Pope Leo XIV inscribes St. John Henry Newman into the General Roman Calendar, honoring the English cardinal with a new memorial on October 9.
Newsroom (03/02/2026 Gaudium Press ) The Vatican’s Dicastery of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments announced on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, that Pope Leo XIV has inscribed St. John Henry Newman, Doctor of the Church, into the General Roman Calendar. The new decree assigns an optional memorial to the 19th-century English cardinal on October 9 — the date marking his conversion to Catholicism in 1845.
The decree, signed by Cardinal Arthur Roche, Prefect of the Dicastery, and Archbishop Vittorio Francesco Viola, Secretary, on November 9, 2025, the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, formalizes the inclusion of Newman’s celebration across the Church’s liturgical calendars and books. It stipulates that the liturgical texts, attached to the decree, be translated and approved by episcopal conferences before their official publication.
From Oxford to Rome
John Henry Newman’s spiritual journey remains one of the most influential narratives of modern religious history. Born in 1801 and initially serving as an Anglican priest and theologian, Newman’s intellectual rigor and spiritual sincerity led him toward the Catholic faith. His conversion in 1845 deeply shaped the dialogue between faith and reason, and his later work as a Catholic priest and cardinal enriched ecclesiology and theology alike.
He was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010 and canonized by Pope Francis in 2019. Most recently, on November 1, 2025, Pope Leo XIV named him co-Patron of the Church’s educational mission, alongside St. Thomas Aquinas, further affirming his enduring role in shaping Christian thought and scholarship.
A Radiant Light for the Church
The decree describes Newman as a “radiant light for the Church on pilgrimage through history,” highlighting his lifelong devotion to the Gospel and the poor, his intellectual pursuit of truth, and his profound spiritual writings. His prayerful reflection on purpose — that each person is created for a definite service within God’s plan — continues to inspire the faithful around the world.
“The kindly light of God’s grace, which came into this world to enlighten the gentiles, led John Henry Newman to find peace in the Catholic Church,” the decree notes, emphasizing his unwavering trust in divine providence. It praises his “lively mind,” whose “enduring monuments” encompass theological essays, ecclesiastical works, and devotional poetry.
In honoring him within the Church’s universal calendar, the Vatican acknowledges not only Newman’s intellectual brilliance but his personal holiness — a harmony of faith and reason that continues to illuminate the Church’s journey through history.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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