Newman’s Light that Inspired Gandhi

Vatican City, November 2, 2025: In a deeply moving spiritual celebration at the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV declared St. John Henry Newman a Doctor of the Catholic Church. The Pope described it as “a great joy to include Saint John Henry Newman among the Doctors of the Church,” also announcing him, alongside Saint Thomas Aquinas, as co-Patron of the Church’s educational mission during the Jubilee of the World of Education. Newman thus became the 38th Doctor of the Church, recognised for his profound theological insight, particularly his teachings on the development of doctrine and the role of conscience.

Pope Leo noted that Newman’s “impressive spiritual and cultural stature will surely inspire new generations whose hearts thirst for the infinite.” The ceremony marked another milestone in the Church’s recognition of Newman, who was canonised by Pope Francis on 13 October 2019. His canonisation occurred just days after the world celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, drawing an interesting and often overlooked connection between the two men.

Though separated by time and geography, Newman and Gandhi shared striking similarities — both relentless seekers of truth, deeply spiritual, and courageous in conscience. Remarkably, Newman’s life and work significantly influenced Gandhi.

As an Oxford scholar and leader of the Oxford Movement within the Anglican Church, Newman was known for his intellectual brilliance and eloquence. His conversion to Catholicism in 1845 shocked Victorian England but reflected his unwavering search for truth. His famous poem-prayer, “Lead, Kindly Light”, written in 1833 while stranded in Palermo, expressed this very yearning.

Gandhi first encountered Lead, Kindly Light as a student, possibly during his school years in Rajkot or later while studying law in London. The hymn’s message of inner guidance and perseverance resonated deeply with him. Years later, during his time in South Africa, Gandhi adopted its spirit as a motto for his Satyagraha movement, founded on truth and moral courage.

By 1916, at the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, Lead, Kindly Light was part of the community’s daily prayers. Gandhi even commissioned a Gujarati translation of the hymn, titled Premal Jyoti, which reflected its message of divine guidance and light amid darkness. Throughout his life, Gandhi quoted Newman’s words — especially the line “one step enough for me” — in speeches and writings, considering Newman “perhaps the only honest Englishman I have come across.”

In his homily at the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV echoed Newman’s vision, urging believers to “set humanity free from the encircling gloom of nihilism” by offering the Kindly Light of faith and hope.

Today, as the world grapples with falsehoods, division, and despair, the lives of Newman and Gandhi remain luminous examples of integrity, humility, and faith in action. Both men remind us that moral clarity begins with prayerful discernment and the courage to walk in light — even when only one step is visible.

By Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ

Peace activist and writer. Contact: cedricprakash@gmail.com

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