Decree on the Inscription of the Celebration of Saint John Henry Newman, Priest and Doctor of the Church, in the General Roman Calendar
Additiones in Libris liturgicis Ritus Romani de memoria ad libitum sancti Ioannis Henrici Newman, presbyteri et Ecclesiæ doctoris
Comment on the Decree by the Prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
Decree on the Inscription of the Celebration of Saint John Henry Newman, Priest and Doctor of the Church, in the General Roman Calendar
DECREE
on the Inscription of the Celebration
of Saint John Henry Newman, Priest and Doctor of the Church,
in the General Roman Calendar
The kindly light of God’s grace, which came into this world to enlighten the gentiles (cf. Lk 2: 32), led John Henry Newman to find peace in the Catholic Church and gave him such strength that he was able to say “God has created me to do Him some definite service … I have a part in this great work; I am a link in a chain, a bond of connexion between persons. He has not created me for naught”. Throughout his long life Cardinal Newman was unstinting in this service to which he had been called. The service of intellectual enquiry; the service of preaching and teaching; as well as service to the poor and the least.
His lively mind has left us enduring monuments of great importance in the fields of theology and ecclesiology, as well as poetic and devotional compositions. His constant search to be led out of shadows and images into the fullness of the truth has become an example for every disciple of the Risen One. Thus, in a special way, Saint John Henry, having been recognized as a radiant light for the Church on pilgrimage through history, may rightly be numbered among the other saintly Doctors inscribed in the General Roman Calendar.
For this reason, considering the recent declaration of the title of Doctor of the Church which has been conferred upon a saintly pastor of such outstanding significance for the entire community of the faithful, the Supreme Pontiff Pope LEO XIV has decreed that Saint John Henry Newman, Priest and Doctor of the Church, be inscribed in the General Roman Calendar, and that his Optional Memorial be celebrated by all on 9 October.
This new Memorial is to be inserted into all Calendars and Liturgical Books for the celebration of Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours, adopting the liturgical texts attached to the present decree, which are to be translated, approved, and—after confirmation by this Dicastery—published by the Conferences of Bishops.
Anything to the contrary notwithstanding.
From the Dicastery of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 9 November 2025, on the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica.
Arthur Card. Roche
Prefect
Vittorio Francesco Viola, O.F.M.
Archbishop Secretary
Additiones in Libris liturgicis Ritus Romani de memoria ad libitum sancti Ioannis Henrici Newman, presbyteri et Ecclesiæ doctoris
Additiones in Libris liturgicis Ritus Romani
de memoria ad libitum sancti Ioannis Henrici Newman, presbyteri et Ecclesiæ doctoris
IN CALENDARIUM ROMANUM GENERALE
OCTOBER
9 S. Ioannis Henrici Newman, presbyteri et Ecclesiæ doctoris
IN MISSALE ROMANUM
Die 9 octobris
S. Ioannis Henrici Newman, presbyteri et Ecclesiæ doctoris
De Communi pastorum: pro uno pastore (p. 933), vel de Communi doctorum Ecclesiæ (p. 943).
Collecta
Deus, qui sanctum Ioánnem Henrícum, presbýterum,
lumen benígnum tuum sequéntem
pacem in Ecclésia tua inveníre contulísti,
concéde propítius ut, eius intercessióne et exémplo,
ex umbris et imagínibus
in plenitúdinem veritátis tuæ perducámur.
Per Dominum.
IN ORDINEM LECTIONUM MISSÆ
Die 9 octobris
655bis S. Ioannis Henrici Newman, presbyteri et Ecclesiæ doctoris
De Communi pastorum vel doctorum Ecclesiæ
Lectio I Sir 39, 8-14 (gr. 6-11), n. 725, 4.
Ps. Resp. Ps 39, 2 et 4ab. 7-8a. 8b-9. 10, n. 721, 3.
Alleluia Mt 23, 9b. 10b., n. 723, 1.
Evang. Mt 13, 47-52, n. 730, 3.
