Pope to bestow one of Catholic Church's highest honours on John Henry Newman
The designation is one of the most significant decisions of Leo's young papacy and also carries deep personal meaning: Newman was strongly influenced by St Augustine of Hippo, the inspiration of Leo's Augustinian religious order.
The title of doctor is reserved for people whose writings have greatly served the universal church.
Only three-dozen people have been given the title over the course of the Church's 2,000-year history, including St Augustine, St Francis de Sales and St Teresa of Avila.
Newman's path to being declared a doctor has been exceptionally quick, after Pope Benedict XVI beatified him during a visit to Britain in 2010.
Pope Francis made him a saint in 2019, with the then-Prince of Wales, now King, in attendance.
Newman, a theologian and poet, is admired by Catholics and Anglicans alike because he followed his conscience at great personal cost.
When he defected from the Church of England to the Catholic Church in 1845, he lost friends, work and even family ties, believing the truth he was searching for could only be found in the Catholic faith.
Newman was one of the founders of the so-called Oxford Movement of the 1830s, which sought to revive certain Roman Catholic doctrines in the Church of England by looking back to the traditions of the earliest Christian church.
But he gave up a brilliant academic career at Oxford University and the pulpit of the university church to convert to Catholicism.
As a Catholic, he became one of the most influential theologians of the era, bringing elements of the Anglican church into his new faith tradition.
He died in Britain in 1890.
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The Guardian
10 hours ago
- The Guardian
UK's first female archbishop tells of how she hid her sexuality for decades
The new archbishop of Wales, the Most Rev Cherry Vann, has told of how she kept her sexuality secret for decades as part of her struggle to be accepted as a female minister in the Anglican communion. Speaking to the Guardian on Thursday, the day after her appointment, Vann, 66, said that without the strong belief that God had called her to the priesthood she 'would not have survived' her journey through the ranks of the church. Vann became one of the first female priests to be ordained in England in 1994. Now, as the UK's first female and first openly gay archbishop, and the first openly lesbian and partnered bishop to serve as a primate within the Anglican communion, she has well and truly broken the stained glass ceiling. 'It happens that I've lived in a time that's meant that I'm a trailblazer, but I'm not a campaigner,' the Leicestershire-born archbishop said during an interview at the Church in Wales's offices in central Cardiff. 'I'm not somebody to be out there all the time but I do seek to be true to what I think God's asking of me.' Working in the Church in Wales since 2020 has been very different from the many years Vann spent at the Church of England, she said, as clergy are permitted to be in same-sex civil partnerships. In the Anglican church in England, same-sex relationships are technically allowed, but gay clergy are expected to remain celibate. Upon becoming bishop of Monmouth five years ago, Vann publicly disclosed her civil partnership with Wendy Diamond, her partner of 30 years, for the first time. 'Other people in England were braver than I was and made their sexuality clear. A lot of them suffered the consequences of that, certainly when going forward for ordination,' Vann said. 'For years we kept our relationship secret because I worried about waking up and finding myself outed on the front page of a newspaper. Now, Wendy joins me everywhere, and when I take services, it's just normal. But in England she had to stay upstairs if I had a meeting in the house.' Being a woman in the church had been difficult enough, she added. 'You can hide your sexuality, up to a point, but you can't hide being a woman. There was a lot of nastiness; the men were angry, they felt they had been betrayed.' Vann said in the 1990s, she and a handful of other female priests began meeting for prayer and conversation with male colleagues opposed to their ordination. 'It was awful, it was really difficult for all of us, but we stuck at it,' she said. Over time, the hostility dissipated. 'This is what I'm hoping around the sexuality issue too – modelling that we can vehemently disagree about something, but we can still love one another in Christ and recognise one another as children of God.' Vann will be enthroned in red and gold at her home cathedral in Newport this autumn in what many in the church hope will mark a definitive end to a tumultuous period. Andy John, the former archbishop, announced in June he was standing down with immediate effect after an alcohol-fuelled financial, bullying and sexual misconduct scandal at Bangor Cathedral. John was not accused of wrongdoing, but calls for his resignation gathered pace after summaries of two reports were published and six 'serious incident reports' were sent to the Charity Commission earlier this year. Two members of the cathedral's college of priests have called for an independent inquiry into the events at Bangor, but Vann downplayed the demands, telling the Guardian that she believed the Wales-wide 'cultural audit' announced by the church's representative body in the wake of John's resignation would be sufficient to 'hold people accountable'. The new archbishop's top priority is 'healing and reconciliation', she said. 'There's a lot of work already going on in the background, we haven't been standing still … We must work to build trust with those who have been hurt and angered by what has gone on.' Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion According to Tim Wyatt, a journalist focusing on the Anglican church, Vann's arrival in Wales in 2020 as bishop of Monmouth was also part of a clean-up job after factional fighting over the conduct of her predecessor, Richard Pain. Vann is also somewhat of an outsider to Wales, symbolising a clean break with the John era and the Bangor scandal. The archbishop grew up in a religious family in Whetstone in Leicestershire, following in her church organist father's footsteps by studying at the Royal College of Music and then the Royal Schools of Music, where she trained as a teacher. She entered an Anglican theological college in 1986 to prepare for ordination and then worked in the Manchester diocese, becoming a priest in 1994 and archdeacon of Rochdale in 2008. Gender and sexuality are still highly divisive issues in the Anglican communion. Even in her new role as the first female and first openly gay archbishop in the UK, Vann was cautious on the topic of gay marriage. 'I don't personally feel the need to get married in church; Wendy and I have been together for 30 years, we've made our vows, and we are committed to each other. 'Gay marriage in church is inevitable, I think: the question is when. There are people who are very opposed, and as leader, I have to honour their position, which is theologically grounded. It isn't my job to push something through that would alienate a good proportion of clergy.' Vann's appointment has caused outrage in some circles, with one prominent conservative group calling it 'tragic'. In response, the Church in Wales has highlighted the warm welcome her appointment has received from dozens of other denominations and churches. For her part, Vann said she was not worried about whether her election would be perceived as tokenistic. 'It's a two-thirds majority vote in the electoral college, the bar is high,' she said. 'I don't think any of those people voted for me primarily because I'm a woman or I'm a gay person. They voted for me because they recognise I've got the skills to lead the Church in Wales at this particular time.'
