Wall by Gabrielle Mercer.

Fr Higham celebrated his Golden Jubilee of Priestly Ordination in 2004. I hope that we may pray fervently and confidently upon his death, and dedicate his life's work back to God, whom he laboured so tirelessly for.

Subveníte Sancti Dei, occúrrite Angeli Dómine, Suscipiéntes ánimam ejus, Offeréntes eam in conspéctu Altísimi.

Suscípiat te Christus, qui vocávit te, et in sinum Abrahæ Angeli dedúcant te. Suscipiéntes ánimam ejus, Offeréntes eam in conspéctu Altíssimi.

Come to his assistance, all ye Saints of God: meet him, all ye Angels of God: receiving his soul, offering it in the sight of the Most high.
May Christ receive thee, who hath called thee, and may the Angels conduct thee to Abraham’s bosom. Receiving his soul and offering it in the sight of the Most High.

13 comments:

  1. May he rest in peace. The break up at Farnborough was a tragedy of profound significance that will probably lead to the eventual end of the abbey. Many members of the community left and it has been impossible for the residue to get their act together since. Abbot or no Abbot, it's now down to almost nothing.

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  2. l have known Fr David since 1975 when he was at Farnborough. It was with sadness that l learnt of his death by two of his former Monks, now not in Monastic life. l owe alot to Fr. David, he was very kind to me when l had trouble with my parents over my wanting to be a practising catholic, and other family problems too. He was the most wonderful, kind and caring person. l had the joy of being in contact with him from 1975 onwards, and counted him as a friend. He will be sorely missed not just by me, but many people, whose live's he touched.May you rest in peace dear Fr. David.

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  3. Thank you for a very moving tribute to a wonderful, and perhaps under-valued, priest. One prays that his legacy will live on at Harvington, though much depends on the mind-set of his successor, whoever that might be. Requiescat in pace.

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  4. I was one of Fr David's Novices and have always had a high regard for him, he was always a warm and caring person , though had that 'English reserve'. I respect his silence over the breakup of Farnborough, a tragedy in so many ways. However many of those Monks who left are in another way a tribute to his care, several are excellent priests with a tremedous love of liturgy.
    he had a superb voice, his renditon of the chnat was one of the delights of the Office at Farnborough.
    He was a bendictine to the end. May he rest in peace.

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  5. I, too, am a former Farnborough OSB & know something of the suffering he endured at the hands of an unscrupulous individual. But the Abbey is reaping a fine reward for all the callous plotting & scheming! I gather it is almost dead with only 3 able-bodied & 2 elderly/infirm monks left.

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  6. Funeral details:
    Reception of body - St Ambrose church, Kidderminster 6pm Wednesday December 3rd 2008, followed by Tridentine Mass 7pm.
    St Mary Harvington Hall, 11am Thursday December 4th 2008 (I think celebrated by the Archbishop).

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  7. I first met Fr.David in 1961 when we moved to Farnborough and went to the Abbey for Mass-he started the choir which became famous- only to be destroyed by the present
    "Abbot"- the saddest day was the day Fr.David left- Farnboroughs loss was eventually Harvingtons gain. The lay community he had at the Abbey like his monks have all gone- thankfully many friendships made there have stood and we remain in touch. I would have likes to be with you all on Thursday but will remember in my prayers. Rest in Peace Fr.David

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  8. Thank you, Matthew, for posting these details.

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  9. I hope Fr Higham's funeral was a glorious & fitting tribute to a fine priest.
    It would be interesting to know if 'Farnborough' was present or sent a representative.

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  10. 'Farnborough' was aptly and ably represented by its own Fr Abbot, who does not deserve the derision levelled against him by ill-informed contributors to this thread.

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  11. I wonder who is thought to be 'ill-informed'? Surely not the former members of the community who have an insiders knowledge of what went on?

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  12. Yet another former Farnborough OSB here - I had no idea there were so many :)
    Sorry to hear of Fr David's death. I have both happy and sad memories of my time at Farnborough which ended in the mid '80s; there were certainly a lot of politics around even in those days!

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  13. I was at Farnborough in the 90's and shudder to remember some of the things I witnessed/heard.
    Fr David was subjected to brutal treatment & only crocodile tears followed his departure.

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