Golden Jubilee of the International Centre of Newman Friends

Fr. Hermann Geissler FSO

In the Holy Year of 1975, The Spiritual Family The Work organized the first academic symposium on John Henry Newman in Rome. Shortly afterwards, at the request of Cardinal Luigi Raimondi, then Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, a place was established where students, professors, and others could find references to literature and useful information about the English theologian. For 50 years now, the International Centre of Newman Friends, which today has branches in Rome, Littlemore/Oxford, Bregenz, and Budapest, has been working in many ways to help people get to know, study, love, and venerate the great English theologian. Newman has become a shining light for the Church: he was beatified by Benedict XVI in 2010, canonized by Francis in 2019, and on November 1, he will be included by Leo XIV in the select group of Doctors of the Church.

To thank the Lord for the 50th anniversary of the Newman Centre, a walk in the footsteps of Newman took place in Rome on the morning of October 11, 2025. This was followed in the afternoon by a solemn Mass of thanksgiving at San Giorgio in Velabro.

Newman Walk

More than sixty people took part in the Newman Walk, including elderly people, families and children, lay people, consecrated persons, priests, and even a bishop. At each of the nine sites we visited, the connection to Newman was explained, a prayer said, and a song sung. Along the way, we exchanged ideas and made new contacts with each other.

The walk began in front of the Palazzo di Propaganda Fide. This was formerly the site of the Collegio Urbano, where Newman prepared for ordination in the Catholic Church. He lived together with seminarians from many countries around the world and had the joyful experience of realizing that the Church is truly Catholic: “I was happy in Oriel (Oxford), happier in Littlemore (where he converted), but I am happiest here.”

Then we visited the church of Sant’Andrea delle Fratte next to the Palazzo di Propaganda Fide. There, some years before Newman’s arrival, the Blessed Mother had appeared to the unbelieving Jew Marie Alphonse Ratisbonne, who then became a devout Catholic. For Newman, this church was a place that reminded him of his close connection with Mary and her role in the history of salvation.

We then stopped in front of the Collegio Romano, the original seat of the Pontifical Gregorian University. There, Newman, a passionate seeker of truth, had many conversations with Fr. Giovanni Perrone, the theologian of Pope Pius IX. In these encounters, the two spoke mainly about the development of doctrine.

The next stop was the Palazzo Maffei Marescotti, where Newman gave a famous speech when he was presented with the document appointing him cardinal. In this “Biglietto Speech,” he said that he had fought against “liberalism in religion” throughout his life. This “religious relativism,” which Newman prophetically foresaw, is one of the greatest challenges facing the Church today.

We then visited the Chiesa Nuova, where Newman had come to know and love St. Filippo Neri, the founder of the Congregation of the Oratory. Pius IX allowed him to adapt the Oratorian Rule to the English mentality and, after an “express novitiate,” to found an Oratory in Birmingham with his friends.

Looking up at the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, we thought of Newman as a son of the Catholic Church. While he had “mixed feelings” in his heart during his first visit as an Anglican (1833) – Rome was for him the mother of the Church of England, but also the seat of the Antichrist – he received a special favour during his second visit (1846) after his conversion: he met the Pope personally in St. Peter’s Basilica while he was celebrating Mass privately.

In front of the Venerable English College, which for Newman was a place of encounter with friends, we read one of his beautiful texts on friendship and thought of his motto as a Cardinal: “Cor ad cor loquitur” – “The heart speaks to the heart.”

The three columns next to the Theatre of Marcellus, the second last stop, provided an opportunity to recall the connection between Mother Julia, the foundress of The Spiritual Family The Work, and Newman: in a time of trial, she found in Newman a spiritual brother who strengthened her in her love for the Church. The three columns became for Mother Julia a symbol of faith, hope, and love (cf. 1 Cor 13:13), the foundation of every Christian vocation.

The last stop, San Giorgio in Velabro, invited us to remember Newman’s elevation to the cardinalate in May 1879. Leo XIII wanted to honour the Church in England by honouring Newman. He affectionately called him “Il mio Cardinale.” Here we entrusted our concerns to Newman’s intercession by singing “Lead kindly light.”

Mass of Thanksgiving

The solemn Mass was presided over by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. About thirty priests concelebrated. Many faithful from various countries participated in the Holy Eucharist.

Members of The Spiritual Family The Work had decorated the church and set up a large portrait of Newman. They embellished the liturgy with flute and organ music, as well as festive singing, including some of Newman’s famous hymns.

In his homily (➞ link), Cardinal Semeraro referred to the Golden Jubilee of the Newman Centre, saying:

“We are delighted that Newman will soon be granted the title of Doctor of the Church. The unanimous approval that this announcement has received shows us how right Pope Francis was to open this cause, which was conducted according to the prescribed ecclesiastical procedure at the Congregation for the Causes of Saints and confirmed by Pope Leo XIV.”

He then commented on the Gospel passage about the healing of the ten lepers, only one of whom was “saved” because he became a believer, returned, and thanked Jesus. Newman would have emphasized, the cardinal continued, that “faith does not save if it remains mere intellectual assent: it must become an interior act of the heart and will, manifested in obedience and trust in God.”

Cardinal Semeraro then quoted a phrase spoken by Pope Paul VI in his address to the participants of the first Newman Symposium in 1975: “Today is Newman’s hour.” He then recalled the relevance of the English saint in the development of doctrine, in the correct understanding of the voice of conscience, and in the question of the relationship between faith and reason. He concluded by quoting one of Newman’s many beautiful prayers: “Lord, only you can fill the human heart, and you have promised to do so. You are the living flame and you always burn with love for humanity. Come to me and kindle your flame in me, so that I may burn with love.”

After the solemn Eucharist, a reception was held, prepared by sisters of The Spiritual Family The Work. Thus, the joy of this Golden Jubilee was concluded with a cordial gathering in the spirit of St. John Henry Newman.