Higgins decides ‘now is the time’

When Kathleen Lee Higgins, the new director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Baton Rouge, has faced major decisions in her faith journey and professional life, she said God guided her along the way with the prompting, “Now is the time.”

Higgins brings more than a decade of ministry experience to the diocese.

Born and raised in Baton Rouge, Higgins is a vibrant speaker who has cultivated her faith in the rich Catholic culture of the south. She uses storytelling, humor and real-life examples to bring the faith to life and to invite others to “walk with Christ in the everyday.”

Higgins is also a co-host of “The Catholic Underground,” a podcast and nationally syndicated radio and television program. She speaks to youth and young adults across the country.

Growing up in St. Thomas More Church in Baton Rouge, Higgins said the initial draw to youth ministry was social in nature with the hope of finding a community of youth who were striving to live like the Lord was calling them to be. In high school she was involved with the diocesan Youth Board and was involved in youth ministry in college and as a student leader and as an adult.

Higgins holds a bachelor’s degree in theology from the University of Holy Cross in New Orleans and a master’s degree in theology from The Augustine Institute in Colorado.

With a desire to teach religion, Higgins taught for 10 years in Catholic high schools and was “doing ministry on the side,” speaking and playing music.

“Then in 2018 there was a clear call to get out of the classroom from the Lord,” said Higgins.

Thinking, “Lord, I have this theology degree, what else am I supposed to do?” Higgins taught for a little while longer and then moved on to junior high school ministry. This past summer she was hired for the position of youth/young adult ministry project coordinator for the diocese.

When these opportunities came open Higgins believed the Lord wasn’t so much telling her “You’re not supposed to be in the classroom” as “now is the time.”

“Right away there was a sense of peace and joy about the atmosphere and my co-workers,” said Higgins, after coming onboard at the diocese.

When West Giffin, previous youth and young adult ministry director, left to accept a position as youth minister and assistant athletic director at Most Blessed Sacrament Church and School in Baton Rouge, Higgins initially decided she would not apply for the position.

“In this season in my life, I really just wanted to support people,” said Higgins.

After discussions with others about the purpose of the director’s position and how it supports people in youth ministry, she reconsidered.

“Then the Lord spoke again and said, ‘Now is the time,’ ” Higgins said.

“I applied and I’m so grateful to be able to serve at the dioce-san level those people who are working in the trenches,” said Higgins.

She is honored to serve in some “pretty awesome footsteps” of past diocesan youth/young adult directors such as Cooper Ray, Brigitte Burke, Tim Messenger, Olivia Gulino and Giffin.

Every ministry and career move Higgins has made and all of the people she has worked with have prepared her for her current position. She said her husband Adam, whom she married in November 2022, has been one of her biggest supporters as well as her family.

Higgins noted that in recent years there’s been a shift from big diocesan events to more relational ministry. She said the big events are “not off the table” but there will be more of a shift to “pouring into youth ministers” and accompanying them as they accompany their youth on their own faith journeys. Higgins said this allows for more room for creativity in ultimately helping young people to encounter Jesus.

With attention given to the fact youth are increasingly being disconnected from their faith it would appear to be “desperate times.”

But with her effervescent smile, Higgins seems to relish the challenges of helping grow the next generation of engaged Catholics.

“You got to go about it in a different way, which has its own challenges, of course, but it is also exciting,” said Higgins.

She added, “I’m always looking out for whom I can ‘bring in’ to Jesus, I always keep him in the forefront. Those young people the Lord is placing right in front of me. It’s not always about numbers, it’s about the souls that are right in front of you.”

She added, “We focus a lot on the harvest, but sometimes we are simply called to be planters.”