Newman: First Englishman designated a saint since Reformation

By Msgr. Thomas J. Sullivan
Pastor, Christ the King Parish, Worcester
Pope Francis will canonize Cardinal John Henry Newman in St. Peter’s Square this Sunday, Oct. 13. It will be an historic occasion for the Catholic Church in England and the world. Newman is the first Englishman to be designated a saint since the martyrs of the Reformation. That’s five centuries! And members of the Anglican Church, from which he departed when he became Catholic in mid-life, are also delighted by this recognition. They now venerate him as well. Millions of Christians realize his greatness.
Some theologians divide the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church into three ages: the age of Augustine, the age of Aquinas, and the age of Newman. That’s pretty rarefied air.
In conceiving his uniqueness you have to imagine an intellectual giant, world-class theologian, man of great prayer and remarkable courage in the face of adversity, the finest prose writer in Victorian England, and one who, at the same time, cared most about the welfare of the poor he met in the slums of Birmingham as a parish priest: all rolled into one!
Newman had a long life. He was born a year after George Washington died and died a few months after Dwight Eisenhower was born. He was admitted to Oxford University at the age of 15.
He became Oxford’s most distinguished professor and since these dons were also Anglican priests he preached regularly at Oxford’s university church, St. Mary the Virgin. When he first stepped into that pulpit virtually none of Oxford’s 1,000 students attended Sunday services, even though each of the university’s 38 colleges had their own chapel. Within a short time, 600 students were coming to hear him, vastly more than St. Mary’s could seat. They came because he spoke the truth and challenged the students’ faith.
Newman came to believe that the Church of England’s long separation from the papacy was its critical loss. With others he began a process of “catholicizing” Anglicanism in what is called the “Oxford Movement.” Ultimately, it wasn’t enough, and on Oct. 9, 1845 he entered the Catholic Church. Soon thereafter he became a Catholic priest. Thus, England’s most famous Anglican priest (some called him “its pope”) became that country’s most celebrated Catholic priest. Painfully, he was then barred from the university he loved so much.
Over a lifetime Newman immersed himself in the study of the Scriptures and the teaching of the Church Fathers: Augustine, Jerome, Chrysostom and others. Mid-20th century theologians, those who laid the groundwork for the Second Vatican Council (like Henri de Lubac, Yves Congar and the young Joseph Ratzinger) all read Newman. The inevitable impact was that the teachings of the Council would now be heavily rooted in Scripture and the Fathers. For this reason, Newman is thought to be the inspiration for the Council called by Pope St. John XXIII in 1959.
In his writing and preaching there were four principal themes, keys to his thought.
First, the importance of “Revelation.” What we know about God has been revealed to us. This is a great gift.     
Secondly, Revelation is received by the Church. Where the Body of Christ is to be found most fully is where Revelation will be received most perfectly.
“The fundamental principle of my religion,” he said, “is dogma.” What has been revealed and received then needs to be articulated for others and communicated to them. Consequently, the tremendous importance of education. Newman encouraged all to read as much as they could, in the broadest terms, maturing their minds. Then, he said, go out and engage the culture!
But that engagement should happen in a personal way. He had no interest in moving minds without touching hearts. He cared deeply about academic excellence, while both teaching at Oxford and later as the first rector at Dublin’s Catholic University of Ireland, but he never forgot the person. Thus, his episcopal motto, “Cor ad cor loquitur” (“Heart speaks to heart”).
Too humble to become a bishop when the offer was made, he was nevertheless elevated to the rank of cardinal in 1879 by Pope Leo XIII.
That we might appreciate all God’s blessings, live by the truth and engage today’s secular culture, St. John Henry Newman … pray for us!