Who gives us inspiration to grow in the virtue of hope and to share it with others?
It was fitting that in preparation for writing this article, Pope Leo XIV announced that we will have a new doctor of the Church: St. John Henry Newman!
There’s our role model, what a Godsend! But what does it mean to be a Doctor of the Church, and how does that relate to us in our journey of hope?
What is a Doctor of the Church?
The Church recognizes those saints whose writing and teachings have contributed profoundly to theological thought. The Doctors of the Church have provided writings that allow the faithful to have a fuller appreciation and love for the Christian Tradition. With the newest addition, there are now 38 Doctors. They are considered holy teachers.
How Can the Doctors of the Church Provide Us Hope?
Each Doctor of the Church writes and proclaims the Catholic faith from their own experiences. Each of them had their own conversion and struggles. One notable example is St. Augustine, who details his journey in The Confessions, but all these saints proclaimed the truth of Christ and his Church through their writings. They are guided by hope to share their love of God with the world. We can take confidence in their writings, and prayerfully grow in our own understanding of the faith.
We can ask them to pray for us, and thank them for their words. They provide hope by helping us see the beauty of truth.
Who was St John Henry Newman?
St. John Henry Newman grew up and served as an Anglican priest at Oxford, England. During that time, he was part of the Oxford movement, which sought to incorporate more Catholic elements into the Church of England. It was in pursuit of incorporating those elements that ultimately led him to convert to Catholicism.
He faced numerous challenges in his conversion. There was separation from friends and family, and he had to leave his beloved Oxford.
Pursuing his faith in spite of many struggles, he was able to write wonderful works such as his autobiography Apologia Pro Vita Sua, and Grammar of Assent.
In St. John Henry Newman, we can find hope in his love of God, his pursuit of truth, and his writings that continue to inspire and inform the Church. We can even find it in the motto St. Newman chose as his coat of arms. As Pope Benedict XVI said during his beatification ceremony:
“Cardinal Newman’s motto, Cor ad cor loquitur, or 'Heart speaks unto heart,’ gives us an insight into his understanding of the Christian life as a call to holiness, experienced as the profound desire of the human heart to enter into intimate communion with the Heart of God.”
St. John Henry Newman, pray for us!
Daniel Quintero is a stand-up comedian currently attending Mary, Mother of the Church Catholic Parish. His favorite motto: “Awkwardness does not exist.”
Pilgrim Center of Hope provides events, experiences, and media; initiating a desire in people to encounter Jesus Christ in their daily journey of life. See what’s happening & let us journey with you! Visit PilgrimCenterOfHope.org.
