The Newman Society

The Newman Society
The Newman Society: The Oxford University Catholic Society
NicknameThe Newman
Named afterJohn Henry Newman
Formation1878; 146 years ago (1878)
FounderHartwell de la Garde Grissell
Founded atSt Aloysius' Catholic Church, Oxford
TypeStudent Society
PurposeThe support of the Catholic Faith in the University of Oxford
Location
Coordinates51°44′57″N 1°15′28″W / 51.749279°N 1.257690°W / 51.749279; -1.257690
Membership (2020)
580
President
Rosa Thorne
AffiliationsUniversity of Oxford
Websitenewmansociety.co.uk
Formerly called
The Catholic Club (1878-1888)
Trinity College's bust of John Henry Newman

The Newman Society: Oxford University Catholic Society (est. 1878; current form 2012) is Oxford University's oldest Roman Catholic organization. It is a student society named as a tribute to Cardinal Newman, who agreed to lend his name to a group formed seventeen years before the English hierarchy formally permitted Catholics to attend the university. The society acquired its current form and title following the merger in 2012 of the pre-existing Newman Society and Oxford University's Catholic Society (est. 1990). It exists, according to its constitution, to 'work in conjunction with the Chaplains to support and encourage Catholic students in their Christian vocation by promoting their personal, intellectual and spiritual development, social interaction, and apostolic witness within the broader context of their university experience' and has served as the model for Catholic students' societies throughout the English-speaking world.