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Richard John Neuhaus, 1936–2009 (Rest in Peace)
First Things ^ | January 8, 2009 | Joseph Bottum

Posted on 01/08/2009 7:24:21 AM PST by NYer

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.

In Deepest Sorrow,

Joseph Bottum
Editor


TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; Prayer
KEYWORDS: catholic; conservative; fatherneuhaus; firstthings; neuhaus; obituary; priest; priests; prolife
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To: NYer

Here's a great photo of Father Neuhaus. I'm sure he's celebrating with his Savior, and all his friends there now--like one I knew, Dr. H. O. J. Brown.

41 posted on 01/08/2009 6:28:43 PM PST by AnalogReigns
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To: NYer

The loss surely is ours. Fr Neuhaus has completed his mission on this sphere and rests in the arms of his Lord.


42 posted on 01/08/2009 6:35:25 PM PST by EDINVA
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To: STARWISE
This is a huge loss for the pro-life movement, conservatism and the Church.

Here is a thread on the article you posted about the importance of life in the last election:

"Not Even the Economy Trumps Culture of Life Issues in This Election": Fr. Richard Neuhaus

And here is his last column:

Father Richard John Neuhaus: The Pro-Life Movement as the Politics of the 1960s

43 posted on 01/08/2009 6:43:17 PM PST by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)
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To: STARWISE; aberaussie; Aeronaut; AlternateViewpoint; AnalogReigns; Archie Bunker on steroids; ...
Tributes to Fr. Richard John Neuhaus are pouring in from around the country, mourning the loss of a mentor, advisor, friend and spiritual father.

Conspicuously absent is any word of condelence from Fr. Neuhaus's former denomination. Its leader is too busy being pimped by Hamas in Gaza.

What perverted priorities!

44 posted on 01/08/2009 7:10:35 PM PST by lightman (Red & Blue B. Hussein Obama posters make great kindling!)
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To: lightman

I look forward to seeing Chuck Colson’s tribute to Father Neuhaus, the two were great friends (and Colson was fiercely criticized by Evangelicals for their work together).


45 posted on 01/08/2009 7:21:23 PM PST by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)
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To: lightman

Please take me off your ping list...


46 posted on 01/08/2009 7:22:23 PM PST by tubebender (Search continues for missing Tag line... More news at 11)
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To: NYer

Rest in peace, Father.


47 posted on 01/08/2009 7:36:09 PM PST by Tired of Taxes (Dad, I will always think of you.)
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To: NYer
God bless Fr Neuhaus he was such a gem during the Popes Visit... He had the Insight Like cardinal Foley to turn Papal events with Raymond Arroyo into learning experiences. May he RIP Amen!
48 posted on 01/08/2009 8:18:45 PM PST by philly-d-kidder (Pray for Sheepdog leader Rich Davis fell Black ice 3 broken ribs and a Collapsed Lung ICU stay!)
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To: NYer

Rest in peace.


49 posted on 01/08/2009 8:55:25 PM PST by Twink
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To: NYer

Rest in Peace. May God wrap His loving arms around those whom he left behind, giving them His peace that passes all understanding.


50 posted on 01/08/2009 9:03:17 PM PST by MountainFlower (There but by the grace of God go I.)
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To: lightman

What do you think Fr. Neuhaus would think of your petty and divisive post?


51 posted on 01/09/2009 6:00:38 AM PST by DManA
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To: lightman; Kolokotronis; kosta50; FormerLib

May Fr. Neuhaus’ memory be eternal!!!!

When our great Orthodox (OCA) and former ELCA Lutheran historian and theologian Jaroslav Pelikan fell asleep in the Lord, even the Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarchate in Belgrade had condolences and a bio on its website immediately. However, the ELCA’s response was very late and very small. So look for a similar response with Fr. Neuhaus.

I know what ELCA pastors and officials said about Fr. Neuhaus—he was considered their ideological enemy. But even Jaroslav Pelikan, who was not considered such an ideological enemy, was treated shabbily by the ELCA. Jerry was, however, an embarrassment to the ELCA establishment, as am I in a much smaller way.


52 posted on 01/09/2009 6:15:31 AM PST by Honorary Serb (Kosovo is Serbia! Free Srpska! Abolish ICTY!)
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To: STARWISE
Thank you so much for posting those quotes and info on the funeral arrangements. Fr. Neuhaus had a special quality and he no doubt was a 'chosen soul'.

Chosen souls are, in My hand, lights which I cast into the darkness of the world and with which I illumine it. As stars illumine the night, so chosen souls illumine the earth. And the more perfect a soul is, the stronger and the more far-reaching is the light shed by it. It can be hidden and unknown, even to those closest to it, and yet its holiness is reflected in souls even to the most distant extremities of the world. (1601)
Diary of St. Faustina

53 posted on 01/09/2009 6:34:41 AM PST by NYer ("Run from places of sin as from a plague." - St. John Climacus)
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To: NYer; Honorary Serb; lightman

O God of all spirits and all flesh, Who has trodden down death, destroying the power of the devil, bestowing life on Your worl, to the soul of Your servant, the Holy Priest Richard departed this life, do You Yourself, O Lord, give rest in a place of light, in a place of green pasture, in a place of refreshment, from where pain and sorrow and mourning are fled away. Every sin by him committed in thought, word, or deed, do You as our good and loving God forgive, seeing that there is no man that shall live and sin not, for You alone are without sin: Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your law is truth.

For You are the Resurrection, the Life, and the Repose of Your servant, the Holy Priest Richard, O Christ our God; and to You do we send up Glory, as to Your Eternal Father and Your All-Holy, Good, and Life-creating Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.


54 posted on 01/09/2009 12:43:34 PM PST by Kolokotronis ( Christ is Born! Glorify Him!)
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To: NYer
Excellent advocate. Neuhaus’s death is a great loss for American public discourse.
55 posted on 01/09/2009 2:05:17 PM PST by ProCivitas (Pro-Family = Natural Marriage + Fathers' Rights + Pro-Life + Traditional Divorce Standards)
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To: lightman

Richard John Neuhaus was a former Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod clergyman. I don’t think he belonged to the liberal ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) before becoming Roman Catholic. His father, as I recall, was an LCMS pastor in Canada, one of his sisters was married to a professor at Concordia Teachers College in Seward, Nebraska, and another sister was a student at Concordia - Nebraska when I was. An older brother was a conservative Lutheran layman in Canada. John attended Concordia in Austin, Texas (he was a sophomore in college when I was a freshman in high school there) for a portion of his educational experience and Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. His comments (and beliefs) retained his “Lutheran upbringing” in salvation by grace through faith without works, even though he coverted to Catholicism.


56 posted on 01/14/2009 2:04:21 PM PST by T Baden
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To: DManA

Actually, lightman was referring to the ELCA. Basically, he meant that they didn’t say anything about Neuhaus’s passing.


57 posted on 08/22/2009 3:18:31 PM PDT by Jacob Kell (At least Carter went to Annapolis and served in the Navy. What has Obambi done for America?)
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