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2w ago

Pope Leo XIV Names St. John Henry Newman Doctor of the Church, Co‑Patron of Catholic Education

The All Saints Day proclamation at a Jubilee Mass signaled a programmatic focus on Catholic education.

Pope Leo XIV presides over Mass with participants in the Jubilee of the Educational World on the Solemnity of All Saints, in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, during which he will proclaim St. John Henry Newman a Doctor of the Church. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Nuns attend a Mass with Pope Leo XIV and the Jubilee of the Educational World on the Solemnity of All Saints, in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, during which he will proclaim St. John Henry Newman a Doctor of the Church. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Pope Leo XIV presides over Mass with participants in the Jubilee of the Educational World on the Solemnity of All Saints, in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, during which he will proclaim St. John Henry Newman a Doctor of the Church. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Pope Leo XIV presides over Mass with participants in the Jubilee of the Educational World on the Solemnity of All Saints, in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, during which he will proclaim St. John Henry Newman a Doctor of the Church. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Overview

  • The declaration was made Nov. 1 in St. Peter’s Square during the Jubilee for the World of Education, with thousands of students and educators present.
  • Newman was designated co‑patron of the Church’s educational mission alongside St. Thomas Aquinas, underscoring the pope’s emphasis on schools and universities.
  • An official Church of England delegation led by Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell attended, and British Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy was present, highlighting the ecumenical dimension.
  • Newman becomes the 38th Doctor of the Church, a rare title reserved for saints whose writings have significantly shaped Catholic theology.
  • The move followed petitions from bishops’ conferences in England and Wales with support from the United States, Ireland and Scotland, and aligns with Leo XIV’s recent teaching on education and the ethical use of technology.