Malcolm Muggeridge: A Restless Pilgrim

 Malcolm Muggeridge: A Restless Pilgrim

Malcolm Muggeridge was a man who never quite fit neatly into any box. Journalist, BBC commentator, war correspondent, editor, author—he lived a life as colourful as it was unpredictable. Born in 1903, he witnessed most of the turbulent twentieth century first-hand, and he passed away on 14 November 1990 at the age of 87.

When he died, American writer William F. Buckley Jr. paid tribute in The Washington Post, calling him “a wonderful, wonderful man, a great wit, and a brilliant, brilliant analyst.” It was praise well-earned. Muggeridge was known for his razor-sharp mind, his piercing wit, and his refusal to swim with the tide simply for the sake of conformity. As he once quipped, “Only dead fish swim with the stream.”

In his younger years, Muggeridge flirted with communism, drawn by its ideals. But life has a way of rearranging convictions. A posting to Russia exposed him to the brutal realities of Soviet rule, including the man-made famine that devastated Ukraine. Disillusioned, he became one of communism’s fiercest critics.

Perhaps his most enduring legacy came from a book. In 1971, he published Something Beautiful for God, the first biography of a then-little-known Albanian nun working in the slums of Calcutta—Mother Teresa. That book introduced her to the world, and the world has not forgotten.

After the Second World War, Muggeridge embraced Christianity, a faith that would deepen and sharpen his moral vision. In the late 20th century, he became a prophetic voice warning against the moral drift of Western society. His verdict on the media was characteristically blunt:

“The media today—press, television, and radio—are largely in the hands of those who favour the present Gadarene slide into decadence and godlessness.”

In 1988, at the age of 85, he entered the Catholic Church along with his family. His final book, Conversion, traced his life as a spiritual pilgrimage—one that led him from youthful ideologies to the hard-earned peace of faith.

India, too, had its brief chapter in his life. Muggeridge once taught at U.C. College, Alwaye, in Kerala, and later served as editor of The Statesman in Calcutta. These years left him with a lasting affection for the country, even as his restless spirit kept moving on.

In the end, Malcolm Muggeridge was never merely a journalist or commentator. He was a seeker—a man who wrestled with ideas, stood apart from the crowd, and kept looking for the truth until he found it..

I have come to know his works  closely when I got the chance to read his biography of Mother Theresa.In that book, he mentions how he became a changed man because of the time he spent with her for the short movie he made on her.I have often been  dazzled by his observations on contemporary mores and his critical reflections.

Some of his observations on faith, morals and contemporary times are the following:

"Enormous gratitude to my creator overwhelms me often.Life is a blessed gift.the spirit which animates it is one of love, not hate or indifference.Death is part of a larger pattern;it fits into a larger, eternal scale.

Faith tells me it is possible to to establish with this loving Creator  a living and loving relationship.

For me the notion of God comes from a series of the oneness of life...my past, failure , universe...It is inconceivable  to me that there could be this oneness without a One : a unitary spirit behind it.

I see in the world, this phenomenal world, in nature...this mysterious connection, this oneness which to me presupposes one being, a oneness behind all life.

Every happening, great and small ,that is to say , is a parable whereby god speaks to us and the art of life is to get that message.

 (After winter, spring will come..) Now I turn my glance from the window into my own heart,seeing there the litter and the dust of wasted years...this too--the interior of my heart seems a dead landscape.Yet faith tells me that it, likewise, can have a spring  in the rebirth promi budding with holy love;the old lusts burning with spiritual appetite...in the bright radiance of God's universal love.

for myself, i consider in all sincerity  that I have been an abysmal failure.Even qualities i consider admirable I have but poorly , if at all,exemplified."

St.Edith Stein,Revd

Life in a Jewish Family is the autobiography of Edith Stein—a deeply moving and compelling work that reads like an engaging novel, never dull or tiresome. Knowing how her life ended and how unwavering her faith remained, we come to appreciate the profound magnitude of the sacrifice she made out of love for Christ.

