The letter was from Father Eric McDermott, a Jesuit priest at Georgetown University in the United States. Father McDermott made four proposals. First, that Georgetown University and the Birmingham Oratory join forces to microfilm all the published and unpublished papers of John Henry Newman. Secondly, he suggested that they publish all of Newman's letters, plus all his diaries, all his sermons, and all his papers, philosophical and theological. Thirdly, he recommended that a definitive edition of all of Newman's books be published. Fourthly, and finally, he proposed that for this purpose, a Newman Institute be established on campus at Georgetown as part of its graduate school. He estimated that altogether this would involve publishing about 100 volumes.
At the time, Father Henry was in poor health. So nothing much happened until after his death in 1955 when Father Stephen Dessain was appointed to take his place. He then renewed contact with Father McDermott.
Initially, it was Father Stephen's intention simply to publish a selection of Newman's letters from his Catholic period. This would probably run into about eight, maybe 10 volumes.
But Father McDermott eventually persuaded Father Stephen that everything ought to be published. "It seems to me," he told him, "that the fullness of the printing is a very grave matter. I am a historian by profession and perhaps I am unduly conscious of the necessity of having all the documents available for sound work. Selective letters are somewhat like a biography: They are one man's view of the evidence."
Negotiations between Georgetown University and Birmingham got off to a promising start. They went on for six years. But negotiations over copyright and finance proved complicated, and, in the end, it proved difficult to come to an agreement.
Link (here)
Photo is of Cardinal John Henry Newman
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