Glasgow Times
16 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Unusual history of Glasgow building where Sugababes had 'secret' gig
The Barony Hall was once known as the Laigh Kirk, because its original home was in the crypt of Glasgow Cathedral. The story begins in the 16th century The Roman Catholic religion prevailed in Glasgow from around 560 to 1560. Presbyterianism was established by law that year, but their ministers did not immediately get complete possession of the Cathedral Church. After the Reformation in 1560, Glasgow contained a population of only 4500. The Cathedral remained the only church in the city and became the parish church of Glasgow. There was only one minister until 1588 when a second joined. (Image: Glasgow City Archives) The ever-increasing population in the city led to the repair of the Tron Church in 1592 for the reception of a congregation. To serve this additional congregation, a third minister was provided. The Cathedral became the urban or city parish church. In 1593, by an order of Synod and Presbytery, the Barony Parish was instituted, the intention being that its congregation be drawn from those outside the city proper. Consequently, a fourth minister was appointed who was admitted to the Barony, which separated from the city parish in 1596. The crypt of the Cathedral was set apart for the use of this congregation. The minutes of the Presbytery from 1596 to 1597 record negotiations with the parishioners; and it was announced that the parishioners of Glasgow "without the toune" should be a congregation by themselves. According to the acts of the General and Synod assemblies, the Barony Parish was constituted without any formal disruption, and the crypt below the cathedral was fitted up for the service of the congregation. As a result of the congregation using the Cathedral crypt, it became known as the Laigh or Lower Kirk to distinguish it from the Cathedral Parish church proper. The Barony became known as the Laigh Kirk since it worshipped in the Cathedral crypt. In Rob Roy, Sir William Scott described the Barony Laigh Kirk as follows: 'Conceive, Tresham, an extensive range of low-browed, dark and twilight vaults, such as are used as for sepulchres in other countries, and had long been dedicated to the same purpose in this, a portion of which was seated with pews and used as a Church.' Norman McLeod (Image: Glasgow City Archives) Its ministers included Zachary Boyd, 1625-1653; John Burns, 1774-1839, who preached to his congregation in the crypt and then in the new Barony Church; Norman McLeod, 1851-1872, who introduced many innovations at Barony Church, including evening services for working people; and John White, 1911-1934. The Barony Church continued to worship in the cathedral crypt but by the 1790s the congregation had outgrown it. In 1798 work began on a new church, on the east side of Castle Street. Designed by James Adams, it opened in late 1799, early 1800. This gave the congregation for the first time a building of their own. While this was a lighter and more comfortable place of worship than the crypt of the Cathedral could ever make, many criticised its design. Its Minister, Norman McLeod , is reported to have told Queen Victoria that it was 'the ugliest kirk in all Europe.' Others, a minority, believed it to be an architectural gem. (Image: Newsquest) Whatever its merits, faced with the continued deterioration of the building, the church was replaced in 1889 in its final location on the west side of Castle Street, diagonally opposite the Cathedral. It opened in April 1889. Designed by JJ Burnett and JA Campbell, it has been described as unquestionably the most important Gothic church in Glasgow, possibly in Scotland. It is an A-listed building. The congregational numbers were dwindling from the 1950s to the 1970s with the redevelopment of High Street and Townhead. In its last years, the congregation joined with St Paul's and St David's (Ramshorn) in 1982. The last service was held in 1985. The Sugababes, as they were in 2007, at the Barony Hall (Image: Newsquest) The buildings were purchased in 1986 by Strathclyde University, and it opened its doors as Barony Hall in 1989. It now hosts examinations and ceremonial functions, including university graduations and functions. In 2007, it was the location for a "secret" gig performed by the Sugababes. The group's line-up at the time - Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Keisha Buchanan - played an up close and personal acoustic concert for just 250 fans in the December of that year.
Leader Live
16 hours ago
- Leader Live
Pope urges crowd of one million young Catholics to ‘spread enthusiasm and faith'
'Aspire to great things, to holiness, wherever you are,' Leo urged them. 'Do not settle for less. You will then see the light of the Gospel growing every day, in you and around you.' The young people camped in sprawling fields south-east of Rome overnight after attending a vigil service for the Jubilee of Youth on Saturday, also presided by Leo – who has been ferried to and from Vatican City by helicopter. The Vatican said more than one million young people were present, along with 7,000 priests and 450 bishops. The special Jubilee celebration is part of the Holy Year that is expected to draw 32 million people to the Vatican for the centuries-old pilgrimage to the seat of Catholicism. The week has been a joyous gathering marked by bands of youths singing hymns as they move down cobblestoned streets, praying rosaries in piazzas and standing for hours at the Circus Maximus to confess their sins to priests offering the sacrament in a dozen languages. Leo also shared tragic news on Saturday. Two young people who had made the pilgrimage to Rome had died, one reportedly of cardiac arrest, while a third was in hospital. Rain overnight awakened the faithful but did not dampen their spirits. Soemil Rios, 20, from Puerto Rico, said: 'At least we were a little covered, but we still got a bit wet. We lost our voices a little. It was cold, but we woke up to a beautiful sun and view. 'Despite the difficulties, it was very nice and very special to have been part of this historic moment.'
