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.