The Rev. Richard John Neuhaus dies at 72
The Rev. Richard John Neuhaus (right), one of the leading conservative voices in contemporary American Catholicism, died this morning at 72. Here is the announcement from Joseph Bottum, the editor of the journal Neuhaus founded, First Things:
"Fr. Richard John Neuhaus slipped away today, January 8, shortly before 10 o’clock, at the age of seventy-two. He never recovered from the weakness that sent him to the hospital the day after Christmas, caused by a series of side effects from the cancer he was suffering. He lost consciousness Tuesday evening after a collapse in his heart rate, and the next day, in the company of friends, he died.My tears are not for him—for he knew, all his life, that his Redeemer lives, and he has now been gathered by the Lord in whom he trusted.
I weep, rather for all the rest of us. As a priest, as a writer, as a public leader in so many struggles, and as a friend, no one can take his place. The fabric of life has been torn by his death, and it will not be repaired, for those of us who knew him, until that time when everything is mended and all our tears are wiped away.
Funeral arrangements are still being planned; information about the funeral will be made public shortly. Please accept our thanks for all your prayers and good wishes."
Father Neuhaus was a Lutheran minister who converted to Catholicism in 1990. He is probably best known for his 1984 book, "The Naked Public Square: Religion and Democracy in America.'' He was a frequent commentator in the media about the Catholic church; I interviewed him on multiple occasions over the years, and he was always thoughtful, sharp, and forceful. He had been battling cancer for some time.
The world of Catholic and religion news bloggers, which has been anticipating Neuhaus's death for some time, is offering a variety of tributes today:
•Gary Stern, the religion writer at the Journal News in Westchester County, NY, writes: "Let’s be honest: Most people never heard of Neuhaus. He wasn’t really a public figure, in the modern celebrity sense. But among those who care about Catholic thought, the larger realm of Christian thought, the political school of thinking that’s become known as neo-conservativism, and the role of religion in the public square, he was really an intellectual giant."
• Jeffrey Weiss, a religion reporter at the Dallas Morning News, comments on Father Neuhaus's ubiquity, writing, "There can scarcely be a religion reporter who has worked over the past several decades who hasn't had occasion to talk to the Rev. Richard John Neuhaus once or thrice. He was smart, quotable and available -- an irresistible combination."
•Domenico Bettinelli, Jr., a staffer for the Archdiocese of Boston who blogs about Catholicism from the right, writes, "As a sometime Catholic journalist myself, Fr. Neuhaus was one of those I strived to emulate, but I did so only poorly. His erudition, wit, and communication skill far surpassed that of the rest of us. We have lost a great priest, writer, and public leader, but hopefully we have gained an advocate in heaven."
• Michael Sean Winters, who blogs about Catholicism from the left for America magazine, also praises Neuhaus, saying, "I remember the first time Father Neuhaus attacked me in print: I felt on top of the world. For a left-of-center person like me, being attacked by Father Neuhaus was a badge of honor. To gain the notice of someone with whom you disagree is much more flattering than to gain the praise of a mentor or an acolyte. Neuhaus’s career, beginning as a leftie Lutheran and ending as a conservative Catholic (he passed Gary Wills going in the opposite direction some time in the early 1970s), made him a hero among his newly found ideological soulmates on the right: We Catholics love a convert. But, even those of us who stayed on the left developed an admiration for Neuhaus’s facility with the language, the self-evident sincerity of his convictions, and the sheer prolificness of his pen. He seemed to be always writing and whether you agreed with him or not, his writings were always worth the read, always provocative and always written with flair. I never made Father Neuhaus’s acquaintance personally but a mutual friend once told me that if we were to break bread together we would soon be downing scotch and laughing with greater intensity than we had ever argued. I suspect that is right and look forward to a tumbler of single malt with him in the hereafter."
First Things has posted an essay on death that Father Neuhaus penned in 2000, so Father Neuhaus, never short of an opinion, gets the final word on his own demise:
"We are born to die. Not that death is the purpose of our being born, but we are born toward death, and in each of our lives the work of dying is already underway. The work of dying well is, in largest part, the work of living well. Most of us are at ease in discussing what makes for a good life, but we typically become tongue-tied and nervous when the discussion turns to a good death. As children of a culture radically, even religiously, devoted to youth and health, many find it incomprehensible, indeed offensive, that the word “good” should in any way be associated with death. Death, it is thought, is an unmitigated evil, the very antithesis of all that is good.Death is to be warded off by exercise, by healthy habits, by medical advances. What cannot be halted can be delayed, and what cannot forever be delayed can be denied. But all our progress and all our protest notwithstanding, the mortality rate holds steady at 100 percent.
Death is the most everyday of everyday things. It is not simply that thousands of people die every day, that thousands will die this day, although that too is true. Death is the warp and woof of existence in the ordinary, the quotidian, the way things are. It is the horizon against which we get up in the morning and go to bed at night, and the next morning we awake to find the horizon has drawn closer. From the twelfth-century Enchiridion Leonis comes the nighttime prayer of children of all ages: 'Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray thee Lord my soul to keep; if I should die before I wake, I pray thee Lord my soul to take.' Every going to sleep is a little death, a rehearsal for the real thing."
