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Statement from the Provost on Saint John Henry Newman
31 July 2025
Statement from the Provost of Oriel College on the Vatican’s announcement that Saint John Henry Newman will be declared a Doctor of the Church
I’m delighted by the announcement from the Vatican today. Pope Leo has confirmed that Saint John Henry Newman will soon be declared a Doctor of the Church. The title belongs to as few as 37 other saints, including Saint Augustine and Saint Jerome.
Since the day of his canonisation in 2019 I have been reminded many times of the profound impact Newman made as a Fellow of Oriel College from 1822 until 1845, on the study of theology, on the university and on daily academic life here and across Oxford.
His emphasis on the tutorial system of teaching and on the personal, moral and social development of students was adopted by every other college. It is in part to his credit and his The Idea of a University that Oxford is an exceptional place to study.