St. John Henry Newman was an Anglican priest who became a Catholic, a cardinal and a thinker, and a Doctor of the Church whose life traced a journey toward truth guided by conscience.
Life
John Henry Newman was born in London in 1801. He studied at Oxford, became an Anglican priest, and led the Oxford Movement, which sought to recover the roots of the Church.
His deep study of the early Church and the Fathers led him into the Catholic Church in 1845. He became a Catholic priest and founded the Oratory in Birmingham. Though often misunderstood, he left rich teaching on faith and reason, conscience and education through his sermons and writings. He was made a cardinal in 1879 and died in 1890. He was canonized in 2019 and has been declared a Doctor of the Church.
Spirituality
Newman's spirituality is an honest journey toward truth, following conscience. Even when following the truth cost him dearly, he trusted God's guidance and moved forward one step at a time. His motto as cardinal was Heart speaks to heart.
Reflection
Even when we cannot see the whole road and feel uneasy, we can still take one step. Like Newman, what small step is my conscience pointing to today?