Blessed John Henry Newman & the Visitation

John Henry Newman was born in 1801,     he met John Bowden at Oxford University, and they remained friends all their lives. 

John Bowden married Elizabeth Swinbourne and they had four children, two boys, John & Charles Henry, & two girls, Marianne & Emily. John Henry Newman was Godfather to Charles.

In 1844 John Bowden died and in 1845 John Henry Newman became a Roman Catholic.

In 1847 Mrs Bowden & her family also became Roman Catholics. 

Both John & Charles Henry Bowden became Oratorian priests at the London Oratory, Emily never married & in 1852 Marianne entered our Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary becoming Sister Mary Dominica.

Cardinal Newman preached the sermon at Sr. M. Dominica's Profession ceremony.

Click below to read sermon

Cardinal Newman wrote many letters to Sr. Mary Dominica, click below to read one. 

He himself died in 1890.

Sr. Mary Dominica died in 1867 of TB at our monastery of Westbury-on-Trim aged 36yrs. Cardinal Newman wrote to the community after her death.        

 Click below to read an article by Ruth   Gledhill on the Times on Blessed  John Henry Newman

                      Times Article