Blessed JH?

The Rector of my Gradual School will be over the moon at the report from the Vatican that the way has been cleared for Cardinal John Henry Newman, the esteemed educator and man of letters to be declared Blessed.

You can read the article here.

Fr. Denis quoted JH Newman often in class (which was an amazing feet since the class I was taking was the History of the Early Church, but he managed). I was also lucky enough to be present at a lecture Fr. Denis did on Cardinal Newman and faith formation. It was evident that he was a devotee of the esteemed Cardinal.

I also had a spiritual director a few years before I went to Gradual School that loved Cardinal Newman. He practically had a shrine to Newman in his office.

I have read Newman, both on my own and for classes in Gradual School. While I found his writing to be complicated and very dense. I didn't have much difficulty understanding it after the second time I read it. I had to read Ratzinger three or four times before I understood what he wrote.

Anyway. I am glad this is moving forward. He deserves sainthood eventually and this is all part of the process.

Pax

Mysitc Monday In Honor of Fr. Denis

I am going to bend ( I think it is a bend anyway) my rule on mystics and post something from Fr. Denis' favorite Guy JH Newman. Not to be confused with this guy who was much nicer looking, or this guy who was probably funnier.

I don't know that I would consider Newman a mystic in my sense of the term, but if one were to say that mystics spoke of the divine in a way that expressed a reality that was deeper than most others could fathom, then I suppose in many ways Newman is truly a mystic. There are very few people who actually understand much of what he wrote about God, that is for darn sure.

Anyway, this particular piece happens to be one of my favorite things Newman ever wrote, perhaps because I actually grasp what he means.

Lead Kindly Light

Lead kindly Light, amid th' encircling gloom, lead Thou me on!

the night is dark and I am from from home; lead Thou me on!

Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see

The distant scene one step enough for me.

I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou shouldst lead me on;

I love to choose and see my path; but now lead Thou me on!

I love the garish day, and spite of fears,

Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years!

So long Thy power hath blest me, sure it still will lead me on.

O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till the night is gone,

And with the morn those angel faces smile, which I

have loved long since, and lost awhile!

John Henry Cardinal Newman (1801 -1890)

I wanted to include a video of some confrers of Fr. Denis singing a version of this at his Installation on Sunday but somehow I can't get it to load on blogger. Too bad they sing beautifully.

Pax