Ryan Marr is an expert on the English saint and is a former associate editor of the Newman Studies Journal. / Credit: Courtesy of Ryan Marr

Vatican City, Nov 1, 2025 / 11:50 am (CNA).

St. John Henry Newman, the Anglican clergyman who converted to Catholicism but whom many in both London and Rome distrusted for years, stands today as a beacon that continues to inspire many to embrace the Catholic faith as he did.

“I am personally grateful for the testimony of Newman’s life, because without his legacy I might not be Catholic today,” confesses Ryan “Bud” Marr, a renowned scholar of the English saint, upon whom Pope Leo XIV conferred Saturday the title of doctor of the Church.

Newman's memorable quote — "to be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant" — was pivotal in Marr’s personal conversion. When he first read it, "I was studying to be a Protestant pastor," he revealed in a conversation with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.

"I immediately understood that I had to read the rest of Newman's essay to put to the test the truth of his statement. I couldn't simply ignore that challenge and continue on the path I was on," he explained.

The expert, a former associate editor of the Newman Studies Journal, added that "there are countless similar testimonies" to his and that they will continue to grow in the coming years in light of Newman’s designation as the 38th doctor of the Church.

For Marr, Newman possessed a singular gift: “Expressing fundamental truths in brief and memorable phrases,” capable of transcending time and touching consciences. This is why so many people, over more than a century, have found in his writings a path to conversion.

Development of doctrine, a decisive contribution

For Marr, Newman’s most significant contribution to contemporary Catholic theology is on the subject of the development of doctrine. “It’s not that Newman wrote something entirely new,” he explained.

“Other Catholic theologians, especially St. Vincent of Lérins, had already addressed the topic of doctrinal development. But Newman synthesized diverse ideas into a unified and compelling theory, so that any subsequent theologian has had to start from his “Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine” when addressing this topic,” he pointed out.

This vision, he added, was decisive for 20th-century thought. Newman showed that “the Church’s understanding of revealed truths deepens over time.” “In some cases, the Church offers new formulations — as happened with the Nicene Creed — but these developments always affirm and clarify what has been handed down,” he emphasized.

“The deposit of faith is immutable, but our understanding of that deposit actually expands,” he added. Each generation, Marr emphasized, must “proclaim the truth of the faith within its own linguistic categories,” but always preserving the “essential while facing the challenges of its time.”

Conscience and the sensus fidei as means of Christian discernment

When it was announced that Newman would be proclaimed a doctor of the Church, Marr recalled, “some observers predicted that Pope Leo XIV might bestow upon him the title of Doctor of Conscience.” This is no coincidence. Newman, he noted, dedicated some of his most influential writings to the “centrality of conscience in the journey to God,” both during his Anglican period and in his new life as a Catholic.

Like St. Thomas Aquinas, Marr explained, “Newman believed that a person should never act against the dictates of their conscience,” because doing so “would undermine the very coherence of the moral life.”

However, the former champion of Anglicanism, who converted to Catholicism at the age of 45, also warned about the human tendency toward “self-deception,” Marr explained. The scholar noted that Newman insisted on the need to “form the conscience according to divine and natural law.”

In his 1874 “Letter to the Duke of Norfolk,” one of his most celebrated essays, Newman cautioned against a “false notion of conscience,” identified with the right to one’s own will, an idea that, according to Marr, “reflects the modern mindset” that values ​​subjective independence over objective truth.

He therefore pointed out that “as Catholics, we must work to restore the true vision of conscience, in line with the teaching of theological giants like Aquinas and Newman.”

The sensus fidei is not ‘a populist counterweight to the hierarchy’

This theme is intertwined with the concept of the sensus fidei, the supernatural sense of the faith bestowed upon the baptized: “Newman was ahead of his time in recognizing that the lay faithful have an essential role in the defense and transmission of tradition. The priesthood of all believers means, in part, that the baptized possess a special sense of the faith, a capacity that we must strengthen through devotion and study.”

Marr noted that, for Newman, this sense also had a communal dimension, the sensus fidelium, or sense of the faithful. “He did not understand it as a populist counterweight to the hierarchy,” he clarified. “He knew that the pope and the bishops exercise a divinely instituted authority, but he remembered that there have been times in history — such as during the Arian controversy — when the laity defended the faith, even when some pastors wavered.”

