Fr. James Reidy, Professor Emeritus of English 1981 – 2011 at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota with 67 years in the priesthood, reacts to Newman's prophetic sermon "The Religion of the Day" - the religion of niceness. In this episode Fr. Reidy highlights why he has been attracted to Newman's spiritual insights for close to 75 years. After sharing memories of the late, great Newman biographer and scholar, Fr. Ian Ker, Fr. Reidy reviews Newman's "gentleman" as one limited (by natural religion alone) to the "bright side" of religion. Without a reality of God or judgment from God this man of the world reflects what we see today - a limit of self-sacrificing love stemming from a conscience that does not include the voice of Christ. Fr. Reidy asks us "to what extent are we conforming to our own 'Religion of the Day,' the fashion of our time, and simply being nice rather than true to our call to sanctity"? 

To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site. 

Fr. Marc Paveglio, pastor of St. Rose of Lima in Roseville, Minnesota walks us through Newman's sermon "Men not Angels, the Priests of the Gospel". Inspired by Newman's massive Christian intellectual life grounded in heartfelt priesthood Fr. Marc offers that God's desired method of saving us is through the Incarnation - in the flesh and blood of those near us. The fact that priests are shaped in a common humanity permits a shared encounter with the power of God's grace. A priest's human approach to their vocation enables an encounter with the hearts of others. Once we experience God's gracious love through the power of the Holy Spirit we can discover the conquest of sin. This real encounter permits the reception of grace that is infinitely more powerful and the powers of nature. 

To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site. 

Monsignor James Shea, president of The University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota shares with us his vision of a Catholic university education modeled after Newman's Idea of a University.  He then offers insight into Newman's sermon "The Resurrection of the Body" by pondering Christ's real presence in the Most Holy Eucharist.  Monsignor Shea sees that Newman peers into our age seeing the rise of secularism in his.  This sermons provides insights into the sweeping dangers present when the integrity of the body and soul is broken leading to a loss of the overall dignity of the human person. Complete integrity of the body and soul allows us to approach the mystery of the Lord's Body and Blood with proper reverence and purity.  Monsignor Shea shares concrete examples of our time as evidences of this critical break in the integrity of the human person while Newman suggests the means to recovering our identity in Christ. 

To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site. 

Mary Depuglio, after 5 years as an active duty officer in Air Force intelligence received a theology master's degree from the Augustine Institute in Denver, Colorado. Mary brings that background to her reaction to a Pentecost sermon of St John Henry Newman, "The Christian Ministry".  Mary sees that Newman helps us understand that our own three-fold identity of priest, prophet and king  is found in Christ and his ministers.  Newman shows how God's creation and His Church are organically integrated explaining that when something foundational fails (for example, apostolic succession )  - the entire set of beliefs unravel.   Newman helps us see that ignoring just one of the tenets of the faith leads to relativism. In this discussion Mary will offer that "an integrated life leads to a standard outside of personal relativism where shared, fundamental values are maintained".  

To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site. 

This episode brings you my 24-year-old daughter, Grace Snyder, reacting to St. John Henry Newman's 1843 sermon "Mysteries in Religions". Grace notes how Newman speaks to her generation who is seeking a joy that can only be found in knowing who one is - in God's eyes. By entering into a wonder that transcends the material world are we able to engage the totality of life. Wonder helps us look beyond life's difficulties and darkness by allowing us to rest in the "grittiness" of His glory.  The Incarnation allows the physical to transcend into glory which unites heaven to earth. The Ascension, like all mysteries, helps make realities come alive in faith through Christ's body. The Church, its sacraments and its saints are the physical tools that transmit His glory. 

To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site. 

Diana Newman, retired nurse and nursing professor was introduced to John Newman as a child and entered more deeply into his thought and works through our weekly Zoom format which she inspired by asking for interpersonal contact centered on the influence of our patron. Reflecting on the sermon, "The Shepherd of our Souls," Diana describes that by regularly turning to Christ we come to know His radical love. Habitual prayer, reception of the sacraments and Christ centered activities lead us to trust the Good Shepherd who is always seeking us. We hear His voice in our lives by realizing that nothing trumps the love of God. Newman's fortuitous spiritual direction provides us with a hope in finding Christ every day in every circumstance where Christ, the Good Shepherd, cares for and guides our lives.

To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site. 

Dr. Ryan (Bud) Marr, Catholic convert and gifted Newman scholar with a PhD in historical theology from St. Louis University (with research interests in the theology of St. John Henry Newman, the reception of Vatican II and the liturgy) reacts to Newman’s sermon “Faith without Sight”.  Here Dr. Marr helps us with Newman’s view of faith as a blessed temper of mind that hears Christ in Scripture by looking off the self to the eternal. Rather than demanding certainty, faith simply rests in the wondrous content of Revelation. Overcoming the temptation of subjecting all truths to strict reasoning is achieved by a proper cultivation of our conscience realized by opening ourselves up to the glories of God. 

One of Dr. Marr’s more accessible works, Seeking God with St. John Henry Newman, offers an invitation to Newman’s practical guidance by providing wisdom on prayer, penance and the path to heaven. The link below leads to the text. 

 https://www.amazon.com/Seeking-Saint-John-Henry-Newman/dp/1681925923

To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site. 

Father Joseph Pearce, C.O., an Oratorian of the Rock Hill, South Carolina Oratory and a teacher at St. Anne's School (K-12) shares his admiration for St. John Henry Newman as he reacts to Newman's Holy Week sermon, "The Mental Sufferings of Our Lord in His Passion".  Christ's mental suffering is first revealed in the garden where He embraces suffering even before He experiences it. His passion is a willful act where He surrendered both His body and soul as an action of complete gift - He holds nothing back. His love for humanity is complete. He turns no one away - not even His mortal enemies as Christ embraces everyone no matter how broken. Since He can only love, the love of the cross is an offering that completes the Paschal Triduum in that God touches us in all of our suffering and our joy. 

Below is a link to Newman's meditations on the Stations of the Cross...
https://www.newmanreader.org/works/meditations/meditations5.html

To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site. 

Peter Dawes, demonstrates how Newman helps us to personally engage Christ, the Gospels and His Church. Peter reflects on how Newman appeals to the heart by painting word pictures with his marvelous prose.  Newman offers fresh insights into a familiar Gospel story by describing Christ as a real, living being who sojourned on earth so that we, in turn, can personally engage the Divine with our own senses.  By Christ entering the tomb of Lazarus, He not only brings life to one who will die again, He "replaces" Lazarus in the grave in order to fulfill His mission of rising forever and becoming "The Resurrection and the Life". 

To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site. 

Justin Shay, Catholic school principal at Ava Maria Academy, is working to incorporate Newman's idea of forming a habit of mind pointing to the mind of God. Justin reflects on the Lenten themes found in Newman's sermon, "The Church the Home for the Lonely". Here Newman leads us to the understanding that Christ is our refuge from an unsettled, lonely word. It is in Him alone that we find our secret dwelling place. His hidden omnipresence, made possible by the Ascension, addresses our loneliness in a deeper, richer effervescent way because His Spirit is everywhere. Justin will guide us through Newman's insight that seeing nothing is a condition for Him being everywhere. 

Learn more of Justin’s beautiful school modeled after Newman’s idea of a proper education by clicking on the Ava Maria Academy website; https://www.avemariaacademy.org

To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site.