His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, The Cardinal Secretary of State, gave the opening address at the academic symposium 'Newman - A Celebration'. Held at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences on Saturday, 12 October 2019.
“We can say that Newman is a model both for Catholics and for Anglicans. Thanks to his sanctity, his truly evangelical witness of life and his total reliance upon the Holy Spirit, he was a pioneer of ecumenism. His love for the universal Church is one reason for us to consider him one of the great forerunners of modern ecumenism. This conviction is borne out by the study of his thought, upon which greater light was shed by the posthumous publication of his diaries. These revealed an interior universe of profound richness that nourished his daily activity. Newman lived constantly in union with God, following the expression of Saint Francis of Assisi: “Deus meus et omnia … ever and spontaneously on my lips”.
The second address looking at Newman's theology was delivered by Revd Dr Benjamin King