A prophet in the face of modern apostasy

With prophetic clarity, the expert noted, Newman “foresaw the growing irreligion of the modern world.” In his 1873 sermon “The Infidelity of the Future,” Newman warned that the trials of the future would be so great “that they would shake even hearts as valiant as those of St. Athanasius or St. Gregory the Great,” Marr said.

Newman, he explained, perceived that the greatest danger of modernity would be precisely the spread of unbelief, a society that is “simply irreligious.”

However, faced with this bleak outlook, “Newman neither called for retreat nor proposed authoritarian strategies.” He courageously confronted the philosophical ideas of his time and offered a compelling explanation of the “reasonableness of the Christian faith,” deeply rooted in Catholic tradition and in dialogue with modern philosophy, he noted.

Newman and the intellectual mission of the laity

Newman, the expert continued, understood the life of the Catholic Church as something “dynamic,” where “all members of the Body of Christ have an active role in the proclamation of the truth.”

The fathers of the Second Vatican Council took up this vision, presenting it as an urgent call to contemporary Catholics. The expert warned that it is important to understand this call well: “The laity do not fulfill their vocation by becoming more clerical, but by sanctifying the world according to their own specific mission, bringing the Gospel to education, law, medicine, and culture.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

On All Saints Day 2025, St. John Henry Newman was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIV. / Credit: Vatican Media

ACI Prensa Staff, Nov 1, 2025 / 08:45 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV has declared St. John Henry Newman a doctor of the Church, recognizing the English cardinal and theologian — one of the most influential converts from Anglicanism — as a towering figure of faith and intellect in modern Catholicism.

The declaration took place at the beginning of Mass for the solemnity of All Saints on Nov. 1, celebrated in St. Peter’s Basilica as part of the Jubilee of Education. Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, read Newman’s biography and formally requested that the pope proclaim the saint a doctor of the Church.

Pope Leo then read in Latin the solemn formula declaring Newman the 38th doctor of the universal Church. The pope also named Newman co-patron of Catholic education, putting him alongside St. Thomas Aquinas in that role.

‘An inspiration to new generations’

“Newman’s impressive spiritual and cultural stature will surely serve as an inspiration to new generations whose hearts thirst for the infinite and who, through research and knowledge, are willing to undertake that journey which, as the ancients said, takes us ‘per aspera ad astra,’ through difficulties to the stars,” the pope said in his homily.

“The lives of the saints teach us that it is possible to live passionately amidst the complexity of the present, without neglecting the apostolic mandate to ‘shine like stars in the world,’” the pope continued, quoting St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. “On this solemn occasion, I wish to say to teachers and educational institutions: ‘Shine today like stars in the world’ through your authentic commitment to the collective search for truth and to sharing it with generosity and integrity.”

Referring to Newman’s famous hymn “Lead, Kindly Light,” Leo added: “The task of education is precisely to offer this Kindly Light to those who might otherwise remain imprisoned by the particularly insidious shadows of pessimism and fear. For this reason, I would like to say to you: let us disarm the false reasons for resignation and powerlessness, and let us share the great reasons for hope in today’s world.”

Pope Leo also emphasized that “life shines brightly not because we are rich, beautiful, or powerful. Instead, it shines when we discover within ourselves the truth that we are called by God, have a vocation, have a mission, that our lives serve something greater than ourselves.”

Finally, he recalled Pope Benedict XVI’s words to young people: “‘What God wants most of all for each one of you is that you should become holy. He loves you much more than you could ever begin to imagine.’ This is the universal call to holiness that the Second Vatican Council made an essential part of its message. And holiness is intended for everyone, without exception, as a personal and communal journey marked out by the beatitudes.”

“I pray that Catholic education will help each person to discover their own call to holiness,” the pope said.

What is a doctor of the Church?

The title “doctor of the Church” is given to saints recognized for their eminent learning, deep holiness, and significant contribution to Catholic theology.

To receive the title, a saint must have demonstrated outstanding sanctity confirmed by canonization, excellence in doctrine through writings of lasting influence, and a formal declaration by the pope.

The most recent doctor of the Church before Newman was St. Irenaeus of Lyon, proclaimed by Pope Francis in 2022 as the “Doctor of Unity.”

Other doctors of the Church include St. Augustine, St. Ambrose, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Teresa of Ávila, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, St. Anthony of Padua, and St. Francis de Sales.

Who is St. John Henry Newman?

St. John Henry Newman was born in London on Feb. 21, 1801. Originally an Anglican priest, he became one of the leading figures of the Oxford Movement, which sought to return the Church of England to its ancient roots. His theological reflections led him ever closer to Catholicism, and in 1845 he entered the Catholic Church.

