Summary
On July 31, the Holy See Press Office announced that Pope Leo XIII had endorsed a decision by the Plenary Session of Cardinals and Bishops regarding the title of Doctor of the Universal Church for Saint John Henry Newman, a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Born in London (United Kingdom) on February 21, 1801, and passed away in Edgbaston (United Kingdom) on August 11, 1890, Pope Leo XIII confirmed the positive opinion of the Cardinals and Bishops concerning Newman’s elevation to sainthood. Based on this significant decision, the Holy See plans to publish excerpts from a famous text written by Saint John Henry Newman following the proclamation of Papal Infallibility in 1870. This text is “A Letter addressed to His Grace the Duke of Norfolk,” published in London in 1875. The letter deals with questions raised by William Gladstone, then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, regarding the loyalty of British Catholics towards their monarch due to Papal Infallibility. Newman’s response clarified the concept of conscience and offered several pieces of advice for Catholic believers. One of these pieces is how “conscience” does not represent an egoistic outlook but rather a messenger communicating divine truths through its representatives. Specifically, it refers to the role of Pope (as Vicar Christ), prophet (in providing information), monarch (with authoritative decrees), and priest (through blessings and excommunications). The text also addresses potential misunderstandings about conscience by highlighting how they were created within noble institutions or universities that became centers for oppositional traditions. Public writers daily influenced countless readers with revolutionary theories, thus contributing to the misconceptions about conscience.
Key Topics
Vatican City, Newman, Gladstone
