netherhall news august 2010
world cup 2010 picking the real winners life in the slums fighting malnutrition in india Netherhall house now has a growing facebook community and we would love lots of former residents to join as a great way of keeping up to date with life in the house. go to facebook and search ‘netherhall house’
contents in this issue 10 14 16 20 22
world cup 2010 s picking the real winners life on the other side s fighting malnutrition in india sunny side up s defending the faith in barcelona facing a referendum s kenyan family life life in rear-view? s looking back, looking forward
3 editorial 6 director’s notes
Cover page: joão bettencourt picks out the real winners and losers of the 2010 football world cup (page 10)
CONTENT EDITOR Zubin Mistry MANAGING EDITOR, DESIGN & SETTING Luke Wilkinson CONTRIBUTIONS AND ADVICE Peter Brown, Fr Joe Evans, João Bettencourt, Prakarsh Singh, Dominic Burbidge, Pablo Hinojo, Archan Boonyanan PHOTOGRAPHY Prakarsh Singh, Luke Wilkinson CIRCULATION Netherhall News is sent by e-mail to current and past residents of Netherhall House. It is also available at http://www.nh.netherhall.org.uk/magazine/magazine.htm CONTACT US Would you like to be included in our mailing list, contribute to or express your opinion on Netherhall News? Write to: LUKE WILKINSON C/O NETHERHALL NEWS, NETHERHALL HOUSE, NUTLEY TERRACE, LONDON, NW3 5SA, U.K. or E-MAIL: alumni@nh.netherhall.org.uk DISCLAIMER All opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the authors concerned and do not necessarily represent the views of the editors of Netherhall News, of Netherhall House or of Opus Dei.
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regular
editorial while the cat’s away... luke wilkinson steps into the fray
H
ang on a minute, where’s Zubin got to? What’s that young gadabout Luke doing masquerading as Editor? And why have I had to wait an extra month for the latest Netherhall gossip? This is too much; I want my money back! Everything’s changing all the time these days, I can’t keep up. Bring back black and white TV! Well change is indeed afoot in the Netherhall News camp. The more observant among you will no doubt have spotted the distinct lack of a July 2010 edition. Please rest assured that this was not by any means on account of editorial laziness (a word that does not form part of the vocabulary of this institution), but indeed all part of a grand masterplan aimed Luke as a child, dreaming that one day he could become the editor of Netherhall News to bring the bi-monthly cycle of the magazine more in line with the academic yearly cycle of the house. Thus from this point onwards, we will be back on track with an edition every two months that can better keep pace with the hotspots of activity in and around Netherhall, so look out for an October edition packed with news and features from the start of the academic year. Hopefully this structural reform hasn’t thrown you too much, and we trust you won’t have too much trouble re-ordering your diary to fit in an appointment with the mag on alternate months (unless you use Google calendars, which I’ve been grappling with unsuccessfully of late!). But you will also no doubt be wondering at the absence of Mr Mistry’s usual missive. If you’re anything like me, upon receiving the latest edition of this fine magazine, you’ll instantly flip to the first pages to enjoy some of Zubin’s stunning punning and casual quippery on wide-ranging (and often disparate) topics of personal interest. I’m afraid I have big (literary, not literal) shoes to step into this month, as Zubin takes a well-earned sabbatical to finish writing up his PhD. I seriously hope he will be done in time for October… The obvious feature of this edition is João Bettencourt’s cutting appraisal of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, hot off the press as the tournament drew to a close while we were finalising this edition. I have to admit, the World Cup almost entirely passed me by – I think I only watched one half of an England group match – but I really resonated with João’s comments about the way the world media treated South Africa in the run-up to the tournament. It’s a very telling trait of our society that people can get so worked up about human rights issues when there’s an exciting sports fixture coming up, but we don’t see the same
Zubin Mistry catches 40 winks in a short break from writing up his PhD netherhall news 3
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‘I know it’s not healthy to hold a grudge, but an elephant never forgets...’ widespread, public moralising day by day on other social justice issues, either abroad or in our own country. We saw the same thing in the run-up to the last Olympics in China, but it wasn’t long before, as a society, we appeared to have forgotten that there ever were any concerns for human rights in China. Maybe this is just human nature. We get a fascinating insight into human behaviour modelled by the nation of Israel throughout the Old Testament. God repeatedly tells his people to ‘remember’: ‘Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm’ (Deut 5:15). ‘Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years’ (Deut 8:2). ‘Remember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave
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you’ (Joshua 1:13). But the perpetual story of Israel, and perhaps of all humanity, is that they forget all that God has done for them, and they turn their backs on him again and again. In Peter’s article, he ‘remembers’ past days in Netherhall with a former resident, as well as some of the residents who will be leaving this year, after contributing to the life in the house for some time. In this edition, we have also ‘remembered’ another former resident – Archan Boonyanan – who has written a short account of what his life is like now he is back teaching at a university in Thailand. But, as Peter says, with regret, there is not space to mention each person who comes and goes in Netherhall life. Inevitably, many (perhaps a large majority) of the people we meet in our lives fade in our memories as time passes. In the same way,