In remarks after Saturday’s Mass, Pope Leo welcomed an official delegation of the Church of England, led by Archbishop Stephen Cottrell of York, and prayed that Newman might “accompany Christians on their journey towards full union.”

Ordained a Catholic priest in 1847, Newman founded the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in England and went on to produce an immense body of work — more than 40 books and some 20,000 letters — spanning theology, philosophy, and education.

Pope Leo XIII made him a cardinal in 1879. Newman chose as his motto “Cor ad cor loquitur” (“Heart speaks to heart”), reflecting his conviction that true conversion is a return to the innermost dwelling of God in the heart.

He died in Edgbaston, England, in 1890. Pope Benedict XVI beatified him in 2010, and Pope Francis canonized him in 2019. His remains rest in the Catholic cemetery of Rednal, Birmingham.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The lives of St. John Henry Newman and of all the saints teach Christians that "it is possible to live passionately amidst the complexity of the present without neglecting the apostolic mandate to 'shine like stars in the world,'" Pope Leo XIV said.

Celebrating Mass Nov. 1, the feast of All Saints, Pope Leo concluded the Jubilee of the World of Education and proclaimed St. Newman the 38th doctor of the church, including him among the men and women of the Christian East and West who have made decisive contributions to theology and spirituality.

Earlier in the week, Pope Leo had officially recognized St. Newman as co-patron of education along with St. Thomas Aquinas.

St. Newman was born in London Feb. 21, 1801, was ordained an Anglican priest in 1825, became Catholic in 1845 and was made a cardinal in 1879 by Pope Leo XIII. He died in 1890. 

Leading members of the Anglican Church of England and the British government attended the Mass where he was declared a doctor of the church. The Anglican delegation was led by Archbishop Stephen Cottrell of York, currently the top-ranking prelate of the Church of England. The government delegation was led by David Lammy, deputy prime minister of the United Kingdom and secretary of state for justice.

Greeting Archbishop Cottrell publicly at the end of Mass, Pope Leo prayed that St. Newman would "accompany the journey of Christians toward full unity."

The banner used during St. Newman's canonization Mass in 2019 hung from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica during the Mass and his relics were placed on a table near the altar.

While St. Newman's theology, philosophy and thoughts about university education were cited in the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints' presentation at the Mass, Pope Leo chose to quote in his homily from the British saint's poem, "Lead, Kindly Light," now a popular hymn. 

"In that beautiful prayer" of St. Newman's, the pope said, "we come to realize that we are far from home, our feet are unsteady, we cannot interpret clearly the way ahead. Yet none of this impedes us, since we have found our guide" in Jesus.

"Lead, Kindly Light, amid th’encircling gloom, Lead Thou me on," the pope quoted in English while reading his homily in Italian.

Speaking to the teachers, professors and other educators gathered for the Mass in St. Peter's Square, Pope Leo said, "The task of education is precisely to offer this Kindly Light to those who might otherwise remain imprisoned by the particularly insidious shadows of pessimism and fear." 

The pope asked the educators to "reflect upon and point out to others those 'constellations' that transmit light and guidance at this present time, which is darkened by so much injustice and uncertainty."

He also encouraged them "to ensure that schools, universities and every educational context, even those that are informal or street-based, are always gateways to a civilization of dialogue and peace."

Another quote from St. Newman -- "God has created me to do Him some definite service; He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another" -- expresses "the mystery of the dignity of every human person, and also the variety of gifts distributed by God," the pope said.

Catholic educators, he said, have an obligation not only to transmit information but also to help their students discover how much God loves them and how he has a plan for their lives.

"Life shines brightly not because we are rich, beautiful or powerful," the pope said. "Instead, it shines when we discover within ourselves the truth that we are called by God, have a vocation, have a mission, that our lives serve something greater than ourselves." 

"Every single creature has a role to play," he said. "The contribution that each person can make is uniquely valuable, and the task of educational communities is to encourage and cherish that contribution."

"At the heart of the educational journey," Pope Leo said, "we do not find abstract individuals but real people, especially those who seem to be underperforming according to the parameters of economies that exclude or even kill them. We are called to form people, so that they may shine like stars in their full dignity."

Lammy, the British government official, told Catholic News Service that he had had the "great honor and privilege" to meet Pope Leo before the Mass.

