Saint Ursula Academy - Scroll Yearbook (Toledo, OH)

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Newman withdrew to Littlemore. Lonely and disappointed, he directed all his ef- forts at this time to writing his Essay on Christian Doctrine -the tracing of the evolution of religious dogma. When he started this profound work he was still in name an Anglican, before he completed it he had made his formal submission to Rome. Now the plea found in his poem, Lead, Kindly Light , was answered, the vision of peace de- scended upon him. Very quietly john Newman made his confession and Com- munion as a Catholic in the private Ora- tory at Littlemore on October 9, 1845, and was soon to be followed by many of Oxford's illustrious sons. Brastow, n non-Catholic philosopher, writes that When Newman entered the Catholic Church, he went home. He entered it as with a shout of exultation. The rest- lessness and confusion of uncertainty vanish and his entire subsequent career indicates that it was a joyful emancipa- tion. Orrlination After a novitiate in Rome Newman was ordained to the Catholic priesthood by Pope Pius IX on May 30, 1848. Two years later another triumph was written across the pages of his life when the re- establishment of the Catholic Hierarchy in England was no longer a vague and distant aspiration but a reality. Despite great opposition, Catholic England was restored to its orbit in the ecclesiastical firmamentf' This was truly a day of glory and the words of Newman, who preached on this occasion, form a monu- ment that will stand forever. For the text of his sermon entitled The Second Spring he took a verse from the Can- ticle of Canticles : Arise, make haste, my love, my dove, my beautiful one, and come. For the winter is now passed, the rain is over and gone. The flowers have appeared in our land. Literature At this point in his career Newman seems to have given full sway to his lit- erary talent, although few things would have been less welcome to him than to hear himself referred to as a man of let- ters. He was a priest first and last, and everything he wrote was conceived with the direct purpose of advancing God's Kingdom on earth. His aim was to set forth through the medium of language the visions by which he himself was in- spired. In so doing he produced works which for grace and charm, for power and simplicity, stand almost alone in our language and earn for him the title of Master of English Prose. His well-known essay, written while he was rector of Dublin University, on the Idea of a University , in which he defines the aim of education, is unparal- leled for clearness of thought and rare beauty of diction. Likewise his Apologia pro Vita Sua has been proclaimed a true classic, outstanding for its vigorous pre- cision and written to set forth the pro- cesses by which the author was led into the Catholic Church. In the realm of poetry, too, his place is one of rare distinction. Only the vision of the theologian, as well as the vibrant faith of the man, could produce a work like The Dream of Gerontius , the most majestic description of what lies beyond the pale of death that has ever been published. True, the subjects with which he deals dwell in a region seem- ingly visionary to us, but real indeed to himg for his genius lies in his sense of the invisible. He speaks to some of every generation, and those whose hearts and minds are open to his message hear a music and behold a vision which is out of the realm of the earthly. Where then shall we place him in the hall of writers? Surely among the im- mortals, for his scholarly writings are among the most glorious jewels of our literary heritage. Long before he took his final rest, the minds and hearts of an admiring world had turned to Card- inal Newman and in recognition of his signal services for the Catholic Cause, Pope Leo XIII, in 1879, conferred upon him the Cardinal's Hat. Honor and ac- claim now rewarded his untiring zeal. Last Days Gradually the weakness of extreme old age had come upon him. He preached QContinued on page 635 THE SCROLL 11

