St. John Henry Cardinal Newman
St. John Henry Cardinal Newman (February 21, 1801-August 11, 1890) was a monumental character in the history of the Catholic Church, especially as it relates to college and university life. Thus, it is no surprise that many catholic organizations at universities around the world (unless located at a Catholic university) claim St. Newman as their patron. An alumnus of Oxford, a convert to Catholicism, a church historian and university educator/founder, a member of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri, and eventual cardinal, St. Newman was a brilliant man with a prolific aptitude for teaching, writing, and carrying the faith forward to its present situation. In fact, St. Newman is oftentimes labeled as “the Father of the Second Vatican Council.” Proclaimed Venerable in 1991, he was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI on September 19, 2010, and canonized by Pope Francis on October 13, 2019. His Feast Day is October 9th every year.