the horror of an injustice (or the poor human rights record of a country hosting an international sporting event), which we may read about in the newspaper one day, is soon replaced by the front-page article of the next day. Is this just an inevitable, tragic feature of human existence? I don’t think so. In one way, being able to let some memories drift out of our consciousness is a good thing. It is a terrible thing to cling hopelessly to the memory of a lost loved one, or a past trauma. In these instances, we need to learn to ‘forget’, not by becoming cold or in denial, but by letting go and enabling healing to take place. But it is also good to hold onto some memories. As God repeatedly tells the Israelites to remember all the good things he has done for them, so we too can discipline ourselves to remember good things in our lives. The old adage, ‘count your blessings’ springs to mind, as the does the necessary counterpart to St. Paul’s description of love in his first letter to the Corinthian church: ‘Love… keeps no record of wrongs’ (i.e. what does it do instead? Keep a record of ‘rights’!) Perhaps what we need then is a principle of ‘healthy remembrance’. On the one hand, when we are hurt by the way someone treats us, rather than hold this against them, we can forgive them and let go; keep no record of wrongs. On the other hand, when we read an article such as Dominic’s comment on Western interference in African family life, or we hear a talk and we resonate with an injustice, we can also respond in two ways. The first is the easiest and the one we are probably most prone to – we read the article, we hear the talk, we agree in our heads that ‘Yes, it’s a terrible thing’, and then we turn the page, or we go home, and we forget about it. The second way is harder and requires more commitment, but I reckon it’s probably the better way – we read the article, we hear the talk, and we take action. Perhaps it’s by choosing to read more on a subject, join a mailing list, write a petition, or go on a march. And also perhaps for some it can be by ‘remembering’ things to God in prayer. My hope is that this magazine can continue to help current and former residents remember all the good things that happen in and around Netherhall. Over the years, these pages have recorded the impact that hundreds of different lives have made upon the Netherhall community, and I hope that it will long continue! Current residents – you have the opportunity to contribute hugely to the lives of your fellow residents, and also through these pages to the lives of many who have gone before you. Former residents – please do support this effort by writing to us with any of your news that you think is relevant. Finally, some words from Rudyard Kipling’s poem, Recessional, encouraging us to remember! The tumult and the shouting dies, The Captains and the Kings depart, Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice, An humble and a contrite heart. Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget--lest we forget!
“It’s a very telling trait of our society that people can get so worked up about human rights issues when there’s an exciting sports fixture coming up, but we don’t see the same widespread, public moralising day by day on other social justice issues” netherhall news 5
director’s notes peter brown and nigeria’s finest
O
ne night in June I had the pleasure of going for a quick drink with Adam Walker (1995-96) who was in London on a business trip. We discussed all sorts of things before we compared notes on residents of the house from Adam’s time as a resident/ bursar. Finally Adam came out with something many former residents say: ‘that must have been the best year you’ve ever had in Netherhall’. The truthful answer to Adam’s question was that as time passes it becomes increasingly difficult to make any judgement that goes beyond the immediately concluded academic year. So many events take place and so many outstanding people pass through the house each year that it really would take a greater mind than mine (not difficult to find, I hear you say) to be able to draw meaningful comparisons between different years. All I feel qualified to say is that 2009-10 really was a great year and that the events and people recorded in earlier editions of this illustrious magazine bear this out. At this time of the year, however, it’s the departures that I notice most and especially those of residents who have been with us for more than one academic year. This year is no different. Eniola Leyimu has been in Netherhall for three years whilst studying Law at the LSE. Throughout that period he has been a generous, kind and passionate resident, a great ambassador for Nigeria. All I recall from the interview I had with Eni before he came to the House was that he appeared extremely shy and that he claimed to have played the drums in his mother’s church. It just goes to show how deceptive interviews can be. Although I have never found out whether or not he did play the drums in question, he certainly was not shy during his time in Netherhall! Eni has contributed to the house in all manner of ways. He has always been ready to challenge guest speakers and advance his own opinions in the get-togethers, he has maintained throughout his stay that he is God’s gift to football and he was prepared to dress up as Ali Baba for the house play in his first year. We will miss him very much. Another significant departure has been that of Paul Schira who has been at King’s College studying French and English law. Despite being part Belgian, Paul has been the undisputed leader of the French community in the House for the last two years. He has fulfilled this role and at the same time dedicated a huge amount of time to the activities of the French Scouts in London. But Paul’s greatest contributions to the House, apart from his constantly cheerful disposition, have been the roles he played in two Netherhall plays. This year he did an outstanding job as Antoine the butler in The Imaginary Invalid and last year he played Khylestakov in The Government Inspector. In both plays he was superb. Paul too will be greatly missed. I won’t write about departures who have been with us for only one academic year or this article would be too long. Nor will I comment on the possible departure of Kevin Gouder (his PhD is almost complete), as Kevin isn’t yet sure whether he will be in the house next year.