IN LITURGIAM HORARUM
Die 9 octobris
S. IOANNIS HENRICI NEWMAN,
PRESBYTERI ET ECCLESIÆ DOCTORIS
Londinii natus anno 1801, officiis clerici anglicani atque Socii collegii Oxoniensis vulgo Oriel nuncupati plus quam viginti annos functus est. Ecclesiæ primævæ historiam enixe perscrutatus, ad fidem catholicam pedetemptim attractus, anno demum 1845 in unicum Redemptoris ovile, ut ait, receptus est. Sacerdotio catholico auctus anno 1847, Oratorium Sancti Philippi Neri in Anglia instituit. De variis rebus multa magno effectu scripsit. Ut humilis atque ardens pastor laudatus, qui lumine suo intellectuali Ecclesiam valde illustraverat, anno 1879 a papa Leone XIII in Collegium Cardinalium aggregatus est. Birminghamiæ mortuus est die 11 augusti anno 1890. In numero sanctorum adscriptus anno 2019 atque doctor Ecclesiæ a Summo Pontifice Leone XIV anno 2025 declaratus est.
De Communi pastorum: pro presbyteris, vel doctorum Ecclesiæ.
Ad Officium lectionis
Lectio altera
Ex Scriptis sancti Ioánnis Henríci Newman, presbýteri et Ecclésiæ doctóris
(Apologia Pro Vita Sua, Chapter V: Position of My Mind since 1845, London 1864,
pp. 238-239, 250-251)
Tamquam fluctibus agitatum in portum me tandem venisse videbatur
Ex illa die qua cathólicus factus sum et déinceps, nihil plane sententiárum de religióne narrándum plus hábeo. Mentem autem nequáquam pigram réliqui neque a ratiocinatiónibus theológicis abstínui, sed neve variatiónes in cogitatióne neve sollicitúdines in corde reférre váleo. Omnis dúbii expers, in pace perfécta atque tranquillitáte hucúsque vivo. De intelléctu vel móribus a die conversiónis meæ mutátis nihil cónscius sum. Etenim, nec fidem in veritátes Revelatiónis principáles firmiórem, nec mei compotiórem, nec meípsum ferventiórem sentiébam. At tamquam flúctibus agitátum in portum me tandem venísse videbátur; unde meípsum usque ad hodiérnam diem beátum iúgiter ǽstimo.
Neque artículos ínsuper qui de sýmbolo anglicáno desunt diffíciles recéptu invéni. Nonnúllos enim iamdúdum accéperam; ómnibus autem absque periclitatióne consénsi. Quos in die receptiónis sine ulla disceptatióne proféssus sum, eósdem étiam nunc ita confíteor. Sunt enim difficultátes intellegéndi in ómnibus sýmboli christiáni artículis sive a cathólicis sive a protestántibus proféssis quas neque negáre neque simplíciter me sólvere posse assevéro. Ac tamétsi multi sunt qui difficultátes in Religióne séntiant, quorum ego unus sum, coniunctiónem tamen numquam vidére pótui inter apprehensiónem illárum difficultátum, quamvis acúte et quotquot sint, et dubitatiónem doctrinárum cum quibus coniúnctæ sunt. Decem mília enim difficultátum ne síngulum quidem dúbium gígnere posse mihi vidétur, eo quod difficultátes nequáquam dúbiis commetiúntur. Difficultátes enimvéro in arguméntis prorsus adésse possunt; hic autem de difficultátibus in ipsis doctrínis intrínsecis vel quoad earúndem doctrinárum relatiónes in altérutras loquor. Scílicet ut áliquis vexátur dum quæstiónem mathemáticam sólvere non potest, étiam cum solútio illi sive prǽstita sive reténta est, sed non dúbitat quin solútio admítti possit vel solútio quædam vera exsístat. Ex ómnibus fídei dogmátibus, mea senténtia valde difficíllimum est quod Deus exsístat, sed méntibus nostris quam potentíssime imprímitur.
