Vatican City, 1 November 2025 — On the Solemnity of All Saints, Pope Leo XIV announced that Saint John Henry Newman has been declared a Doctor of the Church, and—alongside Saint Thomas Aquinas—named co-Patron of the Church’s educational mission. The announcement, made during the All Saints’ Day Mass at St Peter’s Basilica, marked what Pope Leo described as “a great joy” and a “beacon for the world of education” during its Jubilee Year.
“Newman’s impressive spiritual and cultural stature will surely serve as an inspiration to new generations whose hearts thirst for the infinite,” the Pope said, adding that through the pursuit of knowledge and faith, “we are willing to undertake that journey which takes us per aspera ad astra—through difficulties to the stars.”
A Call for Hope and Light in Education
Addressing teachers, students, and educational institutions gathered for the Mass, Pope Leo urged the faithful to live their mission with joy and courage. “Shine today like stars in the world,” he declared, quoting Saint Paul, “through your authentic commitment to the collective search for truth and to sharing it with generosity and integrity.”
Describing schools and universities as “laboratories of prophecy, where hope is lived, discussed and encouraged,” the Holy Father said that education must always be “a gateway to a civilization of dialogue and peace.”
He warned against the dangers of despair and nihilism in contemporary culture: “Let us not allow pessimism to defeat us! … We must work together to set humanity free from the encircling gloom of nihilism, which threatens to cancel hope.”
Referring to Newman’s beloved hymn, Lead, Kindly Light, the Pope invited educators to see their work as a vocation of guidance and light. “The task of education is precisely to offer this Kindly Light to those who might otherwise remain imprisoned by pessimism and fear. Let us disarm the false reasons for resignation and share the great reasons for hope.”
“Lead, Kindly Light.” In that beautiful prayer, we come to realize that we are far from home, our feet are unsteady, we cannot interpret clearly the way ahead. Yet none of this impedes us, since we have found our Guide: “Lead, Kindly Light, amid th’encircling gloom, Lead Thou me on;” “Lead, Kindly Light, The night is dark, and I am far from home, Lead Thou me on.” – St John Henry Newman
The Beatitudes: Education’s True Curriculum
Reflecting on the day’s Gospel, Pope Leo said the Beatitudes are “the teaching par excellence,” showing the path of holiness in the real world. “At first glance, it seems impossible to declare as blessed those who are poor or persecuted,” he said, “yet what seems inconceivable in the world’s logic is filled with meaning in the light of God’s Kingdom.”
In this, Christ is not merely a moral teacher but “the Master par excellence… the Educator par excellence.” The Pope continued, “May our schools and universities always be places of listening to the Gospel and putting it into practice.”
The Dignity of Every Person
Pope Leo highlighted Newman’s vision of education as deeply personal and moral, recalling the saint’s famous words: “God has created me to do Him some definite service… I have my mission.”
“In these words,” the Pope said, “we find the mystery of human dignity and the variety of gifts distributed by God. Life shines brightly not because we are rich, beautiful, or powerful, but when we discover within ourselves the truth that we are called by God.”
He emphasised that the task of education is to “encourage and cherish” each person’s unique contribution, especially the weak or marginalised: “At the heart of education we do not find abstract individuals, but real people—those whom economies that exclude or even kill often overlook.”
Education as a Path to Holiness
In his conclusion, Pope Leo reminded the faithful that education, for Christians, must lead to sanctity. “From a Christian perspective, education helps everyone to become saints. Nothing less will do.”
He recalled the words of Pope Benedict XVI during Newman’s beatification in 2010: “What God wants most of all for each one of you is that you should become holy.”
Pope Leo ended his homily with a prayer that the world of education may be renewed in its mission: “May Catholic education help each person to discover their own call to holiness. We are fellow students who have one Teacher, whose school is on earth and whose chair is in heaven.”
A Saint for the Classroom and the Heart
As Saint John Henry Newman joins the ranks of the Church’s Doctors, Pope Leo’s declaration on All Saints’ Day stands as a profound reminder: the pursuit of truth, the cultivation of wisdom, and the formation of conscience are not merely academic endeavours—they are acts of holiness.
In the words of the Holy Father, “Christian love is prophetic: it works miracles.”
