Category: Spirituality
A Pilgrimage with Newman: Reading Patricia O’Leary’s The Gentleman Saint
Patricia O’Leary’s The Gentleman Saint (Gracewing, 2020) is a short and delightful introduction to John Henry Newman.
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John Henry Newman’s Pandemic Ministry: A Balm for the Bereaved
Newman ministered to the sick and dying cholera victims and their families in Oxford, Birmingham, and Bilston.
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“Knowing God, Being Made holy,” A Lecture by Jennifer Newsome Martin
This lecture addresses the theme in St. John Henry Newman of the gradual—some would even say ordinary—pursuit of holiness throughout the course of the course of our human lives.
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Unlearning the Love of This World: Newman’s Sermons as Spiritual Reading during Lent
If you are anything like me, you have on at least one occasion squandered the holy season of Lent. The Church has established such times on the liturgical calendar so that we might enter more deeply into the mysteries of Christ’s life.
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The Cry of Repentance Versus the Bitter Cry of Regret
It’s easy to read this account from Scripture and to cast aspersions on Esau. “How could he have been so foolish?” we wonder. “I’d never act that rashly,” we tell ourselves. Yet how often in our own lives do we make a similar, yet graver mistake by squandering the gifts of God—in our case, the graces that we receive through the sacraments—in exchange for some lesser good?
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Unlearning Ourselves in Lent: Newman on Fasting
For Newman, the disciplines of Lent—in this case, fasting—are a way for the Christian to participate mystically in the life of Christ. By intensifying our self-denial for these forty days of Lent, we come to know, in part, what Christ experienced in full measure:
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Lent, the Season of Repentance
In reading Newman’s letters and diaries, it’s clear that he knew of divine mercy not as an abstract theological idea, but at a deeply personal level as a core part of his spiritual journey. Because he himself had experienced the grace of God in many profound ways, Newman was eager to encourage others to cast themselves before the mercy seat.
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Francis de Sales the Oratorian
There is something stirring about seeing two greats from different generations together in the same place. In the world of sports, for instance, some memorable photo-ops have come about this way—say, with a young Lebron James standing next to Bill Russell or with Derek Jeter warming up on the same baseball diamond as Cal Ripken Jr.
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Neither Death Nor Life: The Story of One Woman’s Trust in God
As news is now reaching us that the Vatican has reportedly approved a second miracle toward the canonization of John Henry Newman, it’s worth reflecting on the process that brought us to this point.
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National Institute for Newman Studies
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Recent Articles
Newman’s Campaign in Ireland: A Review of Paul Shrimpton’s New EditionJuly 28, 2021The newest volume in the Birmingham Oratory’s Millennial Edition of Newman’s works published My Campaign Part I for the first time. […]
A Pilgrimage with Newman: Reading Patricia O’Leary’s The Gentleman SaintJuly 1, 2021Patricia O’Leary’s The Gentleman Saint (Gracewing, 2020) is a short and delightful introduction to John Henry Newman. […]
John Henry Newman’s Pandemic Ministry: A Balm for the BereavedMay 5, 2021Newman ministered to the sick and dying cholera victims and their families in Oxford, Birmingham, and Bilston. […]
John Henry Newman’s Second Journey to Rome: 1846-1847April 29, 2021In 1846 Newman traveled to Rome a second time, specifically for his seminary studies in preparation for his ordination as a Catholic priest. […]
Reading Newman Philosophically: An Integrative ExerciseApril 8, 2021This article argues that Newman’s notion of a philosophical habit of mind can provide a helpful conceptual framework for navigating conversations about reading, appropriating, and extending his philosophical thought. […]