She was born on Oc.12 October 1891 at Breslaw, Germany(now Wroclaw, Poland).Gassed on Aug.9,1942 at Auschwitz, Poland.Canonized on Oc.11,1998 by Pope John Paul ll.

Born and raised in a large Jewish family under the care of a wise, talented, and loving mother, Edith made the courageous decision to convert to Catholicism after completing her studies. Deeply inspired by the life of St. Teresa of Avila, she chose to enter the Carmelite convent, where she took the religious name Sister Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.

The autobiography offers insight into her intellectual nature—her dedication to learning, mastery of various subjects, and rigorous preparation for demanding examinations. She eventually pursued a career in philosophy, becoming a phenomenologist and one of the most brilliant disciples of Edmund Husserl. At a time when few women pursued doctoral studies in philosophy, she stood out as a pioneer. Despite her qualifications, it was difficult for her to secure a university position, so she went on lecture circuits and was frequently invited to speak at Catholic organizations.

As she completed her doctoral studies, Hitler rose to power, and Jews were systematically excluded from professional life. Edith entered the Carmelite convent in Cologne, later transferring to a convent in the Netherlands. Plans were made to send her to Switzerland, and she hoped to take her sister Rosa with her. However, when accommodations for both were not available, the trip was delayed. Tragically, around that time, the Dutch bishops issued a pastoral letter denouncing Hitler’s regime. In retaliation, the Nazis began targeting Jews who had converted to Christianity. As a result, Edith Stein was seized from the convent.

Her autobiography also paints a tender and respectful portrait of her mother, who, after the early death of her husband, raised eight children with strength, dignity, and discipline. Edith, the youngest, was her favorite. Edith’s decision to convert to Catholicism broke her mother’s heart, as it meant turning away from the Jewish faith that had shaped their lives so deeply.

Some of the famous quotes from Edith Stein are the following:

And when night comes and you look back over thev day and see how fragmentary everything has been...just take everything exactly as it is,put it in God's hands and leave it with Him.

When you seek truth,you seek God whether you know it or not.

Let go of your plans.The first hour of your morning belongs to God.Tackle the day's work that He charges you with, and he will give you the promise to accomplish it.Just take everything exactly as it is,put in God's hands and leave it with Him.

The deeper one is drawn into God, the more one must go out of oneself; that is,one must go to the world in order to carry the divine life into it.

One cannot desire freedom from the cross when one is especially chosen for thr cross.

The entire educational process must be carried out with love...most effective educational method is the living example without which all words remain useless.

The prayer of Edith Stein:

"O my God,fill my soul with holy joy, courage and strength to serve You. Enkindle Your love in me and then walk with me  along the next stretch of the road before me.I do not see very far ahead, but when I have arrived where the horizon now closes down , a new prospect will open before me, and I shall meet it with peace."

Learn from St. Therese to depend on God alone and serve Him with a wholly pure and detached heart.then, like her, you will be able to say. "I do not regret that I have given myself up to Love."

Cardinal Newman

 

Cardinal Newman

John Henry Newman began his academic journey as an undergraduate at Oxford University. Although he failed the honors examination, he was later selected as a fellow of Oriel College—one of the university’s most prestigious academic appointments.

He chose the path of priesthood and was ordained as an Anglican priest. The death of his younger sister, Maria (also called Mary), deeply affected him. His grief is powerfully evident in his letters, where he pours out the pain of losing someone he loved dearly.

In one letter, he writes:

“It draws tears into my eyes to think that all at once we can only converse about her. Dear Mary seems embodied in every tree and hid behind every hill.”

He saw her presence in nature and found solace in solitary walks:

“I have learned to like dying trees and black meadows... a solemn voice seems to chant from everything. I know whose voice it is... her dear voice. Her form is almost nightly before me, when I have put out the light and lain down.”

Many of his letters reveal the profound sorrow he carried. Mary Sophia Newman, his youngest sister, was born on November 9, 1809.