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Looking forward, however, I am very excited at the prospect of the next year, which begins in September with the Pope’s visit to the UK. Over a third of this year’s residents are returning and we have many new residents coming whom we know from their participation in the activities of the house. Amongst the returning residents will be our three pianists (João Bettencourt, Ricard Rovirosa and Ben Schoeman), cellist (Oscar Alabau) and violinist (Juan Pablo Luna). We are very, very fortunate to have such outstanding musicians in the House and it is great to know that next year we will be blessed again with so much music. Finally two plugs. The first is for a new film coming out soon. Gustavo Ron (1994-1997) is about to release his new film, Ways to Live Forever. It was great that a number of former residents were in London a couple of weeks ago for its launch. Keep an eye out for it!
above: adam walker on stage with habib aslam during their time in the house left: paul schira in action with jimin kang in 2010 play ‘the imaginary invalid’ below: eniola leyimu resists the urge to drum along to miguel anton’s song
Secondly, in October or November we are hoping to have a dinner in Paris for French former residents of Netherhall. Please email me if you would like further details.
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“We are very, very fortunate to have such outstanding musicians in the House and it is great to know that next year we will be blessed again with so much musicâ€? left: pianists joĂŁo bettencourt and ricard rovirosa after their recital on 8th may 2010 below: pianist ben schoeman
above: cellist oscar alabau
netherhall news 9
a
s I sat down to share my thoughts on the world’s greatest football tournament, I envisioned a great piece of literature that would describe this amazing sporting event in a beautiful, poetic, almost baroque fashion. However, I think the best way to have a solid general picture of the 2010 FIFA World Cup would be to simply state the positive and negative things that went on in South Africa. So, let’s start with the good: South Africa Not the national team, ranked 83rd in the world, but the country and the organization. Never before have I seen such scepticism surrounding a World Cup or any other football competition. From what I have been told, not even the 1978 championship, which took place in Argentina during the military dictatorship of General Jorge Rafael Videla, caused such stir. In any conversation regarding the organization of the South Africa tournament, people would generally say that it was very likely, or even guaranteed, that there would be security problems
can i kick it?
joão bettencourt gives the final word on the 2010 world cup
throughout the whole event, given the social problems that the country constantly faces. Well, they have been proven wrong. So, my warmest regards and congratulations to the people, the government and FIFA. A fantastic example that extraordinary things can come from Africa!
Bastian Schweinsteiger The playmaker of the moment! Everyone was impressed with his talent in 2006, when he showed real talent on the ball, playing for Germany on the left wing. The same thing happened in 2008, when Podolsky was moved to the left and he occupied the right-midfield position. However, he seems to have been reborn! A different soul and mind in the same body? Maybe… This year, by returning to the same position that made him a star-player in the Bayern Munich youth teams, he showed the same talent as always but delivered unbelievable masterclasses on how to carry a team from the defensive midfield right up to the final pass. Dribble three or four players across the middle, make 50 yard pin-point passes, control the team’s movement in the second and third thirds of the pitch, tackle, cover… Florentino Perez, were you watching? After all, he said his favourite colour is white!
Howard Webb The English referee was the only official in the whole World Cup who didn’t cause any kind of riot inside my head. Refereeing was truly shameful and some of the mistakes (quite incredibly obvious ones as well!) dictated the outcome of the competition in a revolting manner. Would the excellent Mexico be out in the last 16 if Carlos Tevez’s five-yard offside goal had been disallowed? Would Portugal have been knocked out if the referee detected David Villa’s irregular goal (again offside)? What about England? Would their defeat have been that humiliating had they gone into halftime drawing 2-2? Webb not only got all his major calls right, he managed to perform consistently and let matches flow naturally. He thoroughly deserved to be in the final! Bert van Marwijk Highly criticised when appointed, since he was pretty much unknown, the Dutch manager survived all the scepticism and lack of support by the press and turned the Clockwork Orange into a stable, mature and efficient team. David Villa I can’t really find any words to describe this man. When Spain was struggling to score and win (on more than one occasion), he stepped up and carried the team on his own, with unbelievable individual moments (like his first goal against Honduras) and truly unmatchable passion for his country. The best striker in the world, by far! I’m sorry, who is Fernando Torres?
