Many public colleges and universities have a "Newman Center" nearby- the local presence of the Catholic Church providing campus ministry. As an undergraduate, I was deeply blessed by finding the Newman Center in Chapel Hill (sorry, NC State fans!), a place that was for me both a welcoming 'home' and an opportunity to grow, learn and develop my gifts and faith. Newman Centers across the country continue that tradition of encouraging intellectual, spiritual and social development of the person that complements and sometimes challenges the education being fostered on the campus.
A few words from Pope Benedict's homily during the ceremony:
In Blessed John Henry Newman, "that tradition of gentle scholarship, deep human wisdom and profound love for the Lord has borne rich fruit, as a sign of the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit deep within the heart of God's people, bringing forth abundant gifts of holiness."
"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. I would like to pay particular tribute to his vision for education, which has done so much to shape the ethos that is the driving force behind Catholic schools and colleges today. Firmly opposed to any reductive or utilitarian approach, he sought to achieve an educational environment in which intellectual training, moral discipline and religious commitment would come together."
Cardinal Newman was a scholar and prolific writer, so there are many quotes that could be chosen, on the primacy of one's informed conscience or on the importance of the laity, for example, but let's end this post with this one:
“Here below, to live is to change,
and to be perfect is to have changed often.”
John Henry Newman, pray for us!
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