The Venerable John Henry Newman was an English Catholic priest, cardinal and poet. Formerly a priest in the Church of England, Newman was received into the Catholic Church in October 1845. In his early life, he was a major figure in the Oxford Movement to bring the Church of England back to its Catholic roots. Eventually his studies in history persuaded him to become a Catholic. Both before and after becoming a Catholic, he wrote influential books, including Via Media, Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine (1845), Apologia Pro Vita Sua (1865–66) and the Grammar of Assent (1870).

Newman's body was buried in the small cemetery at Rednal near Birmingham, next to the Oratory country house. The grave was opened on 2nd October 2008, with the intention of moving any remains to a tomb inside Birmingham Oratory, during Newman's consideration for sainthood; however, no remains were found because the coffin was wooden and the burial took place at a damp site. His canonisation would make Newman the first English person to have lived since the 17th century to be declared a saint.

In 1991, Newman was proclaimed "Venerable" by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. The next stage, Beatification, will take place on 19th September, during Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United Kingdom.