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Eduardo Remember the Portugal-Spain match? At times, this man made Casillas look average. No need to say anything else. Goalkeeper of the tournament. And now...the less good: Michel Platini and Sepp Blatter The two shameless mafia men still refuse technologybased refereeing aids. Too much work? Too costly? Too complicated? What if I told you that there would be no need to implement anything? What if I told you that the 4th official is already watching the match on a little screen and that he can instantly communicate with the referee through the intercom? What if I told you that only the rules prevented him from clicking a button on his radio and saying, ‘Whistle! That Lamps shot was in!’? Outrageous!
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“Never before have I seen such scepticism surrounding a World Cup or any other football competition... they have been proven wrong�
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top: former south african president, nelson mandela, holding the world cup trophy bottom: the Spanish team celebrating one of the goals which led them to World Cup victory. netherhall news 11
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above: howard webb, the english referee who presided over the 2010 world cup final. Opposite page, from top: fernando torres takes a dive; england manager fabio capello; david villa, joão’s player of the tournament; France So even in football the French like to go on strike. Fair enough! Bad attitudes (Anelka’s words to the manager), bad football, no passion and a completely clueless manager. Funnily enough, France were only good on two occasions: with Platini and with Zidane in the team. No Zidane anymore, no France. Is it as simple as that? Probably not! But still, not far from the truth. Let’s see what the great Laurent Blanc can do to turn things around. Refereeing Even without technology-based refereeing aids, I’ve rarely seen such amateur refereeing. How can the top officials of the world make so basic, simple and compromising mistakes? Beats me! Maybe it was the altitude and the consequent lack of oxygen in their brains…
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Cristiano Ronaldo Paris Hilton’s ex-boyfriend had one of the best seasons of his career at Real Madrid this year. Even after missing nearly six weeks due to a leg injury, he nearly managed to be La Liga’s ‘Pichichi’ and carried the team on his shoulders. But… was that a different person playing instead of him in the World Cup? Bad technique, no edge, no speed, no dribbling ability, nothing. England and Fabio Capello Bad technique, no game vision, horrible ball control, lack of ideas, tactical awareness of a five year-old ping-pong player… And Capello? I think that one single idea sums up his management: he doesn’t know his players and how to deploy them. Next time I see Joe Cole on the bench and Lampard-Gerrard in charge of keeping a double-anchor midfield I’ll turn off the TV. There is, however, a much more troublesome issue, which should
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leave every football fan in the country very concerned. There has been no real English talent coming from the youth squads in the last decade or so and it seems that this tendency will continue in the coming years. I can see England not being able to qualify for World Cups and Euros in the years to come (from what I have been reading in the news, Eric Cantona agrees with me…) Don’t forget that Gerrard, Lampard, Joe and Ashley Cole, Terry and Ferdinand are all in their thirties. What will happen when they retire? Spain Surely people reading this paragraph must be thinking ‘This guy was drunk or asleep during the World Cup! They went all the way to win the trophy! What more does he want?’. And I agree with that (well, not the ‘drunk’ or the ‘asleep’ parts). But I will state the two reasons for my theory. The first one, their playing. What good does that ‘tiqui-taca’ do if it is only done around the midfield line, with no attacking edge whatsoever? Is it a coincidence that Spain struggled to win some of the matches and their attacking stats were not that good? Is it a surprise that Germany actually had more goal chances and higher attacking figures? After all, if the referee had not seen two non-existent offsides that would have left Özil and Khedira alone with Casillas, the Mannschaft would have likely scored at least one goal in the first half! Even Portugal, with all the mediocrity of Carlos Queiroz (which was more than enough for them to deserve to lose), had more goal chances than Spain in the first half of the match. Last time I checked, football is still played with goal-posts and isn’t a meiínho Brazilian game. You could say that they still played amazingly at times, and I completely agree with that! However, after seeing the most unbelievable and beautiful football performed by them in 2008, with gracious ball touches and inch-perfect passing, incredibly intelligent position swapping and attacks, plus attacks, when watching the Spain of today I can’t avoid thinking ‘is this it?’. You can call me picky and annoying, but after watching the same team (you can even argue that this squad is better than the 2008 one, with the masterful Piqué in defence and a top-form Xabi Alonso) do what they did in the Euro, my footballing fanaticism demanded much, much more! I reckon that people now see what a true football legend and a genius of a tactician Luís Aragonés really was… The second reason is their attitude. If you remember this year’s Champions League semi-final, Busquets, the Barcelona player, had already given a taste (let’s call it an aperitif) of Spanish integrity, with the sending off of Thiago Motta. I mean, pretending to be hit in the face, falling on the floor, crying with his hands on his face and then cautiously peaking to see if the referee bought it? Fernando Torres’ dive that got a Chile player red-carded and completely destroyed their chances? Capdevilla’s piece of a Mamma Mia arietta? And they had already won the match! I promised myself that I would support Spain if Portugal got knocked out. But never in my life have I seen so many episodes of dishonesty by more than one player from the same team. After all that, I cannot cease to see them as an example of what’s wrong with the world of today: lack of integrity, shameless personality… dirty! Luís Suarez and Cristiano Ronaldo must seem like saints after all this...