As a member of the Anglo-Catholic tradition within the Church of England, he said he believes "John Henry Newman really encapsulates the deep connections between our countries and between the Christian communities, across the Christian community."

The proclamation was "a moment of unity and reflection," Lammy said. "It's not just a religious honor, but a powerful moment of cohesion that shows how engaging in our differences can also unite us."

St. Newman's legacy, he said, "reminds us that Britain's religious story is broader than one tradition. It's been enriched by Catholic thought, courage and contribution."

In addition, the deputy prime minister said, "I think his life and his writings show how belief and reason together can guide moral leadership, diplomacy, compassion, and I think in an age of polarization, Newman's insistence on moral reflection calls us back to what truly matters, which is leadership in the cause of what is right and just, which is a principle that should shape our politics."
 

Pope Leo declares Newman doctor of the church

During a Mass in St. Peter's Square Nov. 1, feast of All Saints, Pope Leo XIV declared St. John Henry Newman to be the 38th doctor of the church.

Detail of a mural showing Blessed Stanley Rother being welcomed into heaven at the new Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine in Oklahoma City. / Credit: Joe Holdren/EWTN News

CNA Staff, Nov 1, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

Nov. 1 is the solemnity of All Saints — known more popularly as All Saints’ Day — the day on which the Catholic Church celebrates all who have attained eternal life with God in heaven. 

The Catholic Church formally recognizes thousands and thousands of saints. But how exactly does the Church come to declare someone a saint in heaven? The process has been developed and refined throughout the centuries, starting from the earliest days of Christendom to the present day. 

Early Church’s canonization was local, bishop-led

The Christian communities of early centuries were nascent, decentralized, and often persecuted. The formal procedures of the Church in these years often developed in relative isolation.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) says on its website that in the first 500 years of the Catholic Church, there was “no formal canonical process as understood by today’s standards.” 

“Beginning in the sixth century and continuing into the 12th century, the intervention of the local bishop was required before someone could be canonized,” the bishops’ website says. Local Christians often requested for their bishop’s intervention to determine the sainthood of a faithful departed. 

The bishop would study both the request and the biography of the candidate in question; if deeming the request “favorable,” he would “typically issue a decree, legitimize the liturgical cult, and thereby canonize the person.”

As the decades and centuries went on, the process became more formalized. In addition to the earlier modes of review, starting in the 10th century, the bishop would “collect eyewitness testimony of those who knew the person and who had witnessed miracles” associated with the candidate. 

The entire petition would be provided to the pope, who would rule on the matter himself. This process led to the first official papal canonization, that of Swiss bishop St. Ulric in 993, by Pope John XV.

This process remained the same for several more centuries; in the late 1500s, Pope Sixtus V established the Congregation for Sacred Rites, one of the functions of which was to “assist the pope with reviewing causes.”

The process remained largely unchanged from then until 1917 with the promulgation of the universal Code of Canon Law. A new promulgation in 1983 gave the Church the code still in effect today. 

Modern 3-stage process

The present process for canonization by the Catholic Church plays out across three stages.

First, in stage 1, Church authorities examine “the life of a candidate for sainthood.” The process, which generally may only begin five years after a candidate’s death, is first enacted at the diocesan or eparchial level. 

After receiving a petition, consulting with the episcopal conference and the local faithful, and permission from the Holy See, the bishop will convene a tribunal, which will investigate the life of the candidate (or his/her potential martyrdom). “Witnesses will be called and documents written by and about the candidate must be gathered and examined,” the USCCB notes. 

The diocese subsequently sends its report on to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints; nine theologians subsequently “vote on whether or not the candidate lived a heroic life or suffered martyrdom.” 

If they vote favorably, and after an examination by cardinals and bishops who are members of the dicastery, the prefect of the dicastery “presents the results of the entire course of the cause to the pope,” who gives his approval and directs the congregation to draft a decree declaring the candidate either ”venerable” (if ”they have lived a virtuous life”) or ”blessed” (“if they have been martyred”). 

In stage 2, a venerable is beatified when he or she has “a miracle attributed to [his or her] intercession.” The miracle “must be proven through the appropriate canonical investigation.” Upon beautification, a venerable is given the title blessed (that title is automatically granted to a martyr upon determination of his or her martyrdom). 

In stage 3, a blessed is officially canonized with the determination of another miracle “attributed to the intercession of the blessed and having occurred after his or her beatification.”

Canonization “allows for the public veneration of the saint by the universal Church,” the USCCB notes.