Reading Cardinal Newman's biographies fills one with admiration and awe. His panoramic knowledge of the early Church Fathers and ancient Christian traditions is remarkable. His eloquence and literary style are unmatched. Newman stands as an ideal model for those striving for both intellectual excellence and spiritual depth.

Coming from a devout family, Newman entered Trinity College, Oxford. After completing his studies, he sat for an examination that could secure a prestigious academic career. Despite thorough preparation, he was overcome by anxiety during the test and failed several subjects. He wrote to his father in disappointment, but his mother responded with compassion, encouraging him not to despair. Undeterred, he applied for a more demanding examination at Oriel College, Oxford—and passed, much to the surprise of his former teachers. His financial situation improved, he began tutoring students, and established friendships with Oxford professors.

Newman chose a celibate life and was ordained a deacon on Trinity Sunday, June 13, 1824. He served in parish ministry—preaching, baptizing, and caring for families. On May 29, 1825, he was ordained a priest and, in March 1828, was appointed Vicar of St. Mary’s, Oxford. Around this time, he began reading the Church Fathers, starting with St. Ignatius of Antioch, to explore the apostolic foundations of the Church of England—an inquiry that eventually led him to Catholicism.

A significant chapter in his life was the Oxford Movement, which he helped found along with colleagues. Its aim was to revive the teachings and traditions of the Apostolic Church within Anglicanism.

His visit to Rome in 1832–33, accompanying his friend Richard Froude, was a turning point. He witnessed the vibrant life of the Catholic Church, the reverence for the Eucharist, and the faith of the people, which challenged his preconceptions. There he met Fr. Wiseman at the English college and engaged in deep theological discussions. While in Rome he visited many churches and  was touched deeply  by the devotion to the Eucharist  shown by the faithful. the During his stay, he fell seriously ill but recovered. It was during his return voyage that he composed the famous hymn "Lead, Kindly Light", a reflection of his surrender to God's providence and grace.

By Christmas of 1833, twenty tracts had been published as part of the Oxford Movement, a dozen of them written by Newman. The movement, inspired by John Keble’s pivotal sermon, had far-reaching impact—transforming Anglican theology, preaching, worship, and even church architecture.

Newman's sermons at Oxford were so compelling that students would skip meals to attend them. The university eventually adjusted schedules to accommodate the crowds. Eamon Duffy, in his biography of Newman, writes:

“Eloquent, learned, widely read, combining a beautiful voice with an unmatched mastery of words, his preaching had acquired a cult following in Oxford.”

His Anglican sermons are often regarded as among his greatest achievements.

In Tract 90, he argued that subscribing to the Thirty-Nine Articles of the Church of England was not incompatible with Catholic doctrine. His writings sparked theological fervor and intellectual revolution in both Anglicanism and Catholicism. Though Newman never considered himself a theologian in the formal sense, his ability to apply doctrine to the lives of his contemporaries made his theology come alive. He went beyond scholasticism to reach the human heart.

He felt that it was time for him to make the decision to convert to Catholicism as it had the authentic deposit of the Apostolic Church.Fr.Dominic, an italian missionary received him into the Church,Oct.9,1845.He informed his sisters Jemima and Harriet about his conversion.While Jemima accepted it , Harriet was not reconciled with the decision he took.

He was invited to Rome to meet the Pope Gregory but when he reached there, the Pope had passed away. He visited many churches and  was very touched by the fact  that where he resided, there was a small chapel with the tabernacle was present.He wrote to his friends that he was happy at every phase of his life and what made him happy was the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacles in the churches he visited.

In his seminal work, An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine (1845), he explained how revealed truth unfolds over time:

“Truth is a plant, evolving from a seed into the mature tree. So beliefs evolve or change—they change in order to remain the same. Here, to live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often.”

Other major works like The Idea of a University, Apologia Pro Vita Sua, and The Grammar of Assent are literary masterpieces filled with deep, penetrating insights.

In The Rambler, a Catholic magazine, Newman wrote about the role of the laity in the Church—an idea that was not well received by many clergy. He was even accused of heresy, and the issue was referred to Pope Pius IX. For years after his conversion, Newman faced marginalization within the Catholic Church in England.

