Newman: Holiness and Humanity

Abstract Newman, who has been greatly admired and whose canonization was welcomed by so many, has often been regarded at the same time as a rather remote figure. And while it is true that he appreciated his solitude, he was also aware that he valued his friends deeply. Moreover, this link between solitude and friendship indicates his recognition of the connection between the seen and the unseen worlds, his sharpened awareness, that is to say, of a sacramental dimension to reality. This sense of the sacramental also undergirded his vision of education as he expressed it during his time as Rector of the Dublin University, which he was invited to found and where he applauded saints who could read the world fluently like a book, which interested them naturally. And his love for his friends was influenced further by his patron, St Philip Neri, whom he admired for his generosity, patience, and cheerfulness. His humanity is also made evident by his abiding love of music. He was a gifted violinist.