John Henry Newman

1801-1890 19th century Feast day: October 9

The prayer of sufficient light: not to demand a distant view, but to consent to today's single step.

Who was John Henry Newman?

An English theologian and figure of Oxford, he left the Anglican Church for the Catholic Church after a long search, at the cost of many friendships. A preacher and thinker on conscience and the development of faith, he made consent to the light received, step by step, the heart of his life of prayer.

In their own words

Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom, lead thou me on. The night is dark, and I am far from home: one step enough for me.

The Pillar of the Cloud ('Lead, Kindly Light', 1833)

To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often.

An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine (1845)

Heart speaks to heart.

Cardinal's motto ('Cor ad cor loquitur')