Newman 100th Anniversary Lecturer
Newman Anniversary Lecture, Thursday, Oct. 1, 7:00 pm, Fr. O’Donnell Auditorium
Dr. Michael Higgins will be presenting a lecture from his research titled, "Illuminating Newman: Personal Reflections on an Enduring Presence."
Dr. Higgins, a native Torontonian, has held several senior leadership positions in universities in Canada and the United States: President and Vice-Chancellor of St. Jerome’s University in the University of Waterloo; President and Vice-Chancellor of St. Thomas University in Fredericton; Vice-President of Mission and Catholic Identity at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut; and Principal and President of St. Mark’s and Corpus Christi Colleges at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.
He is currently President and Vice-Chancellor Emeritus of St. Jerome’s University; Basilian Distinguished Fellow in Contemporary Catholic Thought at St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto; Senior Fellow of Massey College at the University of Toronto; and Distinguished Professor of Catholic Thought Emeritus at Sacred Heart University.
He is the author of many books — several of which have been translated into Italian, French, German, and Norwegian, and many of which are award winners. His authored and co-authored books include: Heretic Blood: The Spiritual Geography of Thomas Merton; The Jesuit Mystique; The Muted Voice: Religion and the Media; My Father’s Business: The official biography of Gerald Emmett Cardinald Carter; Power and Peril: The Catholic Church at the Crossroads; Genius Born of Anguish: The Life and Legacy of Henri Nouwen; Suffer the Children unto Me: An Open Inquiry into the Clerical Sexual Abuse Scandal; Stalking the Holy: In Pursuit of Saint-Making; The Unquiet Monk: The Questing Spirit of Thomas Merton; Thomas Merton: Faithful Visionary; Impressively Free: Henri Nouwen as a Model for a Reformed Priesthood; and The Church Needs the Laity: The Wisdom of John Henry Newman. His most recent works are The Jesuit Disruptor: A Personal Portrait of Pope Francis, published by House of Anansi in the fall of 2024, and A Synod Diary, published by Paulist Press simultaneously in the United States and Canada in January 2026.
He has written numerous articles in general interest publications as well as peer reviewed journals, edited several specialist volumes, and is currently a regular contributor to The Globe and Mail (Toronto), The Literary Review of Canada, Commonweal (New York), and The Tablet (London, UK).
He has written and narrated dozens of CBC documentaries, including Genius Born of Anguish which was awarded the gold medal at the New York Festival for best international radio documentary, and has been a commentator for NPR and CTV. His work for CBC includes commentaries, scripts, and narration for Ideas, Testament, Celebration, Sunday Morning, and Man Alive.
He is the recipient of three honourary doctorates.
He is married to Krystyna, a writer, editor, liturgical musician, and accompanist for the Guelph Male Choir. They have four adult children: Rebecca, Andrew, Sarah, and Alexa.