Newman on Tap Presents

Megan Scott, graduate student pursuing the Masters of Arts in the field of Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN reacts to Newman's 1839 sermon, Unreal Words. As editorial assistant of Logos - A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture Megan is well read in how "real" language moves us to action. "Unreal words", on the other hand, are separated fr...

Dr. Ono Ekeh , associate professor of Theology and Religious Studies at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut utilizes his theological interest of St. John Henry Newman to assist him in his reflection on Newman's 1829 sermon "Abraham and Lot". Dr. Ekeh points out that Newman helps us see Abraham's refusal to be entangled by things of this world as a sign that we bel...

Tyler McCollum, Associate for Mission, at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Edina, Minnesota reflects on Newman's early Catholic era sermon, "Our Lady in the Gospel". Tyler's thoughts on Newman's understanding of sanctity are supplied by his time with NET ministries (https://netusa.org) and his present full-time work with a uniquely large group of young adults (21-35 ye...

Rebecca Case, active parishioner at St. Rose Philippine Duchesne parish in Anthem, Arizona reacts to St. John Henry Newman's June 24, 1831 sermon "Rebuking Sin" preached on the Solemnity of the Nativity of John the Baptist. Rebecca's personal experiences unveil Newman's scripturally based guide to rebuking others through proper spiritual channels.  To approach Newman'...

John Capobianco , founder of Lumen Catechetical Consultants ( https://lifeaftersunday.com/about-us ) reflects on Newman’s sermon “Christian Sympathy” by merging the thought of his mentor, Msgr. Lorenzo Albacete with St. John Henry Newman. John’s time with Msgr. Albacete adds a depth to his thought that opens for us Newman’s understanding of the proper path of the Christian life. John produced “Ret...

Rob Kirkendall is an instructor in Humanities at St. Thomas More Academy in Raleigh, North Carolina. Heearned B.A. degrees from Biola University in Humanities: English and English: Writing. He completed an M.A. in Theology at the Augustine Institute in Denver. He teaches literature and supports seniors during the college discernment and application process.  In this episode Rob reflects on Newman’...

Dale Ahlquist is President of the Society of Gilbert Keith Chesterton, creator and host of the EWTN series “G.K. Chesterton: The Apostle of Common Sense,” and Publisher of Gilbert Magazine . He is the author of six books, and has edited fourteen. His most recent work, with the Society of G.K. Chesterton , is Orthodoxy: An American Translation . An interview about the work can be found at https://w...

Sheryl Moran from Our Lady of Grace parish in Edina, Minnesota shares with us her faith journey as she reacts to Newman’s sermon “The Shephard of Our Souls”. Sheryl’s life of prayer has led her and her husband to build a “House of Prayer” retreat house in eastern Minnesota (https://bethanyretreats.org). Newman shows us that The Good Shepard is understood by first finding Christ in the Old Testamen...

Fr. Kevin Finnegan, pastor of Our Lady of Grace parish in Edina, Minnesota reacts to Newman’s classic sermon “The Ventures of Faith” by sharing that a properly lived faith includes ventures and it is by grace that each chapter of our venture unfolds. Abraham starts the venture which ultimately leads to Jerusalem. Like Abraham we need to give of ourselves in an uncalculating way. What do we venture...

Kate Aitchison, mother of 4 active children, elicits how Newman's 1838 Easter Sunday sermon sheds light on progressing in the spiritual life during life's  transitions. Kate finds Newman's direction helpful: Christ first meet us in that hard place (Lent) before we can enjoy Him in festival (Easter).  By walking with Christ during the vicissitudes of life we discover that God has som...

Episode 9 Season 2 – “The Indwelling Spirit” Ian Rangel currently serves as the Vice President of The Papal Foundation, the only charitable organization in the United States exclusively dedicated to fulfilling the requests of the Holy Father’s support for the needs of the poor and marginalized. To learn more about The Papal Foundation and the Stewards of Saint Peter, please visit www.thepapalfound...

“The Indwelling Spirit” (part 1) Ian Rangel, the vice president of The Papal Foundation, discusses Newman's 1834 Parochial and Plain sermon "The Indwelling Spirit by looking at how Newman articulates humanity's "exalted existence" through the reality of a personal visitation of The Spirit of Christ. The "earnest" of Baptism not only is our new birth but it is the...

