Pope Benedict XVI has named Msgr. Timothy L. Doherty, 59, as bishop of Lafayette, Ind., and accepted the resignation of Bishop William L. Higi of Lafayette, according to the Catholic News Service.

The appointment and resignation were announced May 12 by Archbishop Pietro Sambi, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

A priest of the Diocese of Rockford, Ill., Bishop-designate Doherty had been pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Dundee, Ill., and St. Mary Mission Church in Gilberts, Ill., since 2007 and diocesan ethicist for health care since 1995.

Bishop Higi, 76, had been bishop of Lafayette since 1984.

Bishop-elect Timothy Doherty's Biography, from the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana Web site

Msgr. Doherty is a native of Rockford, Ill.  He graduated high school from St. Mary Minor Seminary in Crystal Lake, Ill.

He received a B.A. from St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa, in 1972.  He got his baccalaureate in theology in 1975 at the Gregorian University during his seminary formation at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. 

He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Arthur J. O'Neill for the Diocese of Rockford at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Crystal Lake on June 26, 1976.  He completed his license (STL) in moral theology in 1982 at the Alfonsian Academy of the Lateran University in Rome. 

In 1996, he completed his doctorate in Christian Ethics at Loyola University Chicago.

Msgr. Doherty's first priestly assignment was as an associate at St. Peter Cathedral in Rockford until 1981. After completing his degree in 1982, he returned to the faculty of Rockford's Boylan Catholic High School as a full time religion instructor.

From 1986 - 1991, he was assistant principal and head of the religion department at Marian Central Catholic High School in Woodstock.  He then started doctoral work at Loyola. In 1995, Bishop Thomas G. Doran appointed him the diocesan ethicist for health care issues, a role that has continued to the present. 

From 1996-1999 he was an associate pastor at OSF St. Anthony College of Nursing, Rockford, teaching courses in theology and health care ethics.

During his time in specialized ministry, Msgr. Doherty also assisted at St. Patrick Church, Rockford; St. Bridget Church, Loves Park; St. Patrick Church, McHenry.  From mid 1991- mid 1998, he assisted on weekends at St. Catherine of Siena in West Dundee.

In early 1999, he was parochial administrator at St. James Parish in Lee, Ill., and from June 1999 until June 2007 was pastor at St. Mary Parish in Byron, Ill. In June of 2007, he was appointed as pastor of St. Catherine of Siena, Dundee, and St. Mary Mission of Gilberts.

As the Diocesan Ethicist for Health Care issues, he was consultant to the bishop and the diocesan clergy. He functioned as a liaison between Catholic health care ministries and the diocese. 

He was also a diocesan priest representative to the Catholic Conference of Illinois; a board member of the Illinois Catholic Health Association; and president of the national Conference of Diocesan Coordinators of Health Affairs (no longer extant).  For some years he has been a member of the Archdiocese of Chicago bioethics subcommittee, and the system ethics committee of OSF Healthcare in Peoria.

Msgr. Doherty was born September 29, 1950 to Lawrence and June (Anderson) Doherty. They reside together in Rockford.  The eldest of seven children, he has four sisters and two brothers.