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 soon after, in the company of friends, he died.
I immediately sent this link to a number of friends who I knew would also be stunned by the news. What a dear and gifted man. He was highly influential in my life. Requiescat in pace.
A huge loss. By his lucid and compelling writing, he presented conservative Christianity – which perhaps is what used to be mainstream Christianity! – as a positive and beautiful way of life. It was clear, though, that for him Catholic Christianity was more than a lifestyle: it was the way to fullness of life. Yet he was unafraid of polemics and was a doughty fighter for the truth. I did not agree with him on everything, but I admired him greatly, and even where I disagreed, I was frequently made to think again and to see more clearly. Now he sees in the clearest light of all, the light of the Risen Christ.
Fr. Tee –
As the Trappists say: now he knows more theology than all of us.
Grant O Lord,to Thy servant Richard, blessed repose and make his memory to be eternal.
Memory Eternal! Memory Eternal! Memory Eternal!
This a great shock. Like many, I greatly admired Neuhaus for his perspicacity, his grasp of contemporary culture and politics, and his way with words. ‘First Things’ will be his great legacy in bringing orthodox Christians (and Jews) together in defense of what is best in our culture, now so much under assault.
First we lost WFB and now Fr. Neuhaus. Two of the most brilliant Catholic intellects of our time are now promoted to glory. God rest their souls. Shall we see their like again?
A remarkable man of faith, a remarkable priest and theologian. She he could have taught in seminaries and graduate schools, but he choose to inaugurate a magazine that became one of the best of its kind.
Fr Neuhaus’s death is a loss to the Church and a loss to me personally. It was always comforting to me that if I had a theological or church problem I could email Richard and he would quickly respond. His mind penetrated to the important truths and realities.
Rest in peace.