Today's saint wrote 'Idea of a Gentleman'

Today’s saint is John Henry Cardinal Newman, the most famous English convert to Roman Catholicism of the nineteenth century,

Newman composed this prayer:

"God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another.
"I have a mission; I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons; He has not created me for naught.
"I shall do good—I shall do his work. I shall be an angel of peace while not intending it if I do but keep his commandments. Therefore, I will trust him."

Newman spent the first half of his life as an Anglican and the second half as a Roman Catholic. He was a priest, popular preacher, writer and eminent theologian in both churches. Pope Benedict XVI beatified Newman on September 19, 2010.

Born in London, England, Newman studied at Oxford's Trinity College, was a tutor at Oriel College and for 17 years was vicar of the university church, St. Mary the Virgin. After 1833, Newman was a prominent member of the Oxford Movement, which emphasized the Church's debt to the Church Fathers. His studies of theology led him to the Catholic faith.

Newman eventually wrote 40 books and 21,000 letters including his standout treatise on “The Idea of A Gentleman.” which begins with this sentence:

"It is almost a definition of a gentleman to say he is one who never inflicts pain.”

You might want to read it to your young adult children and perhaps save it.

See “The Idea of a Gentleman.”