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,ff ' it ' J ' A X J Taffy Lead, Kindly if Light if , , fl I X 4-, j ll X . .Ulf r 'i V' 1 Lf X I 'S 5 A 1' fi 1 2 p In isa? N ik, eva, in - Jiffy, X-f'f--.- if '?' 'f 1 f I:-QEX fa f ffifptyf , ri ,- ,' , If I ii xf . li' XX-N X HEN the sun disappears below the horizon, he is not down. The heavens glow for a full hour after his departure. So it is when a great man diesg the world is illumi- nated by his inffuence long after his death. Little wonder then, that we of 1945 still cherish with respect the mem- ory of an inspired actor in the great drama of religion, who one hundred years ago made his startling exodus from the Church of England and his humble entrance into the Catholic Church of Rome. The influence of this action serves as a permanent memorial to his great genius as a theologian, teacher, and writer. His name is Cardinal Newman Newman raced through his elementary education and at the age of sixteen be- came a student at Trinity College, Ox- ford. where in recognition of his high scholastic standing, he was elected to a Fellowship at Oriel. As a result, how- ever, of his diligent pursuit of study and his avid search for knowledge, there came also to his very active mind a new restless feeling that Newman himself described as thoughts from another world. In a letter to his parents he wrote, I dreamed a spirit came to me and discoursed about another world: it said it was absolutely impossible for the reason of man to understand the mystery of the Holy Trinity and in vain to argue about it, but that everything in another world was so very, very plain that there was not the slightest difficulty about it. This sounds the Erst note of skepticism that overshadowed the great scholar's mind. PATRICIA Kms '45 Persevering in the Anglican Seminary, he was ordained on May 29, 1825, and shortly thereafter became Vicar of St. Mary's University Church. In 1829 New man took a Mediterranean cruise and the leisure for concentrated thought afforded him by this voyage found vent in poetry. These writings show his state of mind at this period and give an indication of more misgivings and forebodings that were destined to lead to his conversion thirteen years later. When he returned to England, Newman found himself in the midst of an acute religious crisis, which prompted him to write his famous Tracts for the Times and as a result the seeds of the Tractarian or Oxford Movement were sown. Oxford Movement The aim of the Oxford Movement, the first phase of which originated with- in the Church of England in 1833, was tc. awaken a new and elevated religious life. To this end Newman gave all his strength and genius. He became its very soul. Gradually under his leadership the Movement veered away from the An- glican Church and opened a wide path in the Catholic direction that was to lead to Newman's secession to Rome and eventually to the Catholic Revival in England. Historians tell us in referring to Newman and the Movement, that no living man had so changed the religious thought of England and that the effects of his efforts will remain active for gen- erations to come. Realizing the break with Oxford and the Anglican Church was inevitable, 10 THE SCROLL

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Disciple Timmy 7 'Yea T T ' ATI-IER GLEN HAMILTON, tall, blonde, and twenty-eight, came to Saint Catherines in May in the year of Our Lord nineteen hundred and forty-three. Because the people of the town were always a little conservative in welcoming a stranger into their midst, he wasn't too enthusiastically received by the community. Father Glen, as he came to be called, possessed of the zeal which youth and the grace of the priesthood bestow, soon dissipated their reluctance to accept him and everyone was calling him friend . One day, after the good Father had been at his new post for about three months, he found it necessary to go down to the union depot to pick up some luggage that had been delayed in ship- ment. He was on his way to the baggage room of the station, when he heard, Fa-, Father Hamilton. He turned, and there directly behind him stood a small boy-a lad about ten years old. Well, hello there. And who are you ? I'm Timmy! the child declared. I'm very glad to meet you, Timmy, the priest smiled warmly. What are you doing down here? Oh, my pop is a brakeman on the JEAN QUIGLEY '45 train. I'm goin' to be a brakeman some- day too! We live over there in 'at house. He pointed to an old house that had seen better days, when the city was young. Well, what can I do for you, Timmy? Father, I went to church up at St. Catherines last Sunday, and-and- Yes, Timmy? You're just wonderful! Timmy blurted out, with admiration oozing from his every pore. The way that you told about the little boy who grew up to be King of everything. Father Hamilton smiled. It wasn't I who was wonderful, Tim. It was the Little Boy Whom I was talking about. Would you tell me about-about Him, please, Father? Of course, Tim. Come over to the car and we'll have ourselves a nice talk. . After walking hand in hand to the priest's car, the two sat for over an hour. When Father looked at his watch, he discovered that it was later than he thought. Well, son, it looks as if we'll have to finish this some other day. Tomorrow, Father? Tomorrow, Timmy. That evening, back in the rectory, Father Hamilton was reading over his sermon for the coming Sunday when suddenly the telephone rang. St. Catherines Father Hamilton speaking. Father, this is Mike Howes from the station. I was wondering if you would come down right away. He paused. Little Timmy Burnett was hurt tonight on the tracks and he has been asking for you, and- I'll be right there! A half hour later Father Hamilton was at Tim's bedside. The first thing Timmy said when he gained consciousness and recognized his friend was, Father, will fTurn to page 321 12 THE SCROLL