netherhall news 13
I
enter the slum in searing heat. The paths are dusty and flies greet us in hordes. Children in ragged clothes are trying to fill up water in plastic containers from public taps. I pass a brightly coloured temple where beautifully adorned statues of gods greet us. Nearby, a makeshift bell hangs from a tree to induce fortune. A sweaty salesman beckons us to his cart of traditional Indian ice cream, Kulfi. Glances of old women are fixed on me as I start entering the residential area. Most houses are made out of unpainted bricks, have one room and a fan, no curtains or a refrigerator. The roofs range from cloth to tin. A teenage girl is sweeping the floor of her house and the dust is falling in the passage. Dogs look for leftovers in the narrow alley which I am following between the houses. There is a crossroad and I see hundreds of such houses spread across the expanse where over fifty thousand people live. I cross an open sewer that runs across the length of
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life on the other prakarsh singh FINDS that poverty is not
of food or money: it is also a lack of con
Prakarsh is currently running a field experiment on combating child Indian slums. His pictures show some of the people he has been wo
clockwise from above: children in the Anganwadi, adarsh colony; Manimajra Town Colony; children collecting water from public taps ony No. 5; motherS being interviewed about the diet fed to their chi
rt justside a lack
nfidence
; a vegetable seller in in the slum area, colildren, Adarsh Colony
A mother I interview does not know what is good for her girl if she gets diarrhoea or loses muscle mass. She also does not ask me after the interview. Uneducated mothers carry an additional burden with them – that of lack of curiosity and confidence. They are forced to trust and not question. Reason, logic and debate are the pillars of education that provide the fruits of freedom and self-esteem. Is there a way to encourage child-like curiosity in mothers? Mothers are handed a recipe book that contains easy-to-make nutritional and economical recipes as well as a list of nutritious foods and their benefits. They are encouraged to increase green, leafy vegetables in their diet. A vegetable seller happens to cycle his cart near us. He should give me a share of his profits. the slum. A man tries to manoeuvre his rusty bicycle through the garbage dumps and the chickens. They are looking for their grain of life. Buffaloes are taking a dip in a pool of stagnant water. Mosquitoes buzz past as we enter the Anganwadi. The government day-care centre houses forty children between the ages of 3 and 6 in a 2-metre by 3-metre room with alphabet charts on pink walls but no lighting. A child is crying and some are simply sitting. There is no fan. The clothes of the children are dirt-stained. The helper asks them to greet me. They chant out ‘Good morning, Sir!’; I wave back. They are eagerly waiting for their midday meal that is preciously stored in a steel container. Today, it’s porridge. The severely undernourished children are supposed to get two helpings in their tiffins. Some children gather around in groups to get photographed. I click their pictures and show it to them.
PHOTOS: PRAKARSH SINGH
d undernutrition in orking with.
For many, this is the first time they have seen themselves on a digital camera. The Anganwadi worker asks a boy to recite a poem. The poem is about different round objects around us – from the celestial to the humble egg. The others applaud. I ask a few students to get weighed on the scale. A little more than half are malnourished. Most are unable to read their own weight. The workers usually maintain attendance registers and medical records but fail to teach. There is no official syllabus and exams do not take place. Mothers have been called for their interviews in a room nearby. They are sitting on the carpet with their heads covered waiting for their turn to be quizzed about nutrition, diet and their family. Most are forthcoming. Their husbands earn the equivalent of around £40 per month, almost all of which usually goes on buying food. They are normally vegetarians who survive on milk and pulses but rarely get to eat fruit, salad or mithai (traditional Indian sweets that are rich in calories). Leap-frogging has a new meaning when it comes to their levels of technology: most dwellers own mobile phones but do not have flush toilets. Meanwhile, the olfactory nerve has become used to the pervading stench from the sewer.