The first saints to be canonized by Pope Leo XIV were St. Carlo Acutis and St. Pier Giorgio Frassati on Sept. 7.

This story was first published on Nov. 1, 2023, and has been updated.

As part of Jubilee of the World of Education, Pope Leo XIV held an Oct. 31, 2025 audience with teachers. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Oct 31, 2025 / 16:20 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV said Catholic educators can learn four fundamental values from St. Augustine’s teachings: interiority, unity, love, and joy.  

During his Oct. 31 audience with teachers in Rome for the Oct. 27 to Nov. 1 Jubilee of the World of Education, the Holy Father said these four values, taught by the “Doctor of Grace,” are key elements to be incorporated into the mission and work of all educators. 

Regarding the value of interiority, Pope Leo said both teachers and students need to “get in touch with their inner selves” in order to discover truth and overcome superficiality in a world dominated by “technological screens.”

According to the Holy Father, the lack of material resources in classrooms is not the main obstacle for teachers, but rather the “real risk” is becoming “tired and overburdened with bureaucratic tasks.”

“Truth does not spread through sounds, walls, and corridors, but in the profound encounter between people, without which any educational endeavor is doomed to fail,” he said.

On the value of unity, Pope Leo said the “dimension of ‘with’ is consistently present in the writings of St. Augustine” and is fundamental as it challenges educators to “de-center” themselves and focus on their pupils.

“‘Your soul belongs not just to you but to your brothers and sisters,’” he said, quoting St. Augustine.

According to Pope Leo, the third value, love, should never be separated from teaching.

“Sharing knowledge is not enough for teaching: Love is needed. Only then will knowledge be beneficial to those who receive it, in itself and above all, for the charity it conveys,” he said.

“The love of God is the First Commandment, the love of neighbor is the first practice,” he said, quoting St. Augustine’s work, “Ten Sermons on the First Epistle of John.”

The fourth and last value Pope Leo asked teachers to consider during their jubilee journey was joy. He said true teachers “educate with a smile” in order to “awaken smiles in the depths of their students’ souls.” 

Noting the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and its capacity to impart knowledge in a technical, cold, and standardized way, the pontiff warned teachers to not “further cut off students who are already isolated.”

“The role of educators, on the other hand, is a human endeavor; and the very joy of the educational process is a fully human engagement, a ‘flame to melt our souls together, and out of many to make but one,'” he said, quoting St. Augustine’s “Confessions.”

Australian pilgrim Clare Andreallo, a senior institutional researcher and insights analyst for the University of Notre Dame Australia, attended the papal audience and said it was “affirming to see Catholic education academics, professional staff, students from around the world come together” in St. Peter’s Square on Friday morning.   

Melissa Villalobos suffered severe bleeding while pregnant. St. John Henry Newman interceded and saved her and her daughter Gemma, now 11 years old. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Villalobos family

ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 31, 2025 / 10:00 am (CNA).

The sainthood of John Henry Newman, who will be declared a doctor of the Church on Nov. 1, rested on two inexplicable healings that the Catholic Church officially recognized as miracles that paved the way for his beatification in 2010 and his canonization in 2019.

The second and most recent of these miracles was lifesaving. During her fifth pregnancy, Melissa Villalobos, a lawyer from Chicago, suffered severe internal bleeding caused by a partial placental abruption, a condition that seriously endangered both her life and that of her unborn child.

The day it happened, Villalobos, alone at home and without the strength to call for help, turned to prayer. “Please, Cardinal Newman, stop the bleeding,” she said with difficulty. As she later recounted: “Just as I finished those words, the bleeding stopped, and I noticed in the bathroom the strongest scent of roses in my life. When it stopped, I asked, ‘Cardinal Newman, did you do this?’ and the scent returned a second time. I knew it was him.”

That same afternoon, the doctors confirmed what they could not explain: The tear in the placenta had disappeared. Months later, Villalobos gave birth to a perfectly healthy baby girl, whom she named Gemma.

Five years later, Gemma and her entire family participated in the canonization ceremony for Newman officiated by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square on Oct. 13, 2019.

For Sister Kathleen Dietz, FSO, a renowned specialist on St. John Henry Newman, the healing of the pregnant woman should be seen as a “sign of the times” when “the culture of death permeates everything.”

“He performed this miracle for the sake of life, not only the life of the young mother but also that of her child. It’s very significant,” she told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.

