Newman Newsletter 2025

Dear Newman Friends,

2025 is a Holy Year in which Pope Francis invites us to go forward as pilgrims of hope. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the International Centre of Newman Friends. In this newsletter we would therefore like to inform you about the beginnings, the history and the current activities of the Newman Centre.

The beginnings

Why did members of The Spiritual Family The Workestablish an international Newman Centre in 1975? Mother Julia Verhaeghe (1910-1997), Foundress of The Work, was not familiar with John Henry Newman. When she was going through a time of trial in the 1960s, she read an anthology of Newman’s texts on the advice of a priest friend and discovered a ‘true brother’ in the English convert: his fidelity to the Kindly Light, his love for the Church and his faithful perseverance in painful situations strengthened her on the path of her own vocation. She encouraged her sisters to read Newman’s writings and to trust in his help.

At the beginning of the 1970s, Sister Lutgart Govaert FSO wrote a dissertation on Cardinal Newman’s Mariology and his personal development at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (Pustet, Salzburg-Munich 1975). At a celebration after the defence of this doctorate, there was talk of a Newman Congress in Rome in the Holy Year 1975. Since no one knew anything about it, the sisters asked Fr Nicolas Theis from Luxembourg, who at that time was known to organise Newman conferences, for more information. He replied that he had heard nothing about a planned Newman Congress in Rome, but that the sisters of The Work in Rome could organise such a conference. When Mother Julia, who was seriously ill in bed at the time, learnt of this answer, she said that his hint was a sign from above.

Consequently, the sisters prepared an academic symposium in collaboration with a number of experts. It was the first of its kind in Rome. Among the experts who helped with the preparation were Prof. Giovanni Velocci CSSR (1924-2016), Prof. Jean Stern (1927-2023), Missionary of Our Lady of La Salette, and Fr. Philip Boyce OCD, Professor of Dogmatic Theology and Spirituality. Fr Boyce had written a dissertation on Christian perfection in the writings of John Henry Newman at the Teresianum, a Pontifical Faculty of Theology. He later became Mother Julia’s spiritual director. He led his home diocese of Raphoe in Ireland as bishop from 1995 to 2017. The Newman Symposium took place from 3 to 8 April 1975 and was a blessing in many ways:

Ecclesiastical universities rediscovered the relevance of the great theologian. Newman researchers from all over the world were struck by Rome’s interest in Newman. Pope Paul VI received the participants in a private audience and gave a groundbreaking address on Newman’s significance for our time.

Shortly after the symposium, the sisters of The Work met Cardinal Luigi Raimondi, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. He asked them to continue their Newman work and to make it fruitful for Newman’s Cause of Beatification. The Cause had already been opened under Pius XII in 1958. Thus, in 1975, the International Centre of Friends of Newman was founded with a special library for interested believers, students and professors.

For those who would like to know more about the beginnings of the Newman Centre, we recommend reading the chapter ‘Spiritual Kinship with John Henry Newman’ (➞ link) in the book She served the Church. Mother Julia Verhaeghe and the Development of The Spiritual Family The Work.

Some highlights of the last 50 years

From the 50-year history of the Newman Centre, we would like to summarise our activities and recall a few highlights.

In addition to the Roman Newman Centre, Newman Centres were established in Bregenz (Austria), Budapest (Hungary) and Littlemore/Oxford, where Newman was received into the Catholic Church on 9 October 1845. The College at Littlemore is a place of pilgrimage, where something of Newman’s attractive spirit can be felt. This is also due to the service and prayer of the members of The Work, who have been working there since 1986.

In keeping with Cardinal Newman’s motto (‘Cor ad Cor Loquitur’ – ‘The heart speaks to the heart’), the Newman Centres are places of encounter and dialogue. Visitors from many countries find not only useful information, but also open ears for their concerns and words of encouragement for their journey of faith. This resulted in contacts with many people that often lasted for decades. Among them were also Church personalities, such as Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI. As a theology professor he had already visited the Newman Centre in Rome in 1975. He later said of this first encounter: ‘Sisters who are seriously interested in John Henry Newman and at the same time have a great love of cooking: I found this combination very original!’ He remained in contact with the Newman Centre until his death.

The Newman Centres, together with the members of the Oratory of St Philip Neri and many others, always endeavoured to promote the veneration of Newman and thus to advance the canonisation process. Personal contacts, regular newsletters, Holy Masses and various prayer initiatives served this cause for decades. Therefore, there was great joy when Benedict XVI beatified John Henry Newman in Birmingham on 19 September 2010. In his homily, the then Pope said: ‘I pay tribute to all those who have worked hard for years to promote the cause of Cardinal Newman, including the priests of the Birmingham Oratory and the members of the Spiritual Family The Work’. The canonisation by Pope Francis on 13 October 2019 in St Peter’s Square filled us and many Newman friends with sincere gratitude and spurred us on to bring the spiritual legacy of this modern saint with even greater zeal to the people of our day.

