Dear Newman Friends,
The Newman Walk in Rome, which we informed you about in our last newsletter, is becoming increasingly popular. On the 9th of October 2021, the pilgrimage was even filmed and broadcasted by the Catholic TV station EWTN as “Vaticano Newman Special”.
This film presents Newman’s life and the relationship of The Spiritual Family The Work to the great English saint and enables those who cannot come to Rome to participate virtually in the Newman Walk.
Some of you may have noticed that our homepage is being renewed and modernised: www.newmanfriendsinternational.org/en
We also changed the way we handle our newsletter subscriber list, to simplify the process for everyone involved. We thank all those who are working on these, especially our confrere Frater Josef Kuhn FSO. Please do visit our website and kindly make it known to many
At the end of January we published a new Newman Novena in Italian. On the 23rd of February 2022, Sr. Christiane Fritsch FSO was able to present this Novena to Pope Francis in a personal meeting after the General Audience. The Holy Father immediately recognised the picture on the cover and said, “O, Saint John Henry Newman! Pray for me!” Sr. Christiane: “We are in the process, Holy Father, of praying the Newman Novena for your intentions!” We invite you to keep asking Newman to intercede for the Pope and the whole Church.
As a small gift, we are sending you with this newsletter an impressive testimony (click here) by the English writer Tom Hiney, in whose vocational journey St John Henry Newman plays an important role and who is currently preparing for priestly ministry in the Catholic Church at the Beda College in Rome. This testimony shows how Newman can touch, enlighten and orient the hearts of people even in our day.
United in love for St John Henry Newman and trusting in his intercession for all our intentions, we send you warm greetings from the Eternal City.
Fr. Hermann Geissler FSO
Sr. Christiane Fritsch FSO