Oxford University Newman Society

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For Newman Centers around North America see Newman Centre.

The Oxford University Newman Society is arguably Oxford University's oldest student society, and certainly its oldest Catholic society. Founded as the Catholic Club in 1878, it was not until 1888 that the club was renamed the Newman Society as a tribute to John Henry Cardinal Newman, who had done a vast amount to advance the cause of Catholicism at Oxford, both as an Anglican striving to recover Anglicanism's Catholic roots, and subsequently as a convert to Catholicism. At least once a year the society tends to hold a talk on some aspect of Newman's life or work, seeking also to inform Oxford students of the ongoing cause for his canonization.

Meetings of the society originally took place at the parish church of St Aloysius Gonzaga or in members' rooms. When the Catholic Chaplaincy to the University was established in 1896 the society found a natural home there, meeting in the Blue Room of the Old Palace, which houses Oxford's Catholic Chaplaincy. During the course of the twentieth century, the society admitted women (following the University's lead), and in 1990 it ceased to be the University's sole Catholic society, following the creation by the University chaplains of the Oxford University Catholic Society, intended "to counter-act the overt conservatism of the Newman Society." [1] Despite this founding intention, relations between the two societies over the last sixteen years have generally been good, with a large proportion of crossover membership and even occasional joint events.

The society has been addressed by prominent and influential Catholics - as well as non-Catholics of interest to a Catholic audience - throughout its history. Recent terms' speakers of note have included Fr Thomas Weinandy, Fr John Saward, Professor Geza Vermes (in debate with Dom Henry Wansbrough), Ann Widdecombe MP, Sir Anthony Kenny, Baroness Williams of Crosby, Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk, and George Cardinal Pell. Notable speakers from the past include literary converts such as Evelyn Waugh and G.K. Chesterton. Waugh even refers to the Newman Society twice in his Brideshead Revisited, the first occasion being when Lady Marchmain says to Charles Ryder:

I want Sebastian to have all sorts of friends, not just one. Monsignor Bell tells me he never mixes with the other Catholics, never goes to the Newman, very rarely goes to mass even. Heaven forbid that he should only know Catholics, but he must know some.

—Evelyn Waugh, Brideshead Revisited (1945)

Today the society continues to provide a place for Oxford's Catholics who "must know some" of their co-religionists, while also promoting Catholic faith, learning and culture within the University. The average term involves a drinks party, six weeks of weekly speaker meetings, and an end-of-term Mass and dinner with guest speaker; the specific form of any given term is, however, ultimately determined by the society's President. The President is assisted in his duties by a committee which includes a Senior Treasurer (Senior Member), Past-Presidents in residence, President-Elect, Treasurer, Secretary, and such other persons as are determined by the society's rules.

The Society's motto is the phrase first used by St Augustine of Hippo (in the Donatist controversy), and subsequently adopted by Cardinal Newman: "Securus judicat orbis terrarum."

1 Some Famous Past Speakers
2 Office holders, Hilary Term 2006
3 Past Presidents
4 External links

[edit] Some Famous Past Speakers

(* = also a member of the Society)

Decade	Name	Position
1870s	Gerard Manley Hopkins, SJ *	Poet and Priest
1890s	Hilaire Belloc *	Author and Politician
1900s	Robert Hugh Benson *	Author and Priest
1910s	G.K. Chesterton	Author
1920s	Baron Friedrich von Hügel	Philosopher
1930s	Ronald Knox *	Author and Priest
1940s	Martin d'Arcy, SJ *	Philosopher and Priest
1950s	Evelyn Waugh *	Author and Novelist
1960s	Sir Alec Guinness	Actor
1970s	Dr. Arthur Michael Ramsey	Archbishop of Canterbury
1980s	H.R.H. Princess Anne	Now the Princess Royal
1990s	Cardinal George Pell *	Now the Archbishop of Sydney
2000s	Edward, 18th Duke of Norfolk *	Earl Marshal

[edit] Office holders, Hilary Term 2006

Office	Office holder	College

President	Darren Collins	Keble
Senior Treasurer	Dom Leo Chamberlain O.S.B.	St Benet's
Past-President	Richard Pickett	Exeter
Past-President	Francis Murphy	Trinity
Past-President	Katherine Shaw	Merton
Past-President	Alexander Stafford	St Benet's
Past-President	Matthew Allen	St Benet's
Past-President	Alexander Morrison	Oriel
Treasurer	Yaqoob Bangash	Keble
Secretary	Michael Ryan	Brasenose
Junior Officer	Robert Stroud	St Benet's
Junior Officer	Madeleine Rudge	Merton
Returning Officer	Jack Gunning	Pembroke

[edit] Past Presidents

Key: MT = Michaelmas Term, HT = Hilary Term, TT = Trinity Term

Term	Name	College
MT 2006	Alexander Morrison	Oriel
TT 2006	Matthew Allen	St Benet's
HT 2006	Alexander Stafford	St Benet's
MT 2005	Samuel Jacobs	St Benet's
TT 2005	Katherine Shaw	Merton
HT 2005	Sinead Doyle	Trinity
TT 2004	Patricia Boon	St. Hilda's
HT 2004	Francis Murphy	Trinity
MT 2003	Richard Pickett	Exeter
TT 2003	Richard Eschwege	Balliol
HT 2004	Jonathan Gress-Wright	Merton
MT 2002	Edward Davies	Oriel
TT 2002	James Mearns	Keble