On Saturday 9 October, parishes in England will have the opportunity to celebrate for the first time the feast day of Blessed John Henry Newman. This can be seen as one of the tangible first fruits of the Visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the UK; a fruit which will have a lasting impact on the Church in this country.
His Grace, Archbishop Vincent Nichols (Westminster) will be celebrating a Mass of Thanksgiving for the Papal Visit which will coincide with the first Feast Day.
At the Mass of Beatification in Birmingham on 19 September 2010 Pope Benedict XVI said:
“The definite service to which Blessed John Henry was called involved applying his keen intellect and his prolific pen to many of the most pressing “subjects of the day”. His insights into the relationship between faith and reason, into the vital place of revealed religion in civilized society, and into the need for a broadly-based and wide-ranging approach to education were not only of profound importance for Victorian England, but continue today to inspire and enlighten many all over the world.”
The full homily text is available from the official Papal Visit website.
For Liturgical materials please visit the Liturgy Office of England and Wales.
The official site also offers general resources to support prayer, catechesis and home mission.
