The Newman Cycle is a series of settings of Hymns and Lyrics of the Oxford Movement which had amongst its founders, Saint John Henry Cardinal Newman. Newman was a great religious writer and reformer and probably the most famous convert to Catholicism in the 19th Century. The texts of the Song Cycle are largely taken from the Hymn Book 'Hymns Ancient and Modern' which was the Hymnbook engendered by the Oxford movement which has contributed many popular traditional English hymns to every Christian denomination across the world.
Cardinal Newman 1801-1890
.Among other achievements of his long and colorful life, Cardinal Newman as Dr Newman was the founding Rector of the Catholic University of Ireland which opened as a small University in Central Dublin in 1845, the first such University for lay people to be founded in Ireland. To prepare for the opening Dr Newman gave a series of Lectures in Dublin's Rotunda called ' The Idea of a University' which many believe was the finest ever exposition of the nature of University teaching ever written.
The Catholic University of Ireland and Chapel St Stephen's Green The Rotonda Hall, Dublin, location of Newman's Lectures on the Idea of a University
Lead kindly light
Lead Kindly Light is probably the most famous of Newman's Hymn and has been popular in many versions since he wrote the text. Newman - then aged 33 - had been in Italy visiting churches and was waiting to return to England, being both seriously ill and needing direction in his life. He wrote
Before starting from my inn, I sat down on my bed and began to sob bitterly. My servant, who had acted as my nurse, asked what ailed me. I could only answer, "I have a work to do in England." I was aching to get home, yet for want of a vessel I was kept at Palermo for three weeks. I began to visit the churches, and they calmed my impatience, though I did not attend any services. At last I got off in an orange boat, bound for Marseilles. We were becalmed for whole week in the Straits of Bonefacio , and it was there that I wrote the lines, Lead, Kindly Light, which have since become so well known.
Before starting from my inn, I sat down on my bed and began to sob bitterly. My servant, who had acted as my nurse, asked what ailed me. I could only answer, "I have a work to do in England." I was aching to get home, yet for want of a vessel I was kept at Palermo for three weeks. I began to visit the churches, and they calmed my impatience, though I did not attend any services. At last I got off in an orange boat, bound for Marseilles. We were becalmed for whole week in the Straits of Bonefacio , and it was there that I wrote the lines, Lead, Kindly Light, which have since become so well known.
Lead kindly light in newmans own handwriting
The History of its use.
There are many stories associated with its use in times of trouble or war. One famous incident was during the Durham Mining Disaster of 1909 when it was sung by 26 men who were trapped in total darkness in the heart of the mine. All survived. The hymn was also sung by Betsie Ten Boom and others as they were marched by the SS to Ravensbrück Concentration Camp. It was also a favorite hymn of Indian leader Mahatma Ghandi.