Chronology: John Henry Newman

Chronology: John Henry Newman

L'Osservatore Romano

On the grand occasion of the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman, L'Osservatore Romano presents the following chronology of Newman's life. It would exceed the limits of our space to do justice to his life and work. He wrote incessantly — sermons, lectures, treatises, theological works, correspondence, journals and memoirs; he was always accessible to the faithful and to his followers. Newman is arguably the most illustrious of converts from Anglicanism to Catholicism.

1801 Born to John Newman and Jemima Fourdrinieron on 21 Feb. in London, the eldest of six children
1801 Baptized on 9 April
1808 Attended Ealing School
1816 First conversion at the age of 15
1817 Attended Trinity College, Oxford
1822 Elected a fellow, Oriel College, Oxford
1824 Ordination as deacon in the Church of England on 13 Jun., "I have the responsibility of souls on me to the day of my death" (Autobiographical Writings, p. 201)
1825 Ordained Anglican priest on 29 May in Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
1828 Vicar, St Mary the Virgin (the University Church) until 1843
1832 Travelled by steamship to Gibraltar, Malta, the Ionian Islands and Italy (Sicily, Naples and Rome) 
1833 On the ship from Palermo to Marseille wrote Lead, Kindly Light
1838 Editor, British Critic, until 1841
1839 First doubts about the position of the Anglican Church
1842 Withdrew to monastic-style life at Littlemore 
1843 Resigned as Vicar of St Mary's and preached `Parting of Friends' — last Anglican sermon at Littlemore
1843 Published Oxford University Sermons
1845 Received into the Catholic Church at Littlemore on 9 Oct. by Bl. Domenico Bàrberi
1845 Confirmed on 1 Nov. at Oscott, taking the Confirmation name "Mary"
1845 Published An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine and Retraction of Anti-Catholic Statements
1847 Ordained a Catholic priest in Rome on 30 May and celebrated first Mass on 5 June
1848 Founded Oratory of St Philip Neri, England
1850 Gives Lectures on certain difficulties felt by Anglicans in submitting to the Catholic Church
1850 Receives honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity (D.D.) conferred by Pope Pius IX on 22 August 
1854 Rector until 1858, Catholic University of Ireland, Dublin, where he founded the Literary and Historical Society; began Catholic University Gazette
1859 Opened Oratory school
1859 Published On Consulting the Faithful in Matters of Doctrine
1864 Published autobiography Apologia pro vita sua
1865 Published A Letter to the Rev. E. B. Pusey, D.D., on Newman's Mariology
1865 Wrote the poem The Dream of Gerontius, later set to music by Edward Elgar
1868 Preached and published six volumes of Parochial and Plain Sermons (1834-1843)
1869 Declined invitation of Bishop Dupanloup to attend the Vatican Council as his theologian 1870 Published Grammar of Assent
1875 Published A Letter to His Grace the Duke of Norfolk
1877 Elected first honorary fellow, Trinity College 
1879 Created Cardinal by Pope Leo XIII on 12 May in Rome (made Cardinal-Deacon of San Giorgio al Velabro)
1885 Published last article
1888 Preached last sermon 1 January
1889 Celebrated last Mass on Christmas Day
1890 Died of pneumonia on 11 August in Birmingham, aged 89
1890 Buried in Oratorian cemetery at Rednal near Birmingham on 19 August
1991 Declared Venerable by Pope John Paul II on 22 January
2001 Miraculous healing of Deacon Jack Sullivan from Boston, USA, through the intercession of the Venerable John Henry Newman
2010 Declared Blessed by Pope Benedict XVI on 19 September

Motto: Cor ad cor loquitur — Heart speaks unto Heart (St Francis de Sales)
Epitaph: Ex umbris et imaginibus in veritatem — Out of shadows and images into the truth

Taken from:
L'Osservatore Romano
Weekly Edition in English
22 September 2010, page 14

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