Unexplained healing of a debilitating spinal disorder

The first miracle attributed to Newman’s intercession was on behalf of American deacon Jack Sullivan, who was suffering from a severe degenerative spinal cord disease that had left him almost paralyzed.

In great pain and with little hope of recovery, he prayed for Newman’s intercession. According to his own testimony, on Aug. 15, 2001, he experienced a sudden and complete recovery, which allowed him to walk unaided and shortly afterward to be ordained a permanent deacon.

The Congregation for the Causes of Saints officially recognized the healing as scientifically inexplicable, and on July 3, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI officially announced that it constituted a genuine miracle. It led to Newman’s beatification on Sept. 19, 2010, in Birmingham, England, the city where the saint lived for much of his ministry.

Sullivan served as deacon and read the Gospel at the Mass celebrated by Benedict in Rednal, England, very near Newman’s burial site.

Sullivan, who has the only first-class relic of Newman outside the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in England, has given numerous presentations with it and has held healing prayer services. 

Dietz — who has collaborated on various studies on the spirituality and legacy of St. John Henry Newman — emphasized that miracles authenticate Newman’s holiness and reflect his ongoing mission within the Church.

“Miracles show that Newman continues to have a role as an example and intercessor. He will soon be named a doctor of the Church and thus will also be a teacher of truth,” she noted.

Inspiration for daily life

For the religious, Newman can inspire the faithful in their daily lives with a faith “lived in everyday circumstances.”

Dietz cited Newman’s 1856 work “A Short Road to Perfection” in which he points out that to be saints, “we need nothing more than to fulfill the ordinary duties of the day well.”

“It’s not a matter of heroic or extraordinary feats but of performing the actions of each day with rectitude and consistency: getting up on time, dedicating one’s first thoughts to God, visiting the Blessed Sacrament, praying the Angelus and the rosary, keeping one’s thoughts in order, examining oneself daily, and going to bed at a reasonable hour. If this is done consistently, one is already on the path to perfection,” the saint counseled.

Joy: An essential Christian virtue

Dietz emphasized that Newman saw joy as an essential Christian virtue, even in the midst of sadness, and that his example can guide believers to live their faith in a “practical, tangible, and consistent” way in daily life.

For Dietz, Newman’s life and miracles remind us that holiness is not an unattainable ideal but a “reality accessible to all” through faithfulness to small daily acts and trust in God’s providence.

“His teaching combines theological depth with pastoral application, showing how a saint can be a model and guide for the contemporary Church and for every believer in their daily life,” she explained.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

St. Thomas Aquinas/St. John Henry Newman. / Credit: Public domain

ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 31, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV declared St. John Henry Newman, along with St. Thomas Aquinas, as a patron saint of the Catholic Church’s educational mission in his recent apostolic letter on education, “Drawing New Maps of Hope.”

In the letter, the pontiff draws a connection between the two saints, separated by six centuries but united by the same mission: teaching within the Catholic Church.

Paul Gordon, professor of Catholic social doctrine and contemporary history and literature at the Ángel Ayala Institute of Humanities, reflected on the Holy Father’s letter in a recent conversation with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.

Union between faith and reason

As the Scottish professor noted, both Newman and Aquinas were theologians who promoted dialogue between the sciences, especially between faith and reason, positioning the gift of faith as a guide in the search for truth. 

In the apostolic letter, published on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council’s declaration Gravissimum Educationis, the pope recalls the words of Newman, who will also be declared a doctor of the Church on Nov. 1: “Religious truth is not only a part, but a condition of general knowledge.”

According to Pope Leo, this involves an invitation to “renew the commitment to knowledge that is as intellectually responsible and rigorous as it is profoundly human.”

A keen insight into modern times

Aquinas, known as the “angelic doctor,” plumbed the depths of the Christian faith “in the light of Aristotle’s philosophy” and Christianized the ideas of the Greek philosopher, Gordon explained.

“St. Thomas Aquinas introduced Aristotle’s philosophy into the Catholic Church at the beginning of the modern world, in the 13th century,” he added.

For his part, Newman, who was the first rector of the Catholic University of Ireland, “unified faith and reason” with his keen insight into modern times.

Gordon also noted that Newman is one of the most celebrated converts to Catholicism in recent times, making the pope’s gesture “another milestone marking the return to Rome” that Newman himself experienced.

Though criticized by many at the time, Newman “was among the first” who ”dared to leave Anglicanism, which is still the official and established Church” in Great Britain, and go “over to the Catholic Church because he knew that’s where the truth resided,” Gordon said.

