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Peter SchinellerOctober 09, 2010

Today, October 9, for the first time,  we can celebrate the optional feast of  BLESSED  John Henry Cardinal Newman (21 February 1801 – 11 August 1890).  He converted to Catholicisim on this day in 1845.  Prolific writer and possibly future Doctor of the Church.  He was created a cardinal in 1879, and was beatified in September 2010.  His  motto was “Cor ad Cor Loquitur.”   Normally, the day of death or near that day is chosen as the feast, but in the case of Newman, somewhat controversially, the day of his entrance into the Catholic Church becomes his feast day.

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we vnornm
14 years 10 months ago
Dear Father Peter,

Could you please explain more the significance of becoming a Doctor of the Church?

tx bvo
Victor Hoagland
14 years 10 months ago
The day of Newman's conversion will always be associated with the zealous Passionist priest, Dominic Barberi, whom Newman asked to see on that great day, to be received into the Catholic Church. 
A warm, spiritual ecumenist, Dominic showed Newman another dimension of the Catholicism he finally embraced. It wasn't a journey of cold logic.  His story is told here: http://thepassionists.org/whats_new/category/compassion/ 

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