He purchased land near Oxford in an attempt to establish a Catholic presence at the university, but the bishops opposed it, fearing Protestant influence. Newman also held reservations about the definition of papal infallibility, not opposing it outright but questioning its timing and relevance. Though invited to the First Vatican Council, he declined. Ironically, many of his ideas would later inspire the Second Vatican Council.

Pope Leo XIII recognized Newman’s brilliance and sanctity, elevating him to the rank of cardinal. This honor affirmed his place within the Catholic Church in England.

Eamon Duffy offers a fitting summary of Newman’s enduring legacy:

“Newman possessed one of the most original Christian minds of modern times—indeed, of any time. His significance for the Catholic Church, and for all the churches, is neither as a model of mere piety, nor as a paragon of conformist orthodoxy, but as a teacher and exemplar of Christian thinking at the edge… for the patient, generous, attentive and interrogative mind he brought to bear on the questions of good and evil, meaning and purpose, that are the heart of religion.”

“Every other Victorian theologian has become of mainly historical interest… He is still our contemporary.”

Quotes from Cardinal Newman:

God has created me to do him some definite service; He has committed some work to me which was not committed to another.I have my mission;I never may know it in this life, but I shall be told in th enext...I am a link in a chain.I shall do good,I shall do his work...a a preacher of truth in my own place...

Dear Lord, shine through me, and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel of Your presence in my soul...Let me praise You ...by by shining on those around me.

when you feel in need of a compliment, give one to someone else.

I will trust him .Whatever , wherever I am, I can never be thrwn away .If I am in sickness, my sickness my serve Him...If I am in sorrow,my sorrow may serve Him...

I sought to hear the voice of God and climbed the topmost steeple, but god declared:"go down  again...I dwell among the people .

Prayer is to the spiritual life what the breathing of the pulse and the drawing of the breath are to the life of the body.

May He support us al the day long, till the shades lenthen, and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done!then in His mercy, may He give us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at last.

Life passes, riches fly away , popularity is fickle, the senses decay, the world changes. One alone is true to us; One alone can be all things to us; One alone can supply our need.

All that is good , all that is true, all that is beautiful, all that is beneficent, be it great or small, be it perfect or fragmentary, natural as well as supernatural, moral as well as material, comes from God.

The idea of a University

 If then a practical end must be assigned to a University course, I say it is that of training good members of society...It teaches him to see things as they are ,..to detect what is sophistical and to discard what is irrelevant.

University training ...aims at raising the intellectual tone of society.

Liberal education does  manifest itself in a courtesy,proprietyand polish word and action.

to discover , to teach are distinct functions; they are also distinct gifts and are not commonly found to be united in the same person.

Apologia Pro vita Sua(Defense of one's Life)

Securus judicat Orbis terrarum is a key quote (the Judgement of the world is decisive)

Fr.Madathiparampil,pictures-2

 

Fr.Madathiparampil,pictures

 

Prof.Joseph Arakal

 It is with deep sadness that we bade farewell to Prof.Joseph Arakal, yesterday. He was laid to rest at  the Jiobavan cemetery at Kochi. Memories crowd in mind of my association with him spanning several decades in Washington DC as well as in Kochi. He was one of the pioneer Indian immigrants in Washington D.C. After his stint at Cochin University as a professor in the Management school, he came to US for his doctoral studies.After his study, he began a long teaching career in Business Management at the District of Columbia University.

Using the words of Jesus, we can say he was a lamp placed on a pedestal.He was a model to all as a great teacher, a devout Christian and a gentleman to the core.In him we lost a man who is an ideal of gentleness and good manners.He never spoke ill of others and always tried to see the good in them.He was very respectful and compassionate.He made others look honored and respected.I have been always touched by his courtesy and respect.He would come down to see me  off after my visits even though I told him not to come. He was interested in talking about the past  and  was very aware of the past accomplishments of different religious and educational institutions.I have very vivid memories of my visits with him.Prof.Joseph and Leela were always present at the Syro-Malabar masses whenever they were celebrated in Washington D.C.

