Rome, June 2015
Dear Newman Friends,
In 1865 – exactly 150 years ago – John Henry Newman wrote The Dream of Gerontius, which set to music by Edward Elgar has become famous throughout the world. This poem is fascinating in its description of the dying Gerontius’ journey towards God’s judgment and from thence to Purgatory. Fr. Thomas Norris,
Fr Thomas Norris
The Creed of Christians includes the statement, “I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.” John Henry Newman not only had a vivid sense of that world, a world above and beyond this one, he continually reminded himself and others of the Invisible World or, as he liked to call it, the “Unseen World.”
Fr. Hermann Geissler, F.S.O.
Christians are called to have an answer ready for anyone who asks the reason for the hope that they have (cfr. 1 Pt 3:15). Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890) can serve as both helper and counsellor in this task of ours. After his conversion to the Catholic Church (1845), priestly ordination and his foundation of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in England, Newman gave
I adore you, O my Lord, the third person of the all-blessed Trinity, that you have set up in this world of sin a great light upon a hill. You have founded the Church; you have established and maintained it. You fill it continually with your gifts, that men may see, and draw near, and take, and live.
24th April 1831
“Him God raised up the third day, and showed Him openly; not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us who did eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead.” Acts 10: 40, 41.
It might have been expected, that, on our Saviour’s rising again from the dead, He would have shown Himself to very great numbers of people, and especially to those who crucified Him;
(August 18, 1855)
1. After all His discourses were consummated (Matt. 26:1), fully finished and brought to an end, then He said, The Son of man will be betrayed to crucifixion. As an army puts itself in battle array, as sailors, before an action, clear the decks, as dying men make their will and then turn to God, so though our Lord could never cease to speak good words,
1. After all His discourses were consummated (Matt. 26:1), fully finished and brought to an end, then He said, The Son of man will be betrayed to crucifixion. As an army puts itself in battle array, as sailors, before an action, clear the decks, as dying men make their will and then turn to God, so though our Lord could never cease to speak good words, did He sum up and complete His teaching, and then commence His passion. Then He removed by His own act the prohibition which kept Satan from Him, and opened the door to the agitations of His human heart, as a soldier, who is to suffer death, may drop his handkerchief himself. At once Satan came on and seized upon his brief hour.
Sermon 10, 12th April 1835
“Jesus said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto Him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how He loved him.” John 11. 34-36.
On first reading these words the question naturally arises in the mind—why did our Lord weep at the grave of Lazarus? He knew He had power to raise him, why should He act the part of those who sorrow for the dead? In attempting any answer to this inquiry, we should ever remember that the thoughts of our Saviour’s mind are far beyond our comprehension.
Our Lord’s sufferings were so great because his soul was in suffering. What shows this is that his soul began to suffer before his bodily passion, as we see in the agony in the garden.
The first anguish that came upon his body was not from without—it was not from the scourges, the thorns, or the nails, but from his soul. His soul was in such agony that he called it death: “My soul is sorrowful even unto death” (Mark 14:34). The anguish was such that it burst open his whole body, as it