Sunt tamen qui doctrínam Transubstantiatiónis diffícilem créditu aiunt. Ego quidem, cum illi doctrínæ non credíderam donec cathólicus essem, nihilóminus simul ac Ecclésiam Románam Cathólicam esse oráculum Dei cognóveram, atque eam docuísse istam doctrínam ab orígine esse revelátam, facíllime crédidi. Quod hanc doctrínam mente concípere sit árduum, immo impossíbile, libénter concédo; sed quómodo sit diffícile huic crédere, quæso. Toto vero dógmati reveláto, ab Apóstolis docto et Ecclésiæ trádito et ab Ecclésia mihi declaráto, credo; atque ut nunc interpretátur et, implícite, sicut ab illa auctoritáte cui commíssum est prætérea símili modo interpretábitur usque ad consummatiónem sǽculi, idem accípio. Insuper illis traditiónibus semper et ubíque in Ecclésia recéptis, in quibus res continétur definitiónum dogmaticárum intérdum declaratárum, et quæ in ómnibus sǽculis dógmati Cathólico iam declaráto textum et exémplum præbent, adhǽreo. Aliis quoque Sanctæ Sedis senténtiis, sive theológicis sive non, per instruménta a se statúta procedéntibus, quæstióne utrum infallibilitáte sint prǽditæ prætermíssa, quibus saltem parére atque obtemperáre débeo, me submítto. Existimánda est porro, ut opínor, Cathólicæ fídei investigátio paulátim per sǽcula spécies certas et várias assumpsísse, in formam sciéntiæ se exstruxísse, ratióne et locutióne sibi própriis a doctíssimis sicut Athanásio, Augustíno atque Thoma de Aquíno evolútis, se ornásse; neque talem hereditátem intellectuálem nobis his posterióribus diébus legátam ullo modo dirúmpere vellem.
Responsorium Cf. Eph 3, 7. 10; Io 16, 13
R/. Evangélii factus sum miníster secúndum donum grátiæ Dei, quæ data est mihi secúndum operatiónem virtútis eius, * Ut innotéscat per ecclésiam multifórmis sapiéntia Dei.
V/. Cum autem vénerit ille, Spíritus veritátis, dedúcet vos in omnem veritátem. * Ut innotéscat.
Oratio
Deus, qui sanctum Ioánnem Henrícum, presbýterum, lumen benígnum tuum sequéntem pacem in Ecclésia tua inveníre contulísti, concéde propítius ut, eius intercessióne et exémplo, ex umbris et imagínibus in plenitúdinem veritátis tuæ perducámur. Per Dominum.
IN MARTYROLOGIUM ROMANUM
Addi debet ad diem 9 octobris primo loco elogium quod sequitur:
Sancti Ioánnis Henríci Newman, doctóris Ecclésiæ, qui, ex Anglia oriúndus, æque philósophus et theólogus dignus laude, in confessióne Anglicána natus, públice intrávit cathólicam Ecclésiam auxílio étiam beáti Domínici a Matre Dei e Congregatióne Passiónis, tum présbyter factus, óperam Oratoriórum Sancti Philíppi Neri in natióne sua cepit atque promóvit, paulo post Cardinális Sanctæ Ecclésiæ Románæ a Leóne papa Décimo Tértio creátus, prædicatióne et scriptis super veritáte Christi náviter emínuit.
Comment on the Decree by the Prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
Saint John Henry Newman proclaimed Doctor of the Church
and inscribed in the General Roman Calendar
On 1 November 2025 Pope Leo XIV celebrated the Solemnity of All Saints in Saint Peter’s Square, in the presence of representatives from the world of education who had come to Rome for the Holy Year. On that occasion he proclaimed the priest, Saint John Henry Newman, as a Doctor of the Church and “together with Saint Thomas Aquinas, as co-Patron of the Church’s educational mission” (Pope Leo XIV, Homily).
The Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has issued a Decree in the name of the Holy Father (Prot. N. 760/25, dated 9 November 2025, Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica) by which Saint John Henry Newman, Priest and Doctor of the Church, has been inscribed in the General Roman Calendar on 9 October, with the rank of optional memorial. Together with the Decree, the liturgical texts to be inserted into all Calendars, in the Roman Missal, in the Liturgy of the Hoursand in the Roman Martyrology have been published in the Latin language. It now falls to the Episcopal Conferences to translate these texts, approve them, and, after the confirmatio/recognitio of this Dicastery, to publish the liturgical texts for this celebration, in accordance with the norms currently in force [cf. Apostolic Letter issued Motu proprio Magnum principium in AAS109/10 (2017) 967-970; Executory Decree Postquam Summus Pontifex in Notitiæ 57 (2021) 152-222].
The inclusion of Saint John Henry Newman in the General Roman Calendar, which follows upon his proclamation as a Doctor of the Universal Church, is intended to present his figure as an outstanding example of the constant search for the truth that enlightens and saves.
During the homily of the Eucharistic Celebration in which the Rite of the Proclamation of Saint John Henry Newman took place, Pope Leo XIV recalled that “this reference to the darkness that surrounds us echoes one of Saint John Henry Newman’s best-known texts, the hymn ‘Lead, Kindly Light.’” The Holy father continued: “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. For this reason, I would like to say to you: let us disarm the false reasons for resignation and powerlessness, and let us share the great reasons for hope in today’s world.” While the late Pope Francis, in the Encyclical Dilexit nos, highlighted another significant aspect of the life of Saint John Henry Newman, namely that he “took as his motto the phrase Cor ad cor loquitur, since, beyond all our thoughts and ideas, the Lord saves us by speaking to our hearts from his Sacred Heart. This realization led him, the distinguished intellectual, to recognize that his deepest encounter with himself and with the Lord came not from his reading or reflection, but from his prayerful dialogue, heart to heart, with Christ, alive and present” (n. 26)
In the liturgical texts for this celebration, the Collect reveals the very essence of the Saint’s spiritual journey: God guided him by his “kindly light” until he led him into the peace of his Church. That journey of his becomes for us too a source of inspiration and a reason for humble prayer, we who desire to be led out of shadows and appearances, so as to arrive at the full light of truth.
The choice of the readings seeks to shed light on certain characteristics of the life and person of the Saint. The first reading, taken from the Book of Sirach, presents someone who, by the will of the Lord, is filled with the spirit of understanding (cf. Sir 39: 8-14). The Responsorial Psalm (Ps 39: 2, 4ab. 7-8a. 8b-9. 10) with its refrain – Behold, I have come, Lord, to do your will – enables the assembly to express the desire to live, like the Saint, in complete docility to God’s will, even in adverse circumstances. The Gospel, preceded by the acclamation through which the assembly acknowledges and welcomes the one Father in heaven and the one Instructor, the Christ (cf. Mt 23: 9b, 10b.), is taken from the Gospel of Matthew (Mt 13: 47-52) in which the Kingdom of God is compared to a net cast into the sea that gathers all kinds of fish. Only one who becomes a disciple can understand the parable of the Kingdom, becoming “like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old”. John Henry Newman made himself a disciple in the search for the truth of God; for this reason, for the community of believers, he has become a doctor of the faith, capable of bringing forth from his treasure things new and things old, drawing from the entire treasury of Revelation, from which the wisdom of the Saints never ceases to draw
In the Liturgy of the Hours, following the hagiographical note, the second reading of the Office of Readings is taken from the Apologia pro Vita Sua, a work written by the Saint in 1864. In it, he recounts his own experience of conversion to Catholicism, likening it to a ship coming into port after a rough sea.
Lastly, the Martyrologium Romanum assigns the elogium of the saintly Doctor to the first place among the Saints commemorated on 9 October.
The inclusion of this celebration in the General Roman Calendar invites us to contemplate Saint John Henry Newman as a man led by the “kindly light” of God’s grace to find peace within the Catholic Church. His enduring contributions of profound theological and ecclesiological significance, as well as his poetic and devotional writings, continue to inspire the spiritual and intellectual journey of the faithful. His steadfast pursuit of moving beyond shadows and images to reach the fullness of truth remains a shining example for every disciple of the Risen Lord.
Arthur Card. Roche
Prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship
and the Discipline of the Sacraments
