However his superiors decided that his immediate duties lay closer to home and he returned to teaching assignments at Shrub Oak

However, his superiors decided that his immediate duties lay closer to home, and he returned to teaching assignments at Shrub Oak, New York, and Canisius College, Buffalo.Nineteen sixty-two saw Blehl’s return to his undergraduate university – Fordham. He joined the English Department, and later shouldered the burdensome departmental chairmanship with Stoic forbearance. His area of specialisation was the Victorian period, but he was keen to explore the relationship between literature and theology in courses and lectures, and his love of art meant that was another subject which found its way into his teaching.However, Newman was never very far away. The volumes of the Newman Letters on which Blehl had worked appeared in 1963-65. But, besides these, there was a huge stream of articles, and two outstanding anthologies, The Essential Newman (1963) and Realisations: Newman’s own selection of his sermons (1964). In 1978 he published a detailed scientific bibliography of all the various editions of Newman’s works (John Henry Newman: a bibliographical catalogue of his writings), which he prefaced with a fascinating account of Newman’s relations with his various publishers.Around this time he heard of the embryonic edition of Newman’s hitherto unpublished Anglican sermons, and, with a sabbatical near at hand, he volunteered his services as an editor of one of the volumes. This necessitated a return to Europe in 1978-79 so that he could lay the foundations of the volume which was finally to appear in 1993 (Sermons 1824-1843).While Newman’s cause had been put firmly on the right track in 1959, the engine had refused to move for 20 years.

Those who had been involved were either tied to other commitments, and/or were totally baffled as to how the work might be tackled. In 1979 some exploratory investigations were being undertaken to establish what should be done and how. Learning about this, Blehl was immediately bursting with enthusiasm. He was confident that his superiors would allow him to take early retirement from Fordham and move to Europe and devote himself full time to the work of the cause. The Archbishop of Birmingham constituted a new Historical Commission, with Vincent Blehl as chairman.Assessing priorities was not always easy at first but by 1984 it was clear what needed to be done and Blehl led those concerned on a rollercoaster which led to the successful completion of the diocesan enquiry in 1986.

The cause was then sent on to Rome, and, at this point, Blehl was appointed Postulator, and, as such, was responsible for drawing up the Positio or documentary case for Newman’s canonisation. This was finished in 1989 and completed the rounds of the Sacred Congregation’s committees of consultors with record speed. In January 1991, Pope John Paul II issued the decree of heroicity of virtue and declared that John Henry Newman was forthwith to be called “Venerable”.Of course there remained the requirement of extraordinary favours or “miracles” – two of which are required for canonisation. Several times Blehl experienced the frustration of thinking that he had a certain case, only to find that the medical records (required by the Vatican) were not forthcoming. He faced these trials with truly Ignatian forbearance.In 1987, he made his main base Freiburg im Breisgau, where he had been appointed to a visiting Professorship at the university. There he remained, combining work on the cause with teaching and writing. His comprehensive understanding of Newman’s spirituality was displayed in his last two books, The White Stone (1993) and Pilgrim Journey (which appeared a few days before his death).

His strong personal spiritual life enabled him to see facets of Newman’s soul which more conventional treatments either could not or would not recognise.Though he was in far from strong health, the rapidity of his decline came as a great shock to those in regular touch with him. His surroundings, on the edge of the Black Forest, were a great source of peace and joy to him, and it is reassuring to know that he died in a place he loved so much.During a research visit to Rome in 1958, Blehl happened to be present at the beatification of the foundress of the Little Sisters of the Poor and Aged. He wrote that he “could not help thinking what a wonderful event it would be to be present at Newman’s, God willing”. Alas, he will not now be present personally, but when that day surely arrives, nobody should forget that it was Vincent Blehl more than anybody who made it possible.Gerard Tracey. Jean-Fran?s Chiappe, historian, journalist and broadcaster: born Laon, France 30 November 1931; married 1960 Marina Denikin (one son); died Versailles, France 21 October 2001. He was also for some years editor of the popular historical review Le Miroir de l’Histoire. He played an important part in the remarkable growth of French interest in historical studies from the 1960s onwards.In politics, from 1958 he wrote regularly for Rivarol, a paper that supported the Front National and the far-right party Ordre Nouveau.