BRITAIN’S NEWEST SAINT CELEBRATED AT ABBOTSFORD

The life of St John Henry Newman, Britain’s newest saint, and his links with the Scottish Borders are being celebrated at Abbotsford next month.

Newman scholar Monsignor Roderick Strange, will give a talk on Newman at Abbotsford: A Spiritual Oasis on Wednesday November 6, at 7pm, at Abbotsford, the home of Sir Walter Scott, between Melrose and Galashiels.

St John Henry Newman, who was canonised on Sunday (Oct 13), stayed at Abbotsford with Scott’s granddaughter Charlotte and her husband James Hope Scott. The event will also include a visit to the chapel, where Newman’s vestments and a selection of items he gifted to the family are on display. There will also be the opportunity to look around the Hope Scott Wing, where Newman once stayed, which is now Abbotsford’s five-star self-catering accommodation.

Newman’s most important visit to Abbotsford was in the summer of 1872, when he stayed for two months. During this time he undertook many conversions and, with James Hope Scott, paved the way for the foundation of several Catholic Churches in the Scottish Borders.

Mgr. Roderick Strange is Professor of Theology at St Mary’s University, Twickenham, the only faith-based university within the London area. He has written and lectured on Newman extensively and has worked as an adviser to the BBC, most notably during the papal visit to the UK in 2010 when Newman was beatified. In September, Mgr. Strange published his latest work, Newman: The heart of holiness.

Tickets are £8. For further information and to book a ticket.