Vatican City: On the Solemnity of All Saints, under the warm autumn light filling St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV proclaimed Saint John Henry Newman the 38th Doctor of the Church, describing him as a “master of the theory and practice of education” and a “Kindly Light” for the modern world. The declaration took place during the closing celebration of the Jubilee of the World of Education, attended by thousands of faithful, students, and educators, as well as an official delegation from the Church of England led by Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell.
Pope Leo XIV’s proclamation situates Newman at the heart of the Church’s mission to educate with integrity and faith. In his homily, the Pope emphasized Newman’s lifelong witness to intellectual honesty, spiritual freedom, and the pursuit of truth, saying that his legacy “invites us to disarm the false reasons for resignation and powerlessness” in a time overshadowed by “injustice and uncertainty.”
He urged educators and students alike “to ensure that schools, universities, and every educational context, even those informal or street-based, are always gateways to a civilization of dialogue and peace.” The Pope highlighted that true education begins not with systems or statistics, but with real people each one unique, gifted, and called to serve something greater than themselves.
“At the heart of the educational journey,” he said, “we do not find abstract individuals but living persons, especially those who seem to be underperforming according to the parameters of economies that exclude or even kill them. We are called to form people so that they may shine like stars in their full dignity.”
In a significant addition to his title, Pope Leo XIV also announced that Saint John Henry Newman would serve as Co-Patron of the Church’s educational mission, alongside Saint Thomas Aquinas.
Describing Newman’s intellectual and spiritual stature as “a source of inspiration to new generations whose hearts thirst for the infinite,” the Pope reflected on the saint’s enduring relevance in a world marked by fragmentation and cynicism. “Through research and knowledge,” he said, “we are reminded that the journey to wisdom always leads us per aspera ad astra through hardships to the stars.”
Drawing from Saint Paul’s Letter to the Philippians “Shine like stars in the world” the Holy Father called on teachers and academics to recommit themselves to the search for truth and the service of humanity.
“Shine today like stars in the world,” he exhorted, “through your commitment to the collective search for truth and through your service to young people, especially the poor. Christian love is prophetic: it works miracles.”
For Pope Leo XIV, education must go beyond technical skill or competition; it must form the mind and the soul. True educators, he said, are “artisans of hope,” shaping a culture of integrity, compassion, and shared progress.
Reaffirming his vision of education as a “pilgrimage of hope,” the Pope portrayed schools and universities as “laboratories of prophecy places where hope is lived, discussed, and renewed.”
He explained that in such environments, “faith and reason meet in dialogue, creativity blossoms, and new pathways for peace and justice emerge.” Education, in this sense, is not limited to classrooms but extends to every space where truth, solidarity, and mercy can be practiced.
Reflecting on the Gospel of the Beatitudes, Pope Leo XIV called it “the true charter of Christian education,” reminding listeners that Jesus’ teachings invert worldly logic. “Blessed are the poor, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for justice, the peacemakers,” he said these are the real teachers of life, and the saints are their living proof.
He invited schools and universities to become places “where the Gospel is not only taught but lived,” calling students and teachers to embody the Beatitudes in their daily interactions. “May our schools always be places of listening to the Gospel and putting it into practice,” the Pope urged.
Acknowledging the deep moral crisis of the age, Pope Leo XIV warned against the rise of nihilism the belief that life lacks meaning and value. Quoting Pope Francis, he described nihilism as “perhaps the most dangerous malady of contemporary culture,” one that threatens to “cancel hope itself.”
“We must work together,” he said, “to set humanity free from the encircling gloom of nihilism.” He emphasized that this task requires courage, collaboration, and above all, faith in God’s providence an echo of Newman’s lifelong conviction that divine light continues to guide human reason.
As the Offertory hymn filled the air with Newman’s immortal words “Lead, Kindly Light, amid th’encircling gloom, Lead Thou me on,” Pope Leo XIV reflected on its enduring message.
“In that beautiful prayer,” he said, “we come to realize that we are far from home, our feet are unsteady, and we cannot interpret clearly the way ahead. Yet none of this impedes us, since we have found our Guide.” For the Pope, education’s ultimate mission is to offer that same Kindly Light the illumination of faith and understanding to all those trapped in fear, confusion, and despair.
Concluding his homily, Pope Leo XIV returned to the spiritual essence of Catholic education. “From a Christian perspective,” he declared, “education helps everyone to become saints nothing less will do.”
Quoting Pope Benedict XVI’s message during Newman’s 2010 beatification, he reminded young people that “God wants you to be holy. He loves you far more than you could ever imagine.” This, Pope Leo affirmed, is the very heart of Newman’s educational vision: that every person has a unique vocation, a divine calling that gives meaning and beauty to life.
“As Saint Augustine once said,” he concluded, “we are fellow students who have one Teacher, whose school is on earth and whose chair is in heaven.”
With the proclamation of Saint John Henry Newman as Doctor of the Church and Co-Patron of Education, Pope Leo XIV has given the 21st century a profound message: that faith and intellect, when united, become the twin lights guiding humanity out of confusion and into communion.
As bells rang through St. Peter’s Square, the Pope’s final words lingered like a promise for the future: “Let the Kindly Light lead us so that every child, every student, and every teacher may shine like stars, in their full dignity, before the world.”