He was very calm and prayerful when I was called to give him the sacrament of the anointing of the sick.He was well prepared for the call from heaven as he was very much aware of  the fragility of his life.

May God protect his beloved wife, Leela,Dr.George, Simon and their families.

The words of Henry Adams that a teacher affects eternity are very true of him as he he has touched the lives of hundreds of students in India and the US through his  brilliant teaching career.In him I have lost a good friend, a true model of gentlemanliness and an ideal Christian who bears no grudges.

What Jesus said to Martha is the source of our comfort: " I am the  life and resurrection and one who believes

in me will not die". May he find eternal rest in the loving abode of our dear Father in heaven.

Universities as Architects of the Future,Gobal Education

 

Universities must dare to become architects of the future

James Yoonil Auh  14 May 2025

The modern university stands at a crossroads unlike any it has encountered before. Once regarded as trusted centres of knowledge, civic debate and human flourishing, universities are now facing a series of converging crises that threaten their very foundations.

The stakes could not be higher: it is not only the future of higher education that is at risk, but also the intellectual, social and moral vitality of the societies they serve. If universities falter, the ripple effects could destabilise democratic institutions, fracture social cohesion and impoverish the collective search for meaning and purpose in a rapidly changing world.

At the core of this moment lies a convergence of five deeply interrelated crises: truth, autonomy, belonging, survival and purpose. Each strikes at a fundamental role that universities have traditionally played, and each demands far more than incremental adjustments.

To endure and lead in the 21st century, universities must reconceptualise their identity – not merely as transmitters of knowledge, but as resilient, ethical, civic institutions capable of embracing complexity without collapsing under its weight.

Universities have always been shaped by tension: the tension between advancing knowledge and serving society, between preserving tradition and fostering innovation. Yet today, those tensions have intensified into something far more volatile. In recent years, scholars introduced the idea of the ‘University Trilemma’ to capture this growing complexity – the struggle to balance three increasingly conflicting imperatives: truth, autonomy and belonging.

The trilemma marked a profound shift in higher education’s traditional mission. Where once these ideals reinforced one another, universities now find that defending one often puts the others at risk.

Upholding academic truth through rigorous research, open inquiry and evidence-based teaching has increasingly invited political backlash. In polarised societies, even careful, peer-reviewed findings on issues such as climate change, racial inequality or public health have been recast as partisan activism. Academics face growing accusations of ideological bias, and universities risk alienating governments, donors and sectors of the public they were once able to count on.

Defending institutional autonomy, historically a pillar of academic freedom, has become equally fraught. Universities that resist aligning with political agendas or national priorities are increasingly depicted as elitist, unaccountable or out of touch with the public interest. In trying to safeguard their independence, many institutions inadvertently fuel broader narratives of mistrust surrounding higher education.

Efforts to expand belonging, while essential for redressing historic exclusions, have also generated new complexities. Initiatives to diversify faculties, revise curricula and address systemic injustices, though urgently needed, are often perceived by critics as threats to academic standards or as restrictions on open debate.

In their efforts to create more inclusive spaces, universities frequently find themselves walking a fine line between broadening access and protecting the conditions necessary for critical inquiry.

Structural vulnerability

The University Trilemma, then, has not only sharpened longstanding tensions but exposed a deeper structural vulnerability: the core ideals of higher education no longer easily coexist in an increasingly fragmented world. Defending one principle often risks weakening another. Navigating these contradictions has become a defining challenge for university leaders around the globe.

This broader reality is evident in multiple contexts. In Hungary, the government’s restrictions on academic freedom have become emblematic of a broader authoritarian turn in state capitalism. In India, growing political intolerance has led to fierce battles over curriculum content and academic autonomy. In the United States, ideological polarisation has created deep divisions over the role and value of universities, with public trust in higher education becoming increasingly partisan.

These examples demonstrate that the core commitments to truth, autonomy and belonging can no longer be taken for granted.