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W
hen news first spread that Netherhall was organising an ‘apologetics week’ in Barcelona in June, some people were understandably bemused. Would this be seven days asking forgiveness in the capital of Catalonia, and if so, for what?
Those more in the know realised, however, that apologetics has nothing to do with apologising but more to do with explaining. Rather than a passive admittance of guilt it is a robust defence of one’s convictions. Apologetics has been an important part of the Church’s life ever since the first Christians were forced to give an account of their faith in the face of hostility from the Roman Empire. It was a life and death matter. A good explanation might persuade a senior imperial officer to abate persecution. If you weren’t so convincing, you could be thrown to the lions! One of the first great ‘apologies’ was Justin’s marvellous 2nd century defence written for the emperor Antoninus Pius to help him understand just what Christians believe and why they are not harmful to the State. A more recent apology, famous in Britain, is by the soon to be beatified John Henry Newman. In his 1864 Apologia Pro Vita Sua Newman felt the need to defend his integrity and honesty after a leading writer of the time, Charles Kingsley, had put both in doubt, claiming that truth in itself was not important to Catholics. So, an apology involves a defence against attack, answering a slur or falsehood, or even a valid accusation, but with the defender against the ropes, fending off the blows and looking to get a few back himself. In that sense, as Newman explained in another work, apologetics is often a necessary work but truth is not always best served by it. Apologetics involves quick answers in the heat of the moment against accusers who can be very selective in their choice of arguments, whereas the truth requires a calmer and more ponderous work looking slowly at a wide range of issues. In the light of all this, why did a 12-strong Netherhall group make its way to the Pedralbes residence (the Barcelona equivalent of Netherhall) to spend the last week of June examining a whole series of accusations against the Catholic Church and how to answer them? The hall’s excellent food and swimming pool and Spain’s beautiful hot weather certainly had something to do with the answer, but the principal reason was that many claims are made against the Church and young Catholics need to have at least some basic arguments to reply to them. A dazzlingly wide range of issues was dealt with: the Church and science, the Church and sex, the Church and progress, the Church and reason, the Church and violence. And within each of these topics many particular themes were examined: the Galileo case, the Biblical account of creation, the Church and evolution, the Church and slavery. Or questions like: is Catholicism ‘anti-gay’? Are Catholic women oppressed? Is religious merely superstition for the feeble-minded? Did the Church fail to help Jews during the Holocaust? And more besides. We were fortunate to have as our course leader an expert in communicating Church teaching to the general public. Dr Austen Ivereigh, former deputy editor of the Catholic magazine The Tablet and Director of Public Affairs for the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster from 2003-2007, was an outstanding guide and moderator of the daily morning sessions. He is now co-founder and director of Catholic Voices, an initiative which involves training ordinary Catholics to explain their faith to the media and general public. Austen had a refreshingly positive approach built on a number of key foundations. First, no whitewashing. The goal is to seek the truth and share it with our friends, not to defend the Catholic Church blindly. If mistakes have been made by Church leaders or members, they must be recognised. The papacy’s clumsy handling of Galileo, while wildly exaggerated by anti-Catholic propaganda (he was never tortured and he died peacefully in his bed), would be a case in point. Second, present a positive argument showing the attractiveness of what we believe. Truth must be light and warmth for others, not a club to bash them on the head. And third, discover the ques-
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APOLOGISTS ON TOUR: barcelona pablo hinojo DEFENDS THE NEED for a week of studying in the sun
from left: thomas aldaya, nicolas wulf, emil anton, david wyatt, pablo hinojo, mark wharton, thomas sloane, karl hohenberg, lawrence bryce netherhall news 17
left: david wyatt finds someone who will listen to him without interrupting
right: pablo hinojo and nicolas wulf take in the view
below: geoffrey lee soaks up the spanish sun
“learning to defend one’s faith can be more exciting and creative than you ever imagined�
above left: emil anton and lawrence byrce bond over a common love of church apologetics above middle: teacher austen ivereigh with karl hohenberg and thomas aldaya above right: karl hohenberg outside the palacio de montjuic left: karl hohenberg, thomas sloane, thomas aldaya and david wyatt right: thomas aldaya, emil anton, pablo hinojo, geoffrey lee, karl hohenberg, mark wharton, david wyatt, nicolas wulf, thomas sloane, lawrence bryce
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tion behind the question. When people challenge the Church for being, say, anti-science, there is a positive concern: the need to have evidence for and solid foundations to one’s affirmations. We must listen to, respect and address this concern and see every criticism as an opportunity for dialogue. Hence, in our seminars – for which, by the way, the students themselves researched the different topics and gave the presentations, with Austen merely moderating and commenting – there was a constant concern to explain positively. In other words, an effort not just to say what the Church does not believe or did not do, but what she does stand for and what she has achieved. We saw how in fact the Christian world-view has promoted science and why it is no coincidence that science has most flourished in Christian Europe. There were wonderful presentations by Tom Sloan, a nursing student at Kings, and LSE student Geoffrey Lee, who explained brilliantly the Church’s beautiful vision of sexuality. A profound presentation by Tomas Aldaya, who has just finished his