THE
P RTAL
March 2019
Page 10
Thoughts on Newman
In gratitude
Dr Stephen Morgan on Blessed John Henry Newman
being raised to the Altars of the Universal Church
S
o our prayers have been answered. The decree has been issued: the second miracle has been
recognised and it seems almost certain that Newman will be canonised later this year – probably sometime
around about his feast in October, which is, of course, very close to the tenth anniversary of the Apostolic
Constitution Anglicanorum Cietibus and the establishment of the Ordinariates. Co-incidence? If you like.
Auspicious outworking of Divine Providence? I think so. What now does this mean – other than that we’re
going to have to find someone else for whose canonisation to pray. More about that later.
When someone is declared “Blessèd” (we call
this “beatification”) the Church recognises that an
individual of heroic virtue is now considered to be in
Heaven and may be invoked in the public liturgy of a
particular locality. Until 1634, bishops of dioceses were
permitted to, and often did, beatify people, but since
then – as much as anything else to prevent abuses and
political manipulations – the Pope has reserved this
power to himself.
was educated at the Oratory School, near Reading
– who will be particularly delighted. Aside from
satisfying personal devotion, does this canonisation
mean anything more?
Newman’s cause was originally advanced by the
Archdiocese of Birmingham, fittingly enough since
Newman lived much of his life in the diocese, but I
think it is fair to say that the process accelerated
considerably after the election of Pope Benedict XVI,
The local nature of the cult of a particular beatus who had both a personal devotion and a profound
(the Latin term for a “Blessèd”) is important. When intellectual engagement with Newman’s thinking.
he was beatified, the cult of John Henry Newman Normally, individual beati, often languish for many
was largely limited to Britain, the Commonwealth, decades, even centuries before being canonised, but
the Ordinariates and University Chaplaincies in the Newman is to be advanced only nine years after the
US – which had traditionally been called “Newman beatification.
Centres”.
Why? One reason at least is, I am convinced, the
Where I am now, in Macau – despite the fact that fervent prayers of those of you in the Ordinariates.
the Rector of my University and the Bishop having Newman’s canonisation is, I am beyond certain sure,
a personal devotion to Newman – we have not been the first fruit for the Universal Church from the
permitted by the Holy See to put Newman’s feast day Ordinariates: it is your gift to the Universal Church.
in the Diocesan calendar (which we call an “Ordo”): We might want to see it as a gift in thanksgiving for
the logic being what has this Holy Englishman got to the establishment of your unique way into the full
do with a former-Portuguese territory in China. All communion of the Catholic Church, but gift to the
that is now set to change.
rest of us it certainly is and you are due our gratitude.
Thank you.
When a Beatus is canonised, declared a Saint – as
Newman will be this year –we often refer to them
What now? Well, first, keep your prayers going
being “raised to the altars of the Universal Church”. because they certainly seem to work. I might suggest
This is because one of the effects of canonisation is that you now direct them to the cause that Newman be
they appear in the calendar of the whole Church, or declared a Doctor of the Church so that his thought,
at least of the Church of the Latin Rite. The practical his unique contribution is the better recognised and
consequence for us who live outside the Anglophone known, but I have one more request.
sphere is that Newman’s feast-day can be celebrated in
You might take your prayers to Our Lady of
the public liturgy.
Walsingham and through her, to her Son that
There are a number of us here in Macau – and not the cause of Charlotte Pearson Boyd might move
just Bishop Lee and the Rector of our University, who forward.