The Pope will proclaim San John Henry Newman Doctor of the Church on November 1

Before praying the Angelus this Sunday, Pope Leo XIV announced that on November 1, the day when the Church celebrates the feast of All Saints, will confer San John Henry Newman the title of Doctor of the Church.

“I have the joy of announcing that on November 1, in the jubilee of the educational world, I will confer the title of Doctor of the Church to San John Henry Newman, which contributed to the rebirth of theology and the understanding of the Christian doctrine in its development,” said the Pontiff in Italian during his speech.

San John Newman (1801-1890), an English theologian of Anglicanism to Catholicism, is considered one of the most influential intellectual figures of the contemporary Church. His reflections on the development of doctrine, personal consciousness and the relationship between faith and reason deeply marked Catholic thought, to the point of being frequently summoned in the Vatican Council II.

The recognition as a doctor of the Church – a Title awarded to Santos whose writings and teachings have had an eminent value for Catholic theology and spirituality – places Newman in the same line of great references such as San Agustín, Santo Tomás de Aquino, Santa Teresa de Ávila and Santa Teresa de Lisieux.

The official proclamation will take place in a solemn ceremony in Rome, coinciding with the celebrations of the jubilee dedicated to the scope of education, a specially significant context given Newman’s contribution to reflection on the university and the integral formation of the person.

Prayers by Asian regions hit by the typhoon

In addition, Leo XIV expressed his proximity to the populations of Asia beaten in recent days by a violent typhoon that has left serious damage and floods in several countries of the region.

“In these days a typhoon has dejected on various Asian territories, in particular the Philippines, the island of Taiwan, the city of Hong Kong, the Guangdong and Vietnam region. I am close to the affected populations, especially the poorest,” said the pontiff in the Plaza de San Pedro.

The typhoon, accompanied by strong winds and torrential rains, has caused cuts of electricity, massive evacuations and large material losses in urban and rural areas. Local authorities reported fatalities and thousands of displaced, while emergency equipment and volunteers work on rescue work.

The Pope asked the faithful to pray for those who have lost their loved ones and for those who face the devastation caused by the natural disaster. He also urged the international community not to forget the situation of the most vulnerable populations.