degree at Royal Holloway College, plus two extra seminars from Netherhall chaplain Fr Joe, helped us to appreciate how much the Church values reason and how important it is to have a reasonable faith. We were further supported by an excellent dossier of articles provided to each participant, put together by Netherhall’s bursar Aaron Taylor. Add to all the above exploring the sights of Barcelona, over-dosing on Gaudi’s inspirational architecture (especially his awesome Sagrada Familia temple), visits to Tarragona and the Pyrenees shrine of Torreciudad, and you will appreciate how enjoyable and stimulating a week it was, a worthy successor to our Seville philosophy week of 2009. The 2011 Spain trip will probably be to Madrid in August for the World Youth Day with Pope Benedict XVI. But we might well go a few days early for some brainteasing apologetics. Get in touch if you want to sign up. You’ll discover that learning to defend one’s faith can be more exciting and creative than you ever imagined.
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n Kenya, discussions buzz in anticipation of the referendum for the new constitution to be held on 4 August. Whilst most agree a constitution is needed, religious groups have rallied for a ‘no’ vote in response to the apparent unrestricting access to abortion guaranteed therein. There is a sweeping undercurrent in Western thought that associates progress with individual autonomy, and it is this school of thought that sees access to abortion and contraception as solutions to Africa’s challenges. Anthony Giddens, for example, believes the family to be a product of social dependency, a crutch no longer necessary in areas of the world with high GDP and vast opportunities for social mobility. Economic empowerment will see the triumph of the individual over family and religion. Writing from Nairobi, one of the most buzzing capitals of Africa, I have the impression that this pathway to individualism will not be trod here in quite the same way, if indeed it is trod at all. Access to contraception and abortion are heralded as two proud traditions the West has to offer the world as central to development and emancipation. Western NGOs and corporate bodies invest heavily in advocating their strengths for ensuring the eradication of poverty and female dependency. But few Africans want them. Abortion and contraception have shown little prospect for helping the fight against AIDs and poverty, and so the whole endeavour seems like a playback of colonialism: you will succeed if you do things our way. Restrict your numbers and follow our values, we will see your lives made prosperous. Two words capture the position of the West: morally bankrupt. There is something here in Africa that trumps the incessant individualism found in Western Europe and North America on a daily basis. It is not something that cannot be found in the West, just something that is stronger over here. In Africa there is more friendship, more community. This does not excite many policy-makers who see all problems as merely problems with the state, but it does excite me but it does excite me. The trajectories of the Western ‘sexual revolution’ are as much about the loss of friendship and community as the gain of individual freedom.
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africa is stronger than the pro-choice dominic burbidge on agenda family life in kenya
http://www.thedisplacedafrican.com/2008/07/what-every-immigrant-parent-ought-to-know-about-their-children/
In the West it is frowned upon, for example, to suggest that the proliferation of abortion in the UK - over 6 million since 1967 - is a crisis of fatherhood. Fathers in the UK are encouraged not to give a damn about abortion. To give it significance amongst fathers would be to put pressure on the decision-making autonomy of the mother. In Africa, fatherhood is deep with meaning. To be a father is something to be proud of; it is a sign of your place in the community and a sign of your dedication. Whilst in Africa fatherhood has spiritual significance, men in the West are assumed to have little spiritual capacity altogether. In the West men are, ironically, assumed to be hormone-driven hunter-gatherers. Deplorably, this view of manhood is being told back to Africans through the provision of condoms as the only way of stemming the spread of HIV. On the question of poverty there is a strong case for arguing that too much population growth is unhealthy. But it is important for policy-makers to understand that a call for responsible family life must still recognise such a thing as family life to exist. The question of abortion, for example, is actually a question of what children are and what motherhood is: are they gifts or burdens? If motherhood and children are burdens, the policies of the West will work. Widespread provision of abortion and contraception will render women autonomous and fatherhood irrelevant, and a reduction in births will result. But if motherhood and children are gifts, the policies of the West will meet difficulty. Rhetoric for the sexual revolution will clash with communities who feel their values to be under threat. Communities will turn defensive and reject Western policy as interventionist. Western commentators will turn to consider the essential backwardness of Africans. Sound familiar? If the Western traditions of contraception and abortion are to have any head-way here, they must break up family, community and friendship first. This article was originally published on Domic’s blog website: www.waterthroughtowine.blogspot.com
left: found in the entrance of the Church of the Consolata Sisters in Nairobi, this drawing captures the spirit of community that is still present in africa netherhall news 21
life in rear-view or focused on future prospects? archan boonyanan on life after netherhall
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n my daily 25-kilometer drive to the university, the journey is not all that different from the one I took some years ago before my sabbatical leave to pursue a research degree in London. One big difference is that now we have a large six-storey faculty building. It is a place where hundreds of people are simultaneously involved in a number of courses and academic activities instead of small rooms in a borrowed place with only a handful of staff and students.
