Is Cardinal Newman Praying for His Anglican Brethren?

CHESAPEAKE, VA (Catholic Online) - The "Newsblog" of the Guardian Newspaper of the UK contained a truly intriguing posting written by Ms. Riazat Butt entitled " Is this the man who will lead ex-Anglicans to Rome?"

In the posting, Ms. Riazat makes a connection between the canonization of John Henry Cardinal newman, the famous Anglican convert on his way to canonization, and the current work of the Holy Spirit which seems to be guiding many Anglican Christians to consider entering into the full communion of the Catholic Church:

Is this the man who will lead ex-Anglicans to Rome?

"There is much twitching of cassocks with news that the remains of a 19th century Englishman are to be dug up from one cemetery in the West Midlands and transferred to the more splendid surroundings of Birmingham Oratory.

The body belongs to the Venerable John Henry Cardinal Newman, who is the second most famous Anglican convert to Catholicism, the top spot obviously occupied by Tony Blair, who presented Pope Benedict XVI with antique pictures of the cardinal when they met last June.

Newman's removal is all the more significant for God-watchers, who see it is a sign that the Victorian cleric could be declared a saint as early as December - something of a miracle considering the normally arduous process involved with beatification.

The move, carried out at the behest of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, has also led to speculation that a speedy sainthood could coincide with a Vatican lifeline being thrown to Church of England traditionalists opposed to women bishops.

Talk of defecting to Rome is rife, although there are no real short cuts as the bishop of Ebbsfleet himself admits. Benedict has previously urged squabbling elements to hug it out - rather than storming off - so it would be most unholy of him to publicly cash in on a crisis.

Add to this not one but two Vatican officials swooping into Canterbury to issue a polite reminder for Anglicans to stay together and, officially anyway, the position is clear.

Whether the assembled primates and prelates will take any notice is another matter. Bishop Burnham would be barred from being a bishop - he is married - but he wants to be able to take his flocks with him.

Not literally of course.

A device called Anglican Use would allow disaffected parishioners to have their cake and eat it too and would be a way for Rome to welcome newcomers without rubbing salt into the wounds. From the Vatican viewpoint, it is far better

I found this about Holy Relics and the website has other information see below:

http://www.orthodoxphotos.com/readings/ibelieve/relics.shtml
Concerning the Holy Relics of the Saints

I believe and I confess that when we venerate and kiss the holy relics, the grace of God acts upon our total being, that is, body and soul, and that the bodies of the saints, since they are the temples of the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 6:9), participate in and are endued with this totally sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit. Thus, God can act through the holy relics of His saints, as the Old Testament bears witness; for there we see that a man was resurrected by touching the bones of the Prophet Elisseus (II Kings 13:21). Therefore, I neither venerate holy relics for some sentimental reason, nor do I honour them as merely historical remains but acknowledge them as being, by the grace of God, endowed with intrinsic holiness, as being vessels of grace. Indeed, in the Acts of the Apostles we see that the faithful were healed by touching the Apostles' "handkerchiefs" and "aprons" (Acts 19:12).

Jean | 12/9/2009

i dont agree with my brother from accra and the answer to give to non catholics and catholics who may have an issue with this is that veneration is not worship(as you should know) but a way of immortalising in christendom.in the carnal society, statues, monuments and even libraries are built and no eyelids are batted .at the Birmingham Oratory people can come see and learn about whoever it is that is laid there and learn ,more importantly how God was able to use him in his life and even now in 'physical' death

anthony | 6/23/2009

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