Newman, John Henry, 1801-1890

John Henry Newman was born in London on February 21, 1801, the eldest of six children. His early education was at the Ealing School, a private boarding school. He entered Trinity College, Oxford, in 1817 and went on to become a fellow of Oriel College in 1822.

A profound conversion experience in 1816 animated Newman's spirituality and eventually led to his ordination to the Anglican priesthood in 1825. Newman remained at Oxford, serving as a tutor, and in 1828 became vicar of the University Church of St. Mary's. In 1833, while on a sea voyage returning from Italy, Newman wrote the famous poem "Lead Kindly Light." During the 1830s, Newman became associated with high churchmen including John Keble and Richard Hurrell Froude and began to write and publish tracts of dissension in what became known as the Tractarian or Oxford Movement. In 1842, following the controversial publication of Tract 90, which argued that the founding articles of Anglicanism were compatible with Catholicism, Newman moved from Oxford to Littlemore. He resigned his post as vicar of St. Mary's and ultimately converted to Catholicism on October 9, 1845.

In 1847, Newman was ordained in Rome as a Catholic priest and subsequently founded the Oratory (a pastoral apostolate of secular priests also engaged in educational and intellectual work) in England, initially in Maryvale and in 1849 in Birmingham. Between 1851 and 1853, he was sued for and found guilty of libel against Giacinto Achilli. Newman served as rector of the newly established Catholic University in Dublin from 1854 to 1858 and authored a series of lectures defending the idea of a liberal education within a religious context which became the basis of the Idea of a University. He also edited a popular lay Catholic magazine,The Rambler. In 1864, responding to a personal attack upon his integrity and that of Catholics in general, Newman published as a series of pamphlets Apologia Pro Vita Sua, an autobiographical account of his conversion, which became a financially successful best-seller. In 1865, Newman authored another of his best known works, the poem the "Dream of Gerontius." Pope Leo XIII elevated Newman to Cardinal on May 12, 1879. During the last years of his life, Newman lived at the Oratory in Birmingham, where he died on August 11, 1890.

In addition to Newman's prolific published writings which include poems, sermons, novels, tracts, and essays, an immense output of private correspondence also survives.

In 1991, Pope John Paul II declared Newman venerable, in 2010 Pope Benedict XVI beatified him, and in 2019 Pope Francis canonized him.