Rome-Littlemore, June 2013
Dear Newman Friends,
Blessed John Henry Newman once commented in a talk: “Truth is never enforced except at the sacrifice of its propounders” (Lectures on the Present Position of Catholics in England, London 1857, 403). This was not just a pious saying for this great English convert, but
Fr. Hermann Geissler FSO
There is no doubt that John Henry Newman (1801–1890) belongs among the most significant thinkers of the modern age. In his Christmas address to the Roman Curia in 2010, Benedict XVI. spoke of Newman – whom he beatified earlier that year on September 19th – and emphasized Newman’s prophetic significance in our own day: “Why was he beatified?
Dr. Brigitte Maria Hoegemann FSO
Long before the Anglo-Catholic Oxford don actually saw the city, its name must have resonated with John Henry Newman, evoking not just images of the ancient city, kingdom, republic and empire, its history of three thousand years, its rise and the fall, but also its huge claim to power and its unique culture of antiquity both pagan and Christian. Rome was not only
the tests of our glorious contemplations…
Let us try to accustom ourselves to this view of the subject. The whole Church, all elect souls, each in its turn, is called to this necessary work. Once it was the turn of others, and now it is our turn. Once it was the Apostles’ turn. It was St. Paul’s turn once. He had all cares on him all at once; covered from head to foot with cares, as Job with sores. And, as if all this were not enough,
24th May 1838
“And they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: and were continually in the Temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.” Luke 24: 52, 53.
For forty days after His resurrection did our Saviour Christ endure to remain below, at a distance from the glory which He had purchased. The glory was now His, He might have entered into it. Had He not had enough of earth? what should detain Him here, instead of returning to the Father, and taking possession of His throne? He delayed in order to comfort and instruct those who had forsaken Him in the hour of trial. A time had just passed when their faith
1. I adore Thee, O Eternal Word, for Thy gracious condescension, in not only taking a created nature, a created spirit or soul, but a material body. The Most High decreed that for ever and ever He would subject Himself to a created prison. He who from eternity was nothing but infinite incomprehensible Spirit, beyond all laws but those
My God, I have had experience enough what a dreadful bondage sin is. If Thou art away, I find I cannot keep myself, however I wish it-and am in the hands of my own self-will,
I beg Thee, O my dear Saviour, to recover me! Thy grace alone can do it. I cannot save myself. I cannot recover my lost ground. I cannot turn to Thee, I cannot please Thee, or save my soul without Thee.
All teaching about duty and obedience, about attaining heaven, and about the office of Christ towards us, is hollow and unsubstantial, which is not built here, in the doctrine of our original corruption and helplessness; and, in consequence, of original guilt and sin. Christ Himself indeed is the foundation, but a
