Newman's Holiness: A talk by Mgr. Roderick Strange

In the run-up to the canonization of John Henry Newman, Reverend Monsignor Roderick Strange will discuss "Newman's Holiness" at the London Global Gateway: Holiness can take many forms. For Newman – whose canonisation by Pope Francis this year marks him as a witness to holiness for us all – a Christian is someone who ‘watches for Christ’. Alert to signs of Christ’s presence in all things, Newman’s spirituality was rooted in an understanding of a Christ at once both fully human and fully divine, and of his utter proximity to each of us in a world where what is visible and invisible are intimately entwined. This understanding shaped Newman’s life and ministry. His interior journey was a diligent search for Christ through prayer, through the Eucharist and within the Church. He remained on the watch for Christ even in the darkest seasons of his life and despite the many challenges he faced. It inspired his pastoral ministry and talent for education.  Newman’s path to sainthood suggests his legacy might be an apologia for our times: Newman offers us encouragement to remain steadfast in faith amid the inevitable difficulties of life; he speaks to us of God amid society’s contemporary focus on the secular; and his heart of holiness can lead us towards a wiser and richer vision for the future of our world. 6:00 p.m. Registration and welcome 6:30 p.m. Keynote 7:15 p.m. Q&A 7:30 p.m Reception About the Right Reverend Monsignor Roderick Strange Reverend Monsignor Roderick Strange was born in 1945 and ordained priest in 1969 following preparation at the Venerable English College, Rome. From 1970 he was working on Cardinal Newman’s understanding of Christ at Oriel College, Oxford, and completed his doctorate in 1974. It was published as Newman and the Gospel of Christ (Oxford, 1981). Since then he has written and lectured on Newman extensively and has worked as an adviser to the BBC, most notably during the papal visit to the UK in 2010 when Newman was beatified. He continues to write regularly for The Times and to lecture and direct retreats around the world. Since 2015, he has held the post of Professor of Theology at St Mary’s University, Twickenham, the only faith-based university within the London area