With less than 100 days to go before Cardinal John Henry Newman's beatification, Fr Thomas Norris tells Paul Keenan of the great theologian's continuing relevance.

There is a hint of irony, Fr Thomas Norris points out, in probing the significance of the works of John Henry to the English-speaking world.

Having traced these works and their ascent to a leading position within Church thought, Fr Norris explains that it was not through English at all where Newman was first championed.

''He was discovered by the Germans, French and Low Countries first,'' he explains. ''Once they had translated and read him, they were amazed at the prophetic character of his writing.''

Fr Norris' assertion is backed up by the recollection of Catholic philosopher Jean Guitton who, as auditor at the Second Vatican Council, found much of what he was experiencing was very familiar. Only when he recalled his doctoral dissertation on Cardinal Newman 20 years previously did he make the connection, that, as Fr Norris concludes, ''the topics, tone and direction of the Council were already to be found in Newman''.

Scandals

But, as the saying goes, that was then and this is now, so, what of today, and a Church seeking its way forward from recent scandals? Does Newman maintain that significance, a relevance for the Church, its priests and laity?

Most certainly, Fr Norris insists.

''For the universal Church,'' he says, ''Newman unquestionably has a message. Look to his study of the early Church, when it was evangelising the world. In that, and the witness of the early Fathers, Newman identified a reality that retains its inspirational character.

''Newman has many passages reflecting on Church history. He looks at terrible times in the Church and finds great recoveries, uncovering a presence that is found nowhere else. The long view was quintessentially Newman.''

This however, Fr Norris stresses, is not to confine Newman to a form of upper echelon of Church thought or study. For the priest in ministry, there is also inspiration in Newman.

''He wrote beautiful words on priesthood,'' he says. ''Don't forget, he spent the second half of his life in Birmingham, effectively a parish priest, visiting and caring for the poor. It was here that he met many Irish people who had escaped the Famine, a people he had great affection for.''

A measure of this role, and reciprocated affection, is offered by the 20,000 people who lined the route of the cardinal's funeral in 1890.

''It is in some way a forgotten aspect of his work,'' Fr Norris concedes, ''his pastoral care, a concrete love and service of people.''

Such discipleship through personal witness is something priests could certainly be inspired by, Fr Norris says, adding: ''I would encourage priests to read the cardinal-priest Newman.''

Following Fr Norris' lead, in turning the focus to the laity, one finds perhaps the clearest indication of not simply Cardinal Newman's foresight, but a rock-solid relevance to current debates.

Wisdom

Referring to a piece written by the cardinal on the very subject of lay involvement in their Church - On Consulting the lay faithful in matters of doctrine - written as far back as 1859, Newman perceived the wisdom of such an approach ''because the body of the faithful is one of the witnesses to the fact of the tradition of revealed doctrine, and because their consensus through Christendom is the voice of the Infallible Church''. (The Rambler, July 1859)

''He was their champion,'' Fr Norris says in relation to the lay faithful.

But more than this, he continues, as evident from writings such as On Consulting the lay faithful, Cardinal Newman was a theologian whose works were accessible to the laity he championed.

''Newman didn't write like a theologian,'' Fr Norris explains, ''but as a pastor. He said when he tried he became 'unreal'.'' This, he says, indicates that other quality in Newman, his lack of intellectual pride. ''His volumes of letters shows he was far from a dweller in an ivory tower.''

One such letter, to a seminarian seeking guidance on writing homilies serves as a useful anecdote in summing up the man's approach. ''Aim at being understood,'' he instructs simply.

(Newman's writing style is said to have been studied by both James Joyce and Oscar Wilde, who throughout their lives, read the Churchman's works)

Intimidated

''Because he's a literary man people are perhaps intimidated by him,'' Fr Norris acknowledges before offering advice every bit as simple and clear as Newman's own. ''Just start reading him, discover him through his own words.''

What is to be discovered, he assures, is a power of thought that far outweighs the effort, and which resulted in this summation of the man in one recorded obituary: ''He more than any other person changed the attitude of non-Catholics. Cardinal Newman goes to his grave with the singular honour of being, by all creeds and classes, acknowledged as the just man made perfect.''

Fr Thomas J Norris is Professor of Systematic Theology at Maynooth. His book, Cardinal Newman for Today, is published by The Columba Press, priced €12.99.