St. John Henry Newman: Convert, Saint, and Now Doctor of the Church
November 26, 2025
St. John Henry Newman, a well-known convert to the Catholic Church, was recently elevated to Doctor of the Church.
Pope Leo XIV proclaimed St. John Henry Newman a Doctor of the Church on All Saints Day in Rome on Saturday, Nov. 1.
Newman is only the 38th Doctor in Catholic Church history. His elevation to Doctor of the Church follows his canonization in 2019 by Pope Francis.
For saints to be conferred with the title Doctor of the Church, their theological writings are considered to be of the highest caliber, making them worthy of continued study by all Catholics.
Local Connection: An Expert’s Insight
Ryan “Bud” Marr, Ph.D., was invited to attend the special Mass on All Saints Day. Marr is the Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Mercy College of Health Sciences in Des Moines, and he is a leading Newman scholar.
Marr contributed to the cause for Newman’s doctorate, writing a chapter in the positio (the formal petition) to elevate the saint to a Doctor of the Church.
The portion he contributed focused on St. Newman’s ecclesiology (his understanding of the nature of the Church) and his nuanced views of the Magisterium (Church authority).
The Convert
Long before Newman was canonized a saint in the Church, he was a prominent Anglican minister and academic at Oxford. Although there was a strong anti-Catholic presence in England, Newman converted to Catholicism in 1845.
According to Marr, Newman lived a life of virtue and personal holiness. Newman woke early each morning for silent prayer and to celebrate Mass.
“A vast collection of his letters and diaries allows us to see him as a ‘flesh and blood saint,’ complete with human struggles,” said Marr. “He was serious about the faith. He fasted regularly and lived a holy life. And we have over 30 volumes of his letters and diaries, offering a peek behind the curtain to see his personal struggles and his growth in holiness.”
Newman left a significant influence on education, particularly his foundational book, The Idea of a University, and Catholic student centers are often under the patronage of Newman. For example, St. Catherine of Siena Student Center is the Newman Center at Drake University.
You may be surprised to learn that the famous author J.R.R. Tolkien of The Lord of the Rings lore studied at Newman’s Oratory school in Birmingham, England.
When a friend wrote Newman a letter and said, “I think you’re going to be a saint someday,” Newman responded, “No, saints aren’t bookish; they don’t write novels like I have. I’ll be happy if I make it to heaven just if they give me the role of polishing St. Philip Neri’s shoes.”
Organic Vision of Authority
As a convert to Catholicism, Marr explained Newman’s views on Church authority and governance evolved.
“Newman held a high view of papal authority, sometimes called Ultramontane,” he said.
Newman’s thought of Church authority shifted to a more balanced, organic image of the Church as the Body of Christ, detailed in Newman’s later writings.
“Newman’s concept of the Catholic Church operated through three offices: 1. Prophetic, the role of the theologians; 2. Priestly, the role of the laity’s devotion and lived tradition; and 3. Kingly, the role of the bishops and the pope in governance,” said Marr.
Newman argued that the hierarchy (Kingly office) should consult with the laity and theologians when making decisions about doctrine, showing a dynamic, balanced view where all members play an important role in preserving tradition, Marr said.
Reading Newman’s Writings
To read Newman’s writing and learn more about the saint, Marr gives caution about where to start. He recommends not starting with Newman’s heavy philosophical works like The Grammar of Assent. Rather, he advises readers to begin with Newman’s more accessible and devotional works, such as the Parochial and Plain Sermons.
Marr wrote a book called Seeking God with Saint John Henry Newman, which was published by Our Sunday Visitor. “It highlights some of Newman’s most important insights about the faith,” he said.
Many of Newman’s writings are in the public domain and available for free online at newmanstudies.org.