Communicating Newman to a secular audience: the communications strategy for the canonisation of John Henry Newman

Abstract

The canonisation of John Henry Newman by Pope Francis in 2019 was an opportunity to communicate to a largely secular audience in Britain and the rest of the world the search for truth that inspired Newman’s life. A giant of 19th century Britain, an eminent Victorian, a respected intellectual, a prolific writer and a religious reformer, Newman was now going to be declared a saint in the Catholic Church. After a brief historical summary, this article explains how the communications plan for the event was drawn up and executed to reach this secular public.