(Photo taken in 1997 by Paul Hosefros of The New York Times.)
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May he now enjoy the eternal rest he so richly deserves
John Neuhaus was a friend to many people very distant from his own normal circles of influence--who nevertheless greatly benefited from his work over many years. We mourn his passing. Requiescat in pacem.
Fr. John Neuhaus was a privilidged soul in that he was given a glimpse of the Divine, and Eternal Life through his suffering. He writes about this in his book "As I Lay Dying". I relate to much of his understanding about life and life in death as each day we live we are one day closer to our earthly death and our eternal life. I truly reccomend this wonderful book to everyone . May God let Fr. Neuhous now rest in peace in his eternal home.
I had the honor to disagree with RJN on a matter of some importance. He provided a very pleasant argument which also provided an excellent--if sometimes rare experience in our cultural context--example of civil discourse. An non-politically correct gentlemen.
Holy Lord, almighty and eternal God, hear our prayers for your servant whom you have summonded out of this world. Forgive his sins and failings and grant him a place of refreshment, light and peace. Let him pass unharmed through the gates of death to dwell with the blessed in light, as you promised to Abraham and his children for ever. Accept Fr. John into your safekeeping and on the great day of judgment raise him up with all the saints to inherit your eternal kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
A huge loss to the Catholic, Christian, and religious community in general. While Neuhaus certainly became a proud and pugnacious Catholic, much of his life work was to unify the various Christian denominations, and with them, especially the more orthodox varieties of Judaism, to emphasize responses to common problems. Of course, the biggest common enemy was and is rampant agnostic secularism. Those on the left caracturize this as the right wanting a theocracy, but no one, including Neuhaus, wanted rule of the state by priests. What he wanted is what the First Amendment to the Constitution wanted, no establishment of a single religion or denomination, but allowable neutral accomodations between state and church, since that is what the Founding Presidents DID while they wrote the first amendment. Secularizing has become its own religion, and has unjustifiably kicked traditional religions out of the public square, usually by the fiat of a few Supreme Court judges, not by the elected branches. These were the battles Fr. Neuhaus fought and led, and while his side cannot claim victory, especially in light of the oncoming Obama administration, the public role of religion would be even more reduced if it weren't for the eloquence of Richard John Neuhaus. I wonder what will become of his journal First Things?
He was a wonderful soul, may God receive him quickly.
After eight years of the worst administration in our history (that this man helped to elect), we could use some good news.
When I pray tonight, I will thank the Lord that he chose to take this nut case from out midst.
I never understood how war, death penalty, destruction of the environment, destruction of our good name in the world and destruction of our rights fit with our Catholic belief that our God is a God of love.
go figure
I've avidly read Fr. Neuhaus' observations and reflections since the first issue of First Things. He was encouraging, thoughtful, and loving, and always seemed to do his best to speak the truth in love. And, as alwaystelitlikeitis has demonstrated, the world hated him for it, just as it hated Christ.
May God bless Fr. Neuhaus and receive him quickly. And may those who rejoice in his death learn to be freed from their bitterness and hatred.
Where was Neuhaus in condemning the criminal Iraq War, incompetence during Katrina, torture, and the criminal coverup of clergy child rape ??
Nowhere to be found (along with the despicable coward Chickenhawk Michael Novak).
If I want to be lectured on morality, I will take Bishop Thomas Gumbleton anyday
Alwaystellitlikeitis and jake would do well to remember the Latin dictum, "de mortuis, nil nisi bonum." Oone gets the impression that they are the sort of people who dance on graves, in the presence of the mourners.
Was Neuhaus perfect? No, of course not. However it is undeniable that he was possessed of a brilliant mind, and a great wit. He masterfully presented complex issues, whether or not you agreed with him. We can pray for him and for his eternal repose, learn from his mistakes and celebrate the great good that he did.
I watch EWTN every day - Daily Mass; Services from Rome; the Pope's Visits around the world; Life on the Rock; Raymond Arroyo; Father Mitch; Mother Angelica's Rosary; etc., etc. The programs are absolutely wonderful and I will continue listening to them forever. I was sorry to hear Father Neuhaus passed away. He was a marvelous educator, an excellent interpreter of the services broadcasted on TV and the Catholic Faith; a saintly man; a pious and holy man. My deepest sympathy in the loss of a saintly priest -- I will remember him in my prayers always. God bless Father Neuhaus.
May he rest in peace. He will surely be missed. I pray for his soul, and I hope that we can strive to emulate his tireless commitment to the Truth.
An outstanding writer, who consistently confessed his faith in and love of God and the teachings of the Catholic Church with all its flaws. He was to me, through his writings, a great teacher who was one of the major influences that brought me (a man not much younger than he) back to the Catholic Church after some 40 years away. His worldliness and humor were always a delight and his love for all souls that expressed so many views and opinions consistently shown through despite the gentle intellectual and moral skewering he gave them. Fr. Newhaus was a man I would have thouroughly enjoyed loosing an argument to. there is only one other person in my life that I can say that about. He was indeed a gentleman in the best sense of the word. I tearfully pray for his departed soul and may he be in peace in God's full presence.
Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei.
tellitlikeitis...
May I humbly suggest that you remove your posting? This is not the time, the place or the space for your tellitlikeitis.
I had the privilege of corresponding with him a few times and submitting some items he ran in his "While We're at It" column. I started reading First Things when I returned to the Church in 2000, and Fr. Neuhaus was someone with whom I felt connected. He was never to busy to offer advice or encouragement to a struggling returning Catholic. I live thousands of miles away from New York and yet feel like I just lost my parish priest. God bless you Fr. Richard.
Ellen
This man along with Novak was a cheerleader for the criminal Iraq War and other Bush crimes.
over 100,000 innocent civilains and over 4,000 military dead
"Jake", you are sadly mistaken about Fr. John's silence on the issue of clergy misconduct. He spoke often about it, including his anger and frustration with Bishops who hid this problem under the rug. Faithful to the Church, but not blind
Hey Jake
How many dead in WW1?
WW2?
Korea?
Vietnam?
Gulf 1?
You ignorant person. Do you not understand that this has been the most successful campaign in terms of war dead and civilian casualties ever in our country's history?
Do you know why those soldiers died?
Do you ?
Patriot - Jake is one of those phonies who scream about the tragedy of war, but is silent related to the fact that 50 million children have been killed in their mother's womb since Roe. He has no credibility.
I heard that he died yesterday and felt such a palpable sense of loss. I last saw him being helped down the aisle of St. Patrick's Cathedral during the funeral of Avery Cardinal Dulles. He fought the good fight and tried to cure liberalism of its cultural blindness to the fact that life begins at conception. I found it ironic yesterday that I was @ a Lutheran hospital visting an ill family member. This hospital has moved a statute of Christ from a prominent part of the building and casted it away to the side. It is easier to find pay phones than to find the statute now. Fr. Richard spent his life fighting to ensure that Christ isn't excluded from our lives. While we are sad at his passing I remember seeing him sad saying Mass the Saturday John Paul the Great died. I shook his hand after Mass saying Christ is Risen. He responded by saying - He is risen indeed. We pray that this day his is with Our Risen Lord in paradise.
KJR and Patriot
I have 32 years in the military plus one year in a combat zone.
I bet you never served.
I have seen war up-front.
I love you Fr. Neuhaus. I will always miss you. May your eternal soul rest in peace with our Lord and our Blessed Mother and all the angels and saints in heaven.
Father Neuhaus was very much like Jesus, as evinced by these many responses to his life. They both moreorless asked, "Are you with me or against me?" Father Neuhaus walked closely with and listened intimately to Jesus.
He dedicated his 1984 book, "The Naked Public Square," which influenced me significantly, to The Community of Christ in The City. Father Neuhaus was also a compassionate and compelling observer of Church and State on EWTN. He knew the difference between bread and wine and Caesar's coin.
Ron Shegda, Hellertown, PA, USA
I do not read First Things. My son does.
I rarely watch EWTN. My son does.
I did not know of Father Neuhaus. My son told me of him.
My son had nearly given up on himself, on me, on God,
But then he met Fr. Neuhaus, and First Things.
I had closed my mind to such conservatives;
My son opened his heart again,
Thank you and God bless you Fr. Neuhaus
"I have 32 years in the military plus one year in a combat zone."
Then it is even more astonishing that you have so little respect for the dead and those mourning them. Jake, you remind me of those selfish, disrespectful fundementalists who've been showing up at the funerals of veterans with protest signs for their own particular agenda,
I can't speak for everyone here, but I loved Fr. Neuhaus and will miss him terribly. And I am ashamed that someone like you is claiming to represent our country.
However, Fr. Neuhaus would forgive you. And I'll try and work on it as he would want me to...
Goodbye, friend I never met. You will be missed greatly, sir. Greatly.
To all the rest of you at First Things, you have enormous shoes to fill.
But try anyway.
Rest in Peace Pastor Neuhas. I knew you from St.Johns the Evangelist in the 1960's. You confirmed me and my brothers and sister. You influenced us even back then. R.I.P
I was born and raised in the Lutheran tradition in Texas. I stumbled upon First Things in the mid-1990s. The influence of Father Neuhaus' writings over several years played no small part in my decision to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church in January of 2004. Rest in Peace Father Neuhaus.
Fr. Neuhaus was an affable man with an incisive mind. I knew him as a young minister in Brooklyn, before his conversion. Sadly, once he became a Catholic he increasingly came under the influence of the neocon crowd which has done so much damage to the USA. His sanction of the Iraq War disillusioned me completely. But I suspect that God will have pity upon his soul because he had good intentions. On the other hand, I seem to recall the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.
"I have 32 years in the military plus one year in a combat zone."
Posted by jake January 9, 09 05:23 PM
Without seeing your SRB or OQR you expect us to take you at your word, Jake? Such lack of decency isn't reflective of someone who claims to have spent 32 years in the military. While expiating your sin of speaking ill of the dead, you might want to familiarize yourself with the Stolen Valor Act of 2005, "Jake."
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
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