Dr Geertjan Zuijdwegt, author of the recent release, An Evangelical Adrift p The Making of John Henry Newman's Theology ,  discusses Newman's key sermon that sets Newman apart from his Evangelical beginning. Dr. Zuijdwegt points out that this sermon points to Newman no longer separating faith and works. Newman’s solution is to regard faith and works as equals – both faith and obedience a...

Join us for part 2 of a fascinating interview with Monsignor Jefferey Steenson the first Ordinariate (Anglican priest not Catholic priest) in the United States as we look into Newman's Catholic era Lenten sermon "The World and Sin"  To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions ar...

My discussion with Monsignor Jeffrey Steenson, former bishop in the Anglican Church and now a Catholic priest, is so informative and enchanting that  I'm splitting it into two episodes. Part 2 will be posted next Monday.  Monsignor's journey to the Church includes a long journey with St. John Henry Newman that started when he studied at Oxford University in England. His interpretation of...

Monsignor Richard Liddy, retired emeritus professor from Seaton Hall University and Newman/Lonergan scholar extraordinaire, offers beautiful insights into Newman's sweeping 1836 sermon "Elisha a Type of Christ and His Followers".  Monsignor points out that the sermon specifically reaches into the heart of each of us as both Fathers Lonergan and Newman upheld. In this episode Monsign...

Lauren Scharmer, a 32-year-old longtime friend with a deeply convicted Catholic faith reflects on Newman's insights in his 1856 sermon "The Secret Power of Divine Grace". With the aid of Scripture Newman makes it clear that grace is so close to us that we are never alone.  Since in the Incarnation, Christ came subtly to "conquest the heart", He in turn comes to us daily by...

“The Glory of the Christian Church” Dr. Barbara Wyman , assistant professor of English at McNeese State University in McNeese, Louisiana highlights Newman’s 1834 Epiphany sermon, “The Glory of the Christian Church”. The Epiphany is ongoing as God guides each of us with a guiding light that we need to be ever watchful for. Quoting Boethius, Dr Wyman explains that “time is an ever-present moment”. C...

Fr. John Utecht, associate pastor at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Edina, Minnesota reflects on Newman's Catholic era (1849) sermon "Illuminating Grace".  He highlights Newman in that it is only through the ongoing action of the Holy Spirit that we find the fullness of the truth. We need illuminating Grace to fully understand things. Reason has immense power to calculate but...

Fr. Robert Lisowski from the University of Notre Dame draws key insights from Newman's Advent sermon, "Watching". Newman tells us that we must be watchful everyday of our lives - watchful as to how God breathes His love into our lives and how we respond to that love. Watchfulness involves a consistent, expectant focus on God. Without this focus our eyes move inward and we tend to mi...

Brother Bobby McFadden , a religious brother in training with the Congregation of the Holy Cross (with a PhD in Augustine studies), reflects on Newman’s sermon “Faith and Love”. To have an authentic faith is to love. If we have the love of God then the faith that we have is genuine, real. Love then is the sign of our faith. Newman helps us see faith as the beginning of religion – the belief in God...

Dr. David Deavel,  an Associate Professor of Theology at the University of St. Thomas - Houston (after coming from The Center of Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota) reflects on Newman's sermon "Promising without Doing". Like Newman, Dr. Deavel sees his own journey from Evangelical Protestantism to the Catholic Church as an addition of the truths he underst...

Dr. John Crosby, distinguished philosopher from Franciscan University and Newman scholar gives his insights into Newman's deeply personal sermon "Mysteriousness of our Present Being".  In this sermon Newman shows (and Dr. Crosby explains) that the profoundest truths of our existence are commonly mysterious. For instance, the reality of the union of the body and soul is a mystery tha...

Blair Saiz, wife and mother of three young girls, learns from Newman's sermon "The Invisible World" that focusing on the invisible world changes the way we live.  This is evident in how children easily come to know of their own angels and saints through their tremendous ability to wonder.  It is in this world where, despite our own worldly whims, we come to realize that angels and s...

Episode 24 Season 1 – “The Cross of Christ the Measure of the World” Bishop James Conley of the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska shares with us his conversion story as a journey with friends and St. John Henry Newman. He sees Newman’s sacramental imagination (an efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us) as pointing to somethi...