Students invited to hear Newman experts

Cardinal Newman

Students will have a rare opportunity to hear some of Britain's leading experts on John Henry Newman next month, when a series of talks is held in in north London, ahead of the Papal visit and beatification.

A group of 50 students and teachers will gather at Netherhall House, Hampstead, from 13-16 September to attend talks on the life and thought of Cardinal Newman. They then plan to take part in the prayer vigil and beatification in London and Birmingham 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 said: "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."

Netherhall House is a university hall of residence for men students promoted by Opus Dei. 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