Page 14, 6th December 1974

6th December 1974

Page 14

Page 14, 6th December 1974 — Charterhouse Chronicle
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Homelessness problem 'worse'
Anton Wallich-Clifford, in an account of its work just published, says the problem of homelessness is worse today than when he founded the Simon Community ten years ago.
In "No Fixed Abode" (Macmillan 1.95) the former probation officer traces the story of Simon, which brought the plight of the single homeless vividly to the notice of the nation through demonstrations and starting doss-houses.
In its first year he travelled 41,000 miles to address 200 meetings and helped to establish six centres. Now little more than a campaign, it helped to start a dozen projects in Britain and Ireland which are all now operating independently.
Working in Bow Street Magistrates' Court, Mr Wallich-Clifford saw that some special form of caring was needed for those without a home who kept appearing before the court.
He began to assemble a special file on the accommodation available, a few relevant projects being attempted and started "dossing" part-time by night to deepen his understanding of the situation of individuals with no real roots in society. Mr Wallich-Clifford, who for some years had studied for the priesthood, found at Bow Street that the problem of homelessness was for many of those who lived on the fringe of society "only a symptom of their own insufferable social inadequacy."
For Christians, "every homeless social misfit must be seen as yet another thorn driven deeper into the head of the
crowned and suffering Christ . a symptom of our failure to create a caring community."
No one seemed to be doing anything to help such people, and one Sunday evening in September, 1963, Anton decided to start such a community, backing it with every penny he had.
His initiative soon attracted wide support, but just as he was about to sign a contract for the purchase of a house in Sussex, the local council objected, worried about the "meths drinkers, homosexuals and social misfits" whom residents feared would pollute the area.
In 1964, St Joseph's, a terraced house in Camden, London, finally became the first Simon Community, shortly followed by Simonlight, in Cable Street, Stepney, opened specially for meths drinkers, who gathered round the bonfires on nearby bomb .sites, sleeping in empty houses, living from hand to mouth.
The summer I worked there one could not but be infected by the optimistic spirit that kept helpers going during an 18-hour day.
Following Simon philosophy, there were no "professional" social workers, just a stream of volunteer helpers, the man in charge of the community being himself a former down-and-out.
Anything more organised would have frightened off the "jakies," and there was no attempt at preaching, though they were not allowed to drink meths on the premises. The men and a handful of women were provided with a nourishing soup, and mattresses were spread on the floor.
Some of the men with whom I chatted endlessly had excellent war records — one a Military Medal — but had been unable to adjust to civilian life.
Others had spent their lives in institutions, many came from broken families and sevieral were mentally ill — all were resolved to drown their problems in drink, which they knew must eventually kill them.
"Rehabilitation," enabling them to rejoin normal society, was a rarity, but Simon exist ed to show people cared. No real success statistics could be charted, and whether the project was any "good" at all in the eyes of professional social workers depended on which imdividual one spoke to.
But it is today's "with it'" social workers rather than the more unbending and orthodox ones of ten years ago that come in for sharp criticism from Mr Wallich-Clifford.
He attacks young social workers who identify with their clients, even to the extent of smoking pot and end up by taking on their morality, saying "it's the ffuzz — get them."
Simon's founder said: "I believed I had a duty to God and my fellow man to be an influence in their lives which would enable them to find an alternative.
"It was not for me to direct, to condemn or to praise, but to be with them and of them. And how the hell could I believe that I would be any use to them if I was an alcoholic, _pill-popping artificial little apology for a social worker?"
Text book complaint
Mrs Margaret Shovelton, the Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society who has protested against anti-Catholic bias in a geography textbook, has received support from Cardinal Heenan and several MPs. She wrote to Blackie and Son, publishers of "Man and His World: Population" by John Burton, which she said attacked not only Catholics but the whole basis of family life.
The book alleged Catholics often suggested surplus population could be sent to other planets and that families ought to be limited to two or three. Children were looked on as advantages or disadvantages in line with the text's materialistic approach. Of the 20 MPs she wrote to asking for support in having the book substantially corrected, including five Catholics, three replied with encouraging letters They were Mrs Jill Knight, Mr Cyril Smith and Mr Bill Price, none of whom is a Catholic.
She atlso received a reply from Bla ckie's to 11 substantive criticism':, including several factual ones Mrs Shovelton said: "I am not satisfied with the reply, which evades some of the points I have nude and overlooks
