Priests, Prophets, and Kings: Ecclesiology in Newman and Tolkien
John Kezel, PhD,
The Campion Institute, Newman Conference on 23 October 2010, Fordham University, Lincoln Campus New York City
I cannot express adequately how pleased I am to be a part of this celebration of Blessed John Henry Newman’s beatification last month. I am especially pleased to be honoring Newman here at Fordham. Many of you are probably familiar with Newman’s statement about his conversion: “Catholics did not make us Catholics; Oxford made us Catholics.”
When our Lord came upon earth, He might have created a fresh body for Himself out of nothing-or He might have formed a body for Himself out of the earth, as He formed Adam. But He preferred to be born, as other men are born, of a human mother. Why did He do so?
Why was he beatified?
So many were the wonderful works which our Saviour did on earth, that not even the world itself could have contained the books recording them. Nor have His marvels been less since He ascended on high; –
You know very well, my brethren, and there are few persons anywhere who deny it, that in the breast of every one there dwells a feeling or perception, which tells him the difference between right and wrong, and is the standard by which to measure thoughts and actions. It is called conscience; and even though it be not at all times powerful enough to rule us, still it is distinct and decisive enough to influence our views and form our judgments in the various matters which come before us.
Lectio Magistralis
A man cannot really be religious one hour, and not religious the next. We might as well say he could be in a state of good health one hour, and in bad health the next. A man who is religious, is religious morning, noon, and night; his religion is a certain character,