Pope Leo XIV Names Newman Doctor Of The Church

On November 1, 2025, the grandeur of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City set the stage for a moment that will be remembered in Catholic history for generations: Pope Leo XIV formally declared St. John Henry Newman a doctor of the Church, raising the 19th-century British theologian and convert to one of the Catholic Church’s highest intellectual honors. The special Holy Year Mass, celebrated as part of the Jubilee of Education and attended by educators and students from around the world, was more than a ceremonial bestowal—it was a statement about the Church’s priorities in a rapidly changing world.

Newman’s elevation as the 38th doctor in the Church’s 2,000-year history places him among a rarefied group of Christian thinkers, including St. Augustine, St. Therese of Lisieux, and St. John of the Cross. The title “doctor of the Church” is not given lightly; it recognizes saints whose writings and teachings have made a timeless, eminent contribution to understanding the Christian faith. As ACI Prensa described, Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, read Newman’s biography and formally requested the pope to proclaim him a doctor before Pope Leo recited the solemn Latin formula.

Newman’s journey to this moment was anything but straightforward. Born in London in 1801 and raised in the Church of England, he became a leading figure in the Oxford Movement, which sought to restore ancient traditions to Anglicanism. His deep theological reflections and search for truth led him to convert to Catholicism in 1845—a decision that cost him dearly in terms of friendships, professional standing, and even family ties. Yet, as the Associated Press noted, Newman’s writings on the development of doctrine, the nature of truth, and the meaning of a university have made him a figure admired by both conservatives and progressives, Anglicans and Catholics alike.

Pope Leo XIV used the occasion to highlight Newman as a model for Catholic educators, declaring him a co-patron of Catholic education alongside St. Thomas Aquinas. The symbolism was rich: it was Pope Leo XIII, Leo XIV’s namesake, who made Newman a cardinal after his conversion, and the earlier Leo who had declared Aquinas a doctor of the Church and patron of Catholic education. In his homily, Pope Leo quoted from Newman’s famous hymn, “Lead, Kindly Light,” urging educators to “shine like stars in the world” in the collective search for truth. “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 said. “We are called to form people, so that they may shine like stars in their full dignity.”

This focus on education was more than rhetorical. Earlier in the week, Pope Leo issued a new document for Catholic schools, citing Newman as an inspiration and calling for schools to be places of spiritual growth and community—where technology is used ethically and human dignity remains paramount. According to Vatican statistics, the Catholic Church operates more than 225,000 primary and secondary schools worldwide and enrolls around 2.5 million students at Catholic universities, making it one of the globe’s leading educational institutions.

The pope’s emphasis on the ethical use of artificial intelligence for future generations signals a desire to ensure that Catholic education remains relevant and forward-looking. As reported by the Associated Press, Pope Leo’s own educational background with the Augustinians, known for their commitment to the search for truth and the command “Tolle, lege” (“Take up and read”), further underscores this commitment to both tradition and innovation.

The Rev. George Bowen, who oversaw Newman’s canonization and his path to becoming a doctor of the Church, drew a compelling parallel between Newman’s era and our own. Bowen told reporters, “Suddenly, the world was swimming with information. So Newman’s ways of coping with this huge ocean of knowledge and making sense of it, having a connected view, is something very, very relevant today.” Newman advocated for a holistic, liberal education—one that included theology but also prioritized relationships between students and teachers in the quest for truth.

Newman’s universal appeal was on full display during the ceremony. Several Anglican leaders, including the Archbishop of York, attended the Mass, and the beloved hymn “Lead, Kindly Light”—a fixture in Anglican services—was sung, just as it had been during a recent ecumenical service in the Sistine Chapel attended by King Charles III and Pope Leo XIV. As Rev. Bowen noted, “Newman is a big ecumenical figure in the sense that he owes his faith to his upbringing in the Church of England.”

Paul Shrimpton, a leading Newman scholar at Magdalen College, Oxford, highlighted the remarkable speed with which successive popes have advanced Newman’s cause. St. John Paul II declared him venerable in 1991; Pope Benedict XVI beatified him during a visit to Birmingham, England, in 2010; Pope Francis canonized him in 2019; and now Pope Leo XIV has declared him a doctor of the Church. “I think that speaks volumes,” Shrimpton said, adding that these very different popes all recognized Newman’s role in the universal teaching of the Church.

Newman’s impact on Catholic education and spiritual life is hard to overstate. He founded the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in England and produced more than 40 books and some 20,000 letters, spanning theology, philosophy, and education. His chosen motto, “Cor ad cor loquitur” (“Heart speaks to heart”), reflected his conviction that true conversion is a return to the innermost dwelling of God in the heart—a message that continues to resonate today.

Pope Leo’s homily also touched on the universal call to holiness, quoting 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.” The pope prayed that Catholic education would help each person discover their own call to holiness, echoing the message of the Second Vatican Council that holiness is intended for everyone, as a personal and communal journey marked out by the beatitudes.

As the Mass concluded, Pope Leo welcomed an official delegation from the Church of England and expressed hope that Newman might “accompany Christians on their journey towards full union.” It was a fitting coda to a day that celebrated not only Newman’s towering intellect and faith, but also his role as a bridge between traditions, a beacon for educators, and a guide for those navigating the complexities of modern life.