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Friday, August 1, 2025

TWO INTERESTING ASPECTS OF POPE LEO XIV NAMING ST. JOHN HENRY NEWMAN A DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH


As we know, so many bishops, theologians, priests, religious, laity and bloggers dissent from the papal magisterium of Pope Benedict XVI. The centerpiece of his papacy was to move the post-Vatican II Church to interpret Vatican II within continuity with what preceded it. For Benedict, St. John Newman was the perfect saint to assist him in this arduous process especially with so many post-Vatican II heterodox left leaning bishops, priests, theologians and laity. 

Thus the following two points are quite interesting:

The first, and most stunning, is that if Saint John Henry Newman had been on the staff of Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit, the good archbishop there would have fired him along with the other three he fired.

The second point is from a National Catholic Register article:

Development of Doctrine Disputes

The issue of development of doctrine has been controversial in recent years, especially following the documents Amoris Laetitia(The Joy of Love), which allowed access to Holy Communion for divorced and civilly remarried Catholics in some cases, and Fiducia Supplicanswhich permitted the non-liturgical blessing of same-sex couples. 

Many contemporary theologians and Church leaders have invoked Newman to justify such changes as examples of doctrinal development. Critics, however, have argued that their efforts often involve twisting Newman’s intention, using his authority to promote doctrinal “paradigm shifts” that sever continuity with traditional beliefs, especially regarding sexual ethics and moral teachings. 

Asked if Newman being made a Doctor of the Church might cause his teaching to be further exploited in this regard, Msgr. Wadsworth said, “Not if we are true to what John Henry Newman taught. I think that we are better able to counter such attempts by reiterating what he has written.” 

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