Old Bedian, Lawrence Gregory, was in Rome this month as a key part of a team from The National Institute of Newman Studies, based in Pittsburgh. There, they met with Pope Leo, who, on the 1st November, formally pronounced St. John Henry Newman as a Doctor of the Church. 

Doctor of the Church is one of the rarest titles bestowed by Popes, as it must be proven, beyond a doubt, that the recipient has had a profound influence on Catholic practice and doctrine, bringing us all closer to a deeper understanding of God. 

Lawrence writes:

The formal pronouncement of John Henry Newman as the 38th Doctor of the Universal Church took place on Saturday, 1st November, the only Englishman since Saint Bede. As Archivist and UK Agent to the National Institute for Newman Studies, Pittsburgh since 2016, I served as senior archivist on the international team who compiled the evidence and positio, and over the past ten years of work have created the digital archive of Newman’s papers, enabled the international teams to access the complete archive of the Cardinal at the touch of a button. 

Lawrence in Rome

Lawrence is a great scholar, and I am honoured to call him both my friend and my fellow alumnus. His team’s Leviathan achievement in creating this digital archive has been instrumental in securing this honour for Cardinal Newman.