Newman’s conversion paved “the way for many other converts in my country and in English-speaking countries.”

Gordon said he thinks Pope Leo XIV intends to emphasize the importance of ecumenism in light of Newman’s courageous and brave example: “He shows us that we must pray for the unity of the body of Christ, because division is a sin.” 

A light for teaching today

Both saints can serve as a light for the teaching profession in today’s world, Gordon emphasized, where “education, especially at the university level, has become a kind of utilitarian vocational training where spirituality has no place.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

WASHINGTON - “With the Administration signaling a severely limited continuation of this historically bipartisan program, we urge due consideration for all those who have long awaited their opportunity for relief,” said Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Migration. Bishop Seitz’s remarks follow the Administration’s formal publication of the Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year 2026, which allows up to 7,500 refugees to be resettled over the next year. This is the lowest ceiling since the program was created by Congress in 1980. 

At the start of this year, over 100,000 people had already undergone extensive screening by the U.S. government and were conditionally approved for refugee status in the United States, including vulnerable children and those seeking to reunify with family members. However, on the first day of his second term, President Trump signed an executive order indefinitely suspending refugee resettlement. Since then, very few refugees have been permitted to travel to the United States as exceptions to the executive order, largely consistent with recent presidential actions prioritizing Afrikaners from South Africa under Executive Order 14204. 

Bishop Seitz’s full statement follows: 

“For over 45 years, the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program has been, and continues to be, a safe and secure legal pathway for people from around the world who meet the requirements for humanitarian protection. It is a vital mechanism through which our nation can exist as a beacon of hope for those facing persecution and promote respect for the sanctity of human life. What President Reagan said in 1981 about refugee policy being ‘an important part of our past and fundamental to our national interest’ very much rings true today. With the Administration signaling a severely limited continuation of this historically bipartisan program, we urge due consideration for all those who have long awaited their opportunity for relief. We also pray for the broad, indefinite suspension of refugee admissions to be lifted, and we implore the President to make the program available to those truly in need. 

“We cannot turn a blind eye to the disparate treatment of refugees currently taking place. As exemptions are considered, it is essential that they be applied consistently and without discrimination on the basis of race, religion, or national origin, in accordance with longstanding domestic and international norms. Resettlement tainted by the perception of unjust discrimination is contrary to Catholic teaching and quintessential American values, grounded in our Constitution and refugee laws, including the equality of every person from the moment of their creation by God.”

Earlier this year, the USCCB announced that it would discontinue its role as a national resettlement agency. However, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the USCCB, emphasized that the decision would not mean the Catholic Church would be walking away from helping refugees and others, but rather, that the USCCB would find other ways to uphold the Gospel’s call to do what we can for the least among us.

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Leo XIV encouraged an international group of young adults to reach out to their peers and invite them to be active members of a parish community rather than trying to live their faith alone.

The pope met Oct. 31 with members of the International Youth Advisory Body, a group of 20 young adults from around the world who serve three-year terms as advisers to the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life.

The North American members are Sally Yasmine from the Archdiocese of Montreal and Wyatt Olivas from the Diocese of Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Pope Leo had a prepared speech for the group but handed them a copy of the text rather than reading it. 

"You know that in recent years many young people have approached the faith through social media, successful programs and popular online Christian witnesses," the pope wrote. "The danger is that a faith discovered online is limited to individual experiences, which may be intellectually and emotionally reassuring, but are never 'embodied.'"

The risk, he wrote, is that those spiritual experiences "remain 'disembodied,' detached from the 'ecclesial body,'" which is the church.

Another danger, he said, is that they are not lived "alongside others in real-life situations, relationships or sharing. All too often, social media algorithms merely create a sounding board for individuals, picking up on personal preferences and tastes, and 'sending them back' magnified and enriched with appealing proposals."

In that kind of digital echo chamber, he said, "everyone remains alone with themselves, prisoners of their own inclinations and projections."

Young people are essential members of the church, the pope said, especially a church that is striving to be "synodal," listening to all members, praying and discerning together and calling on each person to contribute their talents.

"Authentic synodality leads to mission," the pope wrote. And part of that is being involved so that the church understands "how to bring the Gospel to everyone." 

"All of this requires that you, young people, have open hearts, ready to listen both to the 'inspirations' of the Spirit and the deep 'aspirations' of each person," Pope Leo wrote.

