Lawrence Sydney Nicasio (5 September 1956 – 1 January 2024) was a Belizean clergyman and Roman Catholic bishop in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Belize City-Belmopan.
Biography Lawrence Sydney Nicasio was born on 5 September 1956, Belize: Vatican appoints new bishop . In: Catholic News, Port of Spain, 5 February 2017, p. 5. and came from a Garifuna family.Matthew O'Connor: "Garifuna Community Marks Settlement Day". In: The Tablet of 15 November 2017, retrieved 2 July 2018. He attended Augustine High School in his hometown of Dangriga and graduated from Belize Teachers' College in Belize City. He then taught at various schools and was appointed director of the Catholic schools in the Toledo District.Second Garifuna Catholic Bishop Ordained in Belize, accessed 2 July 2018.
In 1981 he began studying philosophy at Cardinal Glennon College in Shrewsbury, Missouri, which was followed by studies at the theology college on the same grounds, Kenrick Theological Seminary, near St. Louis. On 16 June 1989, he was ordained to the priesthood. He was Vicar in Belmopan for 13 years from 1991 to 2004, pastor in Orange Walk Town, and then pastor of two suburban churches in Belize City: St. Ignatius (2005–2008) and St. John Vianney (2008–2013)."Belize: Vatican appoints new bishop". In: Catholic News, Port of Spain, 5 February 2017, p. 5.
On 26 January 2017, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Bishop Dorick M. Wright and appointed Nicasio as the new Bishop of Belize City-Belmopan. He received episcopal consecration from the Apostolic Nuncio in Belize, Archbishop Léon Kalenga Badikebele, on 13 May 2017. Co-consecrators were the Archbishop of Nassau, Patrick Christopher Pinder, and Fernand J. Cheri, OFM, Auxiliary Bishop in New Orleans.
Nicasio died from cancer at his residence in Belize City, on 1 January 2024, at the age of 67.
References
External links Catholic hierarchy: Bishop Lawrence Sydney Nicasio