Cruelty to Animals is as if Man Did Not Love God, Cardinal John Henry Newman
Cruelty to animals is as if man did not love God ... there is something so dreadful, so satanic, in tormenting those who have never harmed us, and who cannot defend themselves, who are utterly in our power.
Cardinal John Henry Newman is considered a giant in the fields of theology, philosophy, and education. He was highly influential in academic and spiritual disciplines, and his writings and lifelong search for religious truth continue to inspire scholars throughout the world. At the age of 44 he converted to Roman Catholicism and founded the first English-speaking Oratory of St. Philip Neri in Birmingham, England. He was appointed cardinal of the Catholic Church in 1879. Cardinal Newman was a significant force in shaping religious thought through his numerous scholarly writings, and was not only influential during his lifetime but throughout the 20th century and to today. His 19th-century writings also set into motion the Second Vatican Council’s teaching on the role of the laity, conscience, and education.
Newman became known as the “invisible Father” of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) due to the influence of his reform-minded philosophy and theology. This distinguished title was given to him because his ideas powerfully transformed the conversations that sent the council in the direction of reconciliation and dialogue with the modern world. In short, Newman helped foster an ecumenical view of the world and remains as relevant today as ever.