"You must look beyond appearances in order to seek the true answers that give meaning to life.  You must have hearts that are open to God's call and not engrossed in your own plans and are willing to understand and sympathize before forming judgments."

Pope Leo asked the young people particularly to help the church "hear the voices of the weak, the poor and the lonely, refugees and those who struggle to integrate into society, or to access educational opportunities."

"All too often," he said, "these voices are drowned out by the noise of the powerful, the successful and those who live in 'exclusive' realities."

Being missionary, the pope wrote, "entails freedom from fear, because the Lord loves to call us to forge new paths. In this sense, as young people, you can be leaders of creativity and courage."
 

“Use technology wisely, but don’t let technology use you,” Pope Leo XIV said during his address to hundreds of university students gathered in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall on Oct. 30, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Oct 30, 2025 / 16:20 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Thursday urged young people to cultivate their “interior life” and to listen to their restlessness without “fleeing from it” or “filling it” with things that don’t satisfy, lest they fall into existential emptiness.

“Having a great deal of knowledge is not enough if we do not know who we are or what the meaning of life is,” the pope told the hundreds of university students he received Oct. 30 in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican for an event held as part of the Jubilee of the World of Education.

In his message, he invited the students to rediscover the inner dimension of life and pointed out that “without silence, without listening, without prayer, even the light of the stars goes out.”

“We can know a great deal about the world and still ignore our own hearts,” he noted, while encouraging the students to constantly strive “toward the heights,” being “the beacon of hope in the dark hours of history.”

Leo XIV acknowledged that many young people experience a sense of emptiness or inner restlessness and emphasized that this disorientation is not solely due to personal reasons.

“In the most serious cases, we see episodes of distress, violence, bullying, and oppression — even young people who isolate themselves and no longer want to relate to others,” the pope observed. In his view, these deep wounds are “the reflection of “a void created by a society that has forgotten how to form the spiritual dimension of the human person, focusing only on the technical, social, or moral aspects of life.”

The pope was especially approachable and relaxed with the young people, with whom he shared several spontaneous moments. He introduced himself to them twice as a “former math and physics teacher,” recalling his teaching past, and even joked with them: “Perhaps you have a math exam soon?” he asked, going off script and eliciting laughter and applause.

The pope affirmed that a life that remains “stifled by fleeting pleasures will never satisfy us.” Instead, he asked each person to say in his or her heart: “I dream of more, Lord, I long for something greater, inspire me!”

“This desire is your strength and expresses well the commitment of young people who envision a better society and refuse to be mere spectators,” he emphasized after noting that the “desire for the infinite” is the compass they should use.

Instead of looking at your phone, ‘look to the sky, to the heights’

He urged the university students to not be satisfied “with appearances or fads” and instead of “being fixated on your smartphones, to look to the sky, to the heights.”

“How wonderful it would be if one day your generation were remembered as the ‘generation plus,’ remembered for the extra drive you brought to the Church and the world,” he exclaimed.

During his address, Pope Leo cited as role models St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, who had “the courage to live life to the fullest” and “to the heights,” and St. Carlo Acutis, “who did not become a slave to the internet but rather used it skillfully for good.” The pontiff canonized these two young saints together on Sept. 7.

The pope also cited St. Augustine as an example, describing him as “brilliant but deeply unsatisfied” because he found “neither truth nor peace until he discovered God in his own heart.”

The Holy Father focused much of his address on the challenges posed by the digital world and the development of artificial intelligence, urging that these areas not become “a cage where you lock yourselves in” nor “an addiction or an escape.”

“You live in [digital education] and that’s not a bad thing; there are enormous opportunities for study and communication. But don’t let the algorithm write your story! Be the authors: Use technology wisely, but don’t let technology use you,” he urged.

‘It is not enough to silence weapons, we must disarm hearts’

Leo XIV emphasized the urgency of a “disarmed and disarming education” that forms new generations in respect, justice, and equality.

“You can see how much our future is threatened by war and hatred, which divide people. Can this future be changed? Certainly! How? With an education for peace that is disarmed and disarming,” the pope said. Furthermore, he warned that it is not enough to “silence the weapons,” but rather “we must disarm hearts, renouncing all violence and vulgarity.”

As in his recent document on education, “Drawing New Maps of Hope,” Leo XIV called for avoiding all forms of exclusion or privilege in education, “recognizing the equal dignity of every young person, without ever dividing young people between the privileged few who have access to expensive schools and the many who do not have access to education.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.