Dr. Michael W. Higgins, formerly Vice President for Mission and Catholic Identity, has been named Distinguished Professor of Catholic Thought at Sacred Heart University. Distinguished Professor Emeritus Higgins is a biographer of Thomas Merton, Jean Vanier, Cardinal Gerald Emmett Carter and Henri Nouwen.

Dr. Higgins came to the SHU from Fredericton, New Brunswick, where he was president and vice chancellor of St. Thomas University and a professor of English and Religious Studies. From 1999 to 2006, he was president and vice chancellor of St. Jerome’s University in the University of Waterloo, Ontario, and he has held numerous appointments at other Canadian colleges and universities.

Professor Higgins is a columnist, a radio documentary maker, a television commentator on Vatican affairs and a regular contributor to Commonweal magazine. In addition, he was the chief advisor for the widely acclaimed TV series, Sir Peter Ustinov’s Inside the Vatican. He is the author and co-author of over a dozen books. The recipient of many awards and honors, he was presented an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree by Sacred Heart University in 2008.