Yet while today’s crises are acute, the tensions themselves are not entirely new. Universities have always operated within dynamic political and economic forces. What is different now is the scale, intensity and mutual reinforcement of these pressures – and the degree to which they demand a fundamental transformation.

The tensions relating to truth, autonomy and belonging once defined the central struggle of modern universities. During the era of the trilemma, institutions were often accused – sometimes fairly, often simplistically – of losing touch with the societies they served. In various countries, universities were branded either as strongholds of progressive ideology or as failing defenders of national values.

As universities sought to uphold truth, autonomy and belonging, the balance between these ideals became increasingly fragile. Speaking truth to power risked political repercussions.

Expanding access and representation triggered accusations of bias. Institutional independence – long a cornerstone of academic life – was eroded by shrinking public investment and growing government intervention.

From trilemma to quintilemma

Through it all, many universities remained committed, however imperfectly, to holding these three principles in tension. Yet today, even the trilemma no longer captures the depth of the challenges higher education faces. The crisis has grown larger, sharper and more existential. Beyond the tensions among truth, autonomy and belonging, universities must now grapple with two additional forces: survival and purpose.

This expanded reality – what we might call the quintilemma – reflects a five-dimensional crisis that threatens not only the university’s relevance but its very existence. Universities are no longer merely navigating tensions among competing ideals; they are confronting profound disruptions that demand a reimagining of their role in society.

Two global forces have accelerated this shift. The Fourth Industrial Revolution has radically challenged traditional models of academic authority and autonomy, with artificial intelligence, platform economies and automated knowledge production reshaping how information is created, distributed and valued.

At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic forced an abrupt digital pivot, exposing vulnerabilities in infrastructure, governance and financial models, while widening existing inequalities in access and opportunity.

These forces did not create the crises facing universities; rather, they exposed and magnified longstanding structural weaknesses. The pandemic revealed how dependent many universities had become on private digital platforms. It accelerated the rise of alternative credentials, flexible learning pathways and new market entrants who now compete directly with traditional degrees.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution has further amplified these disruptions: generative AI tools, blockchain-verified credentials, automated tutoring platforms and remote labs are beginning to displace the traditional university monopoly on knowledge and certification.

Meanwhile, broader forces of climate disruption, global conflict and demographic transformation continue to reshape the social contract that once anchored higher education. Universities find themselves in a world where neither their status nor their survival can be assumed.

The addition of survival and purpose to the trilemma marks a decisive shift. Questions of truth, autonomy and belonging remain central – but they now operate within a broader existential frame.

Universities must ask not only how to defend their ideals but whether they can adapt quickly enough to preserve their own viability. And they must confront perhaps the most difficult question of all: What is the enduring purpose of the university in a fragmented, accelerated and uncertain world?

The five pressures

The ‘University Quintilemma’ is shaped by five interwoven and mutually reinforcing forces – truth, autonomy, belonging, survival and purpose – pressures that no institution can address in isolation. Navigating this new landscape requires more than defending isolated principles. Each pressure intersects with and amplifies the others, creating a web of tensions that traditional strategies can no longer untangle.

• The fragmentation of truth: Truth today faces not only external attack but internal fragmentation. The challenge is no longer limited to defending scientific rigour or academic evidence. It now requires operating within a landscape where knowledge itself has been destabilised – politicised, algorithmically amplified and often valued more for its emotional resonance than for its veracity.

• The erosion of autonomy: Autonomy, too, is under renewed strain. No longer solely threatened by overt political interference, universities now face subtler dependencies born of the digital age. Institutions that once prided themselves on self-governance increasingly rely on commercial platforms, private data infrastructures and external funding sources.

• The epistemic challenge of belonging: Belonging has evolved into a fundamental epistemic challenge. Inclusion is no longer simply a question of who is admitted to the institution; it is a matter of whose knowledge is recognised, whose histories are legitimised and whose futures are imagined within the academic project.

• The existential struggle for survival: Survival has become an existential question. Financial models based on tuition fees, global student mobility and competitive research funding are increasingly fragile. Climate disruption, demographic shifts and geopol