Beatification of Cardinal Newman
John Henry Newman will be beatified by Pope Benedict XVI during his forthcoming State Visit to the United Kingdom. The ceremony will take place on 19 September 2010 at Cofton Park in Birmingham, which is near to the site of Newman's burial at the Oratorian Retreat House in Rednal.
The decision to declare Newman 'Blessed' came about after an extensive investigation by the Catholic Church, which took place both in England and in Rome. As part of this process detailed enquiries were made regarding his personal sanctity and the orthodoxy of his spiritual and theological writings as a Catholic.
His 'Heroic Virtue' was recognised by Pope John Paul II in 1991, but a miracle was still required before beatification could take place. Beatification implies that a person is in heaven and that God, to make this known to the Church, works a miracle on earth through his or her intercession.
Based on the testimony of medical experts a Vatican commission accepted reports that an American deacon, Jack Sullivan, had been miraculously cured of a serious illness through Newman's intercession. Acceptance of this miracle paved the way for Pope Benedict's decree that Newman should be beatified. Either a further miracle, or Newman's being declared a Doctor of the Church, is required before Newman can be canonised (declared to be a saint).
The feast day of Blessed John Henry Newman will be kept each year on 9 October, the date of his reception into the Catholic Church.