others, apparently using the criterion that if The Times Educational Supplement says it is acceptable, it is."
The publishers had promised to make some minor corrections when the book was reprinted, but refused to make any change in the book's general orientation, which was written for children as young as 13.
A typical reply from the publishers to one of Mrs Shovelton's points on the book's one-dimensional materialistic approach states: "Man as an animal was dealt with to show that for thousands of years his numbers were small and his impact on the environment minimal.
"In this context aesthetics and philosophy, we feel are irrelevant. They are dealt with in Book 5 of the series."
Mrs Shovelton, of Pinner, Middlesex, who herself has three young children, is area organiser for the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children and is particularly worried about the book's treatment of' abortion.
This week she said she was determined to keep up the campaign to have the book substantially corrected or withdrawn, and asks supporters to write to their MPs and the publishers.
-1 can only repeat that the book is full of statements, sometimes disguised as discussion points, which arc fundamentally materialistic, antiCatholic and highly divisive." It could cause divisions between pupils and even in families, she said.
Padre Pio's successor
Devotion inspired by an Italian stigmatic, who has come to be called successor to Padre Pio, has helped increase vocations to his congregation by about a quarter. Brother Gino Burresi of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, who lives at the Oblates seminary at San Vittorino near Rome, is the subject of many stories of apparently miraculous cures and exceptionally wise advice among the hundreds who come to see him.
Br Basil Mary Arthadeva from Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, an Oxford graduate and philosophy lecturer at Ceylon University, told of the Oblates recent expansion when visiting the office.
Originally numbering about 200, over 50 young men, mostly Americans but with three British and one Irish, have joined the congregation over the last three years.
Founded by Abbe Pio Brunone Lanteri in 1830, the congregation championed Catholic Action and its members now direct retreats, teach and run parishes, including some in South America.
Br Basil Mary, to be ordained next year, said the congregation placed special value on the exercises of St Ignatius, spiritual inspiration shared by the Jesuits.
Among the stories told of Br Gino, 41, the son of poor peasant parents, are those about his insight into people. Some years ago a Marxist professor from Rome called on him, partly out of curiosity, and came out reconverted to the faith.
He is reputed to have cured, amongst others, a child with brain haemorrhage and once, after preaching, he began giving out rosaries from a pile of about a hundred and had given out more than a thousand with some still remaining before he
Degree courses
St Mary's College of Education, Strawberry Hill, Twickenham, the country's oldest college for Catholic teachers, is offering new degree courses from September 1975. These will include the BEd and B.Ed (Hons), respectively three-year and four-year courses including teaching qualifications. The college will also offer from 1975 courses jeading to BA (Hons), B.Sc (Lions) and B Humanities (Huns).
The decision was made in response to a suggestion in a Department of Education and Science White Paper that colleges of education should diversify their courses to provide for students intending to follow other careers than teaching.
The new non-teaching degree courses will normally cover combinations of two subjects. finished. His wounds give out a very pleasant perfume.
Br Basil Mary, who begins lecturing in philosophy at the Angelicum in Rome next February, was himself originally a Buddhist, like his father, though his mother was a Catholic. He has worked among gypsies in France and Italy and spent the last four years working among Moslem immigrant workers in Paris.
In this country to see his brother, who is returning to Sri Lanka, he said he would like to publicise the existence of the congregation, little known outside Italy, and the special graces granted Br Gino.
He is hopeful that British pilgrims in Rome for Holy Year may wish to see Br Gino, which can be arranged by writing to Br Basil at: Presso PP Oblate, Clivo Argentario 1, 00186 Rome.
The completely new Bachelor of Humanities degree will combine subjects like Movement Studies and Handicraft, Students attaining these degrees could continue for anpther year and take the postgraduate Teachers' Certificate.
The degrees to be offered are all internal degrees of London University, and final approval of the university is awaited for some of their'. Normal university entrance requirements are needed for admission to them.
At the same time St Mary's will continue to accept students for the Teachers' Certificate which gives students, in some cases without two 'A' levels, the chance of going on to _take a BEd (Hons) degree.
The college Principal, Fr. Thomas Cashin, CM, said that although the college was pleased to provide additional opportunities for students to obtain university degrees at a Catholic college, the main reason for the existence of St Mary's College would continue to be the training of Catholic teachers for Catholic schools.




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