The Cause of the Canonisation of John Henry Cardinal Newman

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Cardinal George Pell visits Newman’s Oratory

Categorised as News and published Thursday, March 5th, 2009
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Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney, pictured at Cardinal Newman's desk at the Oratory, Birmingham

Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney, made a short private visit today to the Oratory in Edgbaston, Birmingham opened by Cardinal Newman in 1852.

Cardinal Pell was shown the chapel where Cardinal Newman’s remains rest in the Oratory Church, he visited Newman’s Library and celebrated Mass at the altar in Newman’s Room.

Father Paul Chavasse, Provost of the Birmingham Oratory and Actor of the Newman Cause, showed the Australian visitor Cardinal Newman’s galero – the famous red hat once given to new Cardinals by the Pope.

Cardinal George Pell and Father Paul Chavasse, holding Cardinal Newman's 'galero'

Cardinal Pell shared his thoughts about his first visit to the house where Newman spent much of his Catholic life:

“I was profoundly moved. I thought it was deeply significant that Cardinal Newman’s desk and chapel were together in the same room. All of his work was very much of a unity and I prayed that a smidgen of his ability to preach the word of God effectively to his contemporaries would pass to me.”

“I noticed that there was a crucifix in front of me as I stood at the altar. I always find this a big help to recollection in celebrating Mass. This is the same at every altar where Mass is celebrated but is especially true of the altar where Cardinal Newman celebrated Mass.”

Cardinal Pell pictured in Newman's Chapel

Asked about Newman’s beatification, Cardinal Pell replied: “I would very much like to see Cardinal John Henry Newman beatified. All of his many admirers would like to see this happen soon.”

Asked about the significance of such a beatification, the Australian prelate emphasised: “Cardinal Newman knew well the two worlds of learning, Catholic and Secular. We need his memory and example to inspire many other Catholic writers and preachers today.”

Cardinal Pell added: “Their task is to explore the opportunities now open to us to explain the Christian message – the romance of orthodoxy – to the many people throughout the world who are uneasy and searching.”

Cardinal George Pell was in England at the invitation of the Newman Society of Oxford University, to deliver the inaugural Thomas More Lecture on the subject: “Varieties of Intolerance – Secular and Religious.”

Cardinal Pell also visited Newman’s two Oxford Colleges, Oriel and Trinity. During a previous visit to England the Cardinal has also visited Littlemore, the village outside Oxford where Newman was received into the Catholic Church on 9 October 1845 by Father (now Blessed) Dominic Barberi.