In the past few months, I have found that the motivation that drove me to the UK to learn more about my trade as a lecturer/researcher in construction has been gradually fulfilled. The experience of sharing ideas from my PhD research, (on roles within construction project development), with the Masters’ degree students here is exhilarating. It is even more challenging to nurture a sense of social and environmental responsibility in the future generation of building professionals. It might sound like a cliché about oriental politeness but I often find myself talking alone for hours in front of an unresponsive class. I have been developing many tricks, (including telling jokes that often fall flat!) to ease my frustration and relieve the students’ boredom. However, the more energetic research tutorials are much better. It is like being in a war zone where I barely know what sort of questions to expect and how I am to survive by giving the right answers! On my way back home, driving through heavy traffic, the new tranquility inspired by easy-listening music always makes me think. My life now is definitely of a different pace to the one I lived at Netherhall. I hope it will be less ‘one day at a time’ and more focused on future prospects.
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papal visit NEWMAN EXPERTS to HELP STUDENTS PREPARE FOR his BEATIFICATION in september
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ome of Britain’s leading experts on John Henry Newman will help Netherhall residents and other students prepare for his beatification in September by Pope Benedict.
left: on my way to work. the pleasant surrounds can turn to hellish traffic in moments. above: students are in a high spirits before and after my lectures, yet they usually turn to stone when I start talking below: Courtyard inside the Faculty of Architecture and Planning, Thammasat University. Hundreds of people were asked to hide while the photo was taken.
A group of 50 students and teachers will gather at Netherhall House, Hampstead, London, from 13-16 September to attend talks on the life and thought of this great man in preparation for the Papal visit. They then plan to take part in the prayer vigil and beatification in London and Birmingham respectively on the 18th and 19th and seek to line the streets wherever possible to cheer the Holy Father. Speakers include Fr Ian Ker, Britain’s principal Newman scholar; Dr Paul Shrimpton, an expert on Newman and education; and Fr Ignatius Harrison, Provost of the Brompton Oratory. Professor Jeroen Bons, from The University of Utrecht, and Dr Andrew Hegarty of the Thomas More Institute London will focus particularly on Newman’s and Benedict’s ideas on friendship. Two university chaplains, Fr Julian Green, from Birmingham University, and Fr Joe Evans, of King’s College London and Netherhall House, will also give talks, as will Fr Anthony Conlon, chaplain to the Oratory School Reading. Netherhall House director Peter Brown explains: ‘This is only the second time that a Pope has visited Britain so we have organised this activity to help prepare the mind and hearts of students to receive him. We want this to be a week when young Catholics can meet and become friends and feel more keenly their responsibility in the Church and what a treasure it is to be Catholic. We feel the seminars on friendship - examining what great minds from Aristotle until Newman and Benedict have said on the subject - are particularly important at a time when young people have ever more Facebook friends but find it hard to establish real friendships. Hopefully from these days they will learn that friendship with Christ is the basis for deep and lasting friendships with others.’ Other Christians, and any other interested student of whatever faith, are welcome to join us both for the preparation week and the Papal events. Any male student wishing to participate in this seminar should contact Peter Brown on: director@nh.netherhall.org.uk A similar activity for women students is being held at Ashwell House, Islington. For more details, ring: 020 7490 5021
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passing through... former resident eugene low (2001-2002) visited in June this year. he is pictured here with neil pickering
albert creixell (2008 2009, studying at london business school) and his wife cristina celebrated the birth of their son albert in may this year 24 netherhall news