From the very beginning, our Newman Centres have been places of study and intellectual engagement with the thought of the great English scholar. Numerous doctorates have been inspired by the Newman Centres. In our specialised libraries, students find the necessary literature and received inspiration for their work. Several members of The Work wrote dissertations on Newman’s theology. In addition, we organised lectures, published specialist articles and popular contributions and gave radio addresses on aspects of Newman’s teaching and spirituality.

One of the highlights was the organisation of several academic symposia, five of which we mention, together with the corresponding publications:

• In 1990, an academic congress was held in the Sala Borromini to mark the 100th anniversary of Newman’s death: M.K. STROLZ/M. BINDER (ed.), John Henry Newman. Lover of Truth (Urbaniana University Press, Roma 1991).
• In 2001, a symposium was organised at the Pontifical Urbaniana University to mark the 200th anniversary of Newman’s birth: H. GEISSLER (ed.), Conoscere Newman. Introduzione alle opere (Urbaniana University Press, Roma 2002).
• This was followed in 2008 by an international conference in Milan, organised together with the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore: E. BOTTO/H. GEISSLER (ed.), Una ragionevole fede. Logos e dialogo in John Henry Newman (Vita e Pensiero, Milano 2009).
• Following the beatification in 2010, a symposium on the primacy of God in the life and writings of Blessed John Henry Newman was organised at the Pontifical Gregorian University: H. GEISSLER (ed.), The Primacy of God in the Life and Writings of Blessed John Henry Newman, Louvain Studies 35 (2011/3-4).
• In 2017, a symposium on John Henry Newman and Edith Stein was held in collaboration with the Pontifical Lateran University and the Salesian University in Venice: M. MARCHETTO/P. MANGANARO (ed.), Maestri perché testimoni. Pensare il futuro con John Henry Newman e Edith Stein (Lateran University Press, Roma 2017).

Current activities

For four years now, the Roman Centre has no longer been located in Via Aurelia 257 (‘Piccola Casa’), but in Via di Val Cannuta 32C (‘Collegium Paulinum’). Even though this new location is somewhat further away from the city centre, Newman’s activities continue unabated and have even increased.

The homepage in English, German, Italian and French has been given a new look and has been modernised. Here you can find information about our activities and new contributions of various kinds from time to time.

In our Newman Centre in Littlemore, many people find orientation and encouragement. The canonisation of Newman has led to a deepening of Newman’s influence on souls, as is clear from the encounters with visitors from all over the world. Many speak of how ‘Newman has befriended them’ and how he accompanies them on their journey of faith. They come to seek his intercession. Those interested can stay in the cottages for retreats or study days. Important annual events are the 40 Hours devotions in Newman’s chapel before the beginning of Lent and the Night Walk from the Oxford Oratory to Littlemore on 8^th October. Since 2023 we are holding a Fr Ian Ker Memorial Lecture in November. In this Holy Year, The College and the parish church of Bl. Dominic Barberi are pilgrimage sites where the Jubilee Indulgence can be gained. We recommend a visit to this place of grace to our Newman friends.

The Newman Walk in Rome, which takes place two or three times a year, is very popular. During this walk through the historic centre, we visit nine sites associated with the English saint. Information about his stays in Rome and the sites in question, a friendly exchange between the participants as well as prayers and hymns make this walk a singular Newman experience.

A Mass in honour of St John Henry Newman in the Newman Chapel of the Palazzo di Propaganda Fide, where Newman prepared for ordination to the priesthood in the Catholic Church, as well as a retreat day in the spirit of Newman are regular initiatives of the Centre. We take part in the annual ecumenical meeting of the Friends of Blessed Domenico Barberi in Viterbo.

Numerous lectures, radio and television programmes and publications of various kinds are worth mentioning: prayers and novenas, simple articles for the faithful and scientific studies for experts. This year, Fr. Hermann Geissler FSO is giving lectures at the Pontifical Gregorian University and at the Faculty of Theology in Florence on the development of the doctrine of faith according to Newman.

We pray and hope that the day will soon come when St John Henry Newman will be declared Doctor of the Church by the Successor of Peter. The procedure at the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints is advancing.

Two jubilee gifts

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Newman Centre, we would like to send you two spiritual gifts:

We hope you enjoy reading these articles and gain spiritual benefit from them.

Thanksgiving

To thank God for the 50 years of the International Centre of Friends of Newman, we will celebrate a solemn Eucharist in San Giorgio in Velabro, the titular church of Cardinal Newman in Rome. Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, will celebrate this Mass of Thanksgiving on 11 October 2025 at 5 pm. We would be delighted if you attended.

United in the joy that St John Henry Newman is a light for many people and for the Church, and in gratitude for the Golden Jubilee of our Newman Centre, we remain with best regards from Rome