Gospel in Art: Feast of Saint John Henry Newman

John Newman, by Sir John Everett Millais © Alamy, National Portrait Gallery, currently at Arundel Castle

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 9 October 2025
Matthew 13:47-52

At that time: Jesus said to the crowd, 'The kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

'Have you understood all these things?' They said to him, 'Yes.' And he said to them, 'Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.'

Reflection on the painting

Saint John Henry Newman (1801-1890) was one of the great intellectual and spiritual figures of 19th-century England. Born in London, he was first ordained as an Anglican priest and became a leading voice in the Oxford Movement, which sought to recover the Catholic roots of the Church of England. His deep study of the early Church Fathers gradually led him to full communion with the Catholic Church in 1845. He was later ordained a Catholic priest and founded the Oratory of St Philip Neri in Birmingham, dedicating his life to preaching, writing, and pastoral care.

His writings on conscience, faith, and the development of doctrine continue to shape Catholic thought today. In 1879, Pope Leo XIII made him a cardinal in recognition of his service to the Church, and in 2019 Pope Francis canonised him as a saint. I was just after starting seminary a month before, and hence I was present on St Peter's Square for the canonisation, a truly beautiful day. Newman's motto, Cor ad cor loquitur ("Heart speaks to heart"), perfectly captures his vision of faith as a deeply personal encounter with Christ. It reminds us that faith is not abstract or distant, but it is about Christ's heart speaking directly to our hearts.

I would like to share a link to a series of podcasts produced by the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales. These podcasts offer valuable insights into Newman's teachings: click here.

John Everett Millais' portrait of Cardinal Newman, commissioned in 1881 by the Duke of Norfolk, one of Newman's supporters, was painted when Newman was nearly eighty, Millais captures him in his red cardinal's robes, seated in quiet dignity. His posture is slightly slouched, as if weighed down by age, yet dignified. His long, delicate hands rest quietly in his lap, emphasising stillness and contemplation. The face is the focal point though: pale, lined, thoughtful, with gentle, penetrating eyes. Millais has caught not only Newman's likeness but something of his spiritual character. There is no elaborate setting, no background props, no ecclesiastical grandeur. The focus is entirely on Newman himself: a man of prayer, humility, and intellect.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-13-47-52-2025/