Saint John Henry Newman, preached on October 9, 2026
Oct 9, 2026 · 6 min · 3 segments
Saint John Henry Newman, preached on October 9, 2026
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Robert McTeigueHost
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Oct 9, 2026 · 6 min · 3 segments
Saint John Henry Newman, preached on October 9, 2026
Robert McTeigueHost
Cardinal Newman has become very [clears throat] popular in recent years, and let's just say I'm, I'm a little suspicious because they say, "Newman, he said lots of things about conscience," and therefore, go on, what they kinda say sub rosa is, "And therefore, we get to say-- we get to do whatever we want because conscience." And now we could say because conscience and Newman.
And Newman said things about development of doctrine, and so therefore, therefore we get to do whatever we want and say development of doctrine and Newman.
Well, if you actually read Newman rather than just breathe in the spirit of Newman, you find that he did talk about development of doctrine.
He also warned against theological alchemy, and he said that whatever development of doctrine means, it does not mean the process whereby birds become fish.
So we need to actually read Newman to protect ourselves and the church from those who would use and abuse Newman.
Uh, Newman brought his rich and gentle soul whole and entire to the service of the truth, and we need more of that.
And as I say that, what comes to mind is a very sad image of Benedict XVI when he went to England to beatify Cardinal Newman, and he was, uh, speaking in Westminster Hall, and he was surrounded by the great and the good, the powerful, and everyone rushed to the microphone before Benedict did.
And at the microphone, they all congratulated themselves that they were so much more wise and good and broad-minded than their ancestors because they themselves were allowing what their ancestors would have thought was unthinkable.
Namely, that the Pope of Rome would come here to Westminster and speak, and then we would let him leave alive.
Now, what happened next? Were there mass conversions to the Catholic Church? Did the Queen ask to be received into the church? Was there a rush of vocations? Did the Church of England call Rome and say, "We're sorry.
Well, why not? And why was Benedict allowed in Westminster to talk to the great and the good and the powerful? Because the great and the good and the powerful decided a long time ago, contrary to Newman, that truth doesn't matter.
Because if he was a threat the way that Edmund Campion was a threat and Robert Southwell was a threat and Nicholas Owen was a threat, there would have been a different outcome.
But the people indifferent to the truth were so confident of their power that they could even let the Pope of Rome come in and leave alive because they know that nothing significant would happen.
Now, what would Newman say? Well, Newman says that the truth is the object of the church.
And he says we are not allowed to be indifferent to the truth, for being indifferent to the truth, we are indifferent to the one who is truth.
And in this world that has obviously gone mad, and as we speak, is going mad in a very vibrant and kinetic way, he says this: "Let us beg of God to teach us the truth and to give us the grace to follow it at whatever cost to ourselves, for truth is the only road to peace." Truth is the only road to peace.
Cardinal Newman has become very [clears throat] popular in recent years, and let's just say I'm, I'm a little suspicious because they say, "Newman, he said lots of things about conscience," and therefore, go on, what they kinda say sub rosa is, "And therefore, we get to say-- we get to do whatever we want because conscience." And now we could say because conscience and Newman.
And Newman said things about development of doctrine, and so therefore, therefore we get to do whatever we want and say development of doctrine and Newman.
Well, if you actually read Newman rather than just breathe in the spirit of Newman, you find that he did talk about development of doctrine.
He also warned against theological alchemy, and he said that whatever development of doctrine means, it does not mean the process whereby birds become fish.
So we need to actually read Newman to protect ourselves and the church from those who would use and abuse Newman.
Uh, Newman brought his rich and gentle soul whole and entire to the service of the truth, and we need more of that.
And as I say that, what comes to mind is a very sad image of Benedict XVI when he went to England to beatify Cardinal Newman, and he was, uh, speaking in Westminster Hall, and he was surrounded by the great and the good, the powerful, and everyone rushed to the microphone before Benedict did.
And at the microphone, they all congratulated themselves that they were so much more wise and good and broad-minded than their ancestors because they themselves were allowing what their ancestors would have thought was unthinkable.
Namely, that the Pope of Rome would come here to Westminster and speak, and then we would let him leave alive.
Now, what happened next? Were there mass conversions to the Catholic Church? Did the Queen ask to be received into the church? Was there a rush of vocations? Did the Church of England call Rome and say, "We're sorry.
Well, why not? And why was Benedict allowed in Westminster to talk to the great and the good and the powerful? Because the great and the good and the powerful decided a long time ago, contrary to Newman, that truth doesn't matter.
Because if he was a threat the way that Edmund Campion was a threat and Robert Southwell was a threat and Nicholas Owen was a threat, there would have been a different outcome.
But the people indifferent to the truth were so confident of their power that they could even let the Pope of Rome come in and leave alive because they know that nothing significant would happen.
Now, what would Newman say? Well, Newman says that the truth is the object of the church.
And he says we are not allowed to be indifferent to the truth, for being indifferent to the truth, we are indifferent to the one who is truth.
And in this world that has obviously gone mad, and as we speak, is going mad in a very vibrant and kinetic way, he says this: "Let us beg of God to teach us the truth and to give us the grace to follow it at whatever cost to ourselves, for truth is the only road to peace." Truth is the only road to peace.
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