Austen Ivereigh
Encyclopedia
Austen Ivereigh is a Roman Catholic journalist, commentator and campaigner. In he became coordinator of the Citizen Organising Foundation's Strangers into Citizens
campaign and associate editor of the online magazine Godspy
.
public school, Worth Abbey School
, and was, briefly, a novice member of the Society of Jesus
.
In 1989 he joined St Antony's College, Oxford
, as a postgraduate student. In 1993 he completed a D.Phil.
thesis for the University of Oxford
titled Catholicism and Politics in Argentina
: an Interpretation, with Special Reference to the Period 1930-1960 published as Catholicism and Politics in Argentina, 1810-1960 (New York: St Martin's Press
; Basingstoke: Macmillan
in association with St Antony's College, Oxford
, 1995).
He has edited The Politics of Religion in an Age of Revival: Studies in Nineteenth-Century Europe
and Latin America
(London: Institute of Latin American Studies, 2000) and Unfinished Journey: the Church 40 Years after Vatican II: Essays for John Wilkins (New York; London: Continuum, 2003).
He has been Deputy Editor of The Tablet
, editorial adviser to The Way, and associate editor of Godspy. He currently writes for America magazine's "In All Things" blog, while also contributing regularly to America magazine, Our Sunday Visitor, The Tablet, The Spectator, and others.
, working alongside his public affairs adviser, Sir Stephen Wall
. After Sir Stephen's departure in May 2005, Ivereigh was appointed director for public affairs, a role which combined both positions. Ivereigh has been credited with boosting the Archbishop's public image, which had been damaged by controversies over his dealings with paedophile priests. Ivereigh accompanied the Archbishop to Rome
for the conclave
that elected Pope Benedict XVI
.
. The allegations were the subject of legal proceedings initiated by Ivereigh in the High Court of Justice
against Associated Newspapers Ltd. (ANL). A trial in February 2008 was inconclusive, but at the retrial in January 2009 http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=42861&c=1 the jury unanimously found that Ivereigh had been libeled. He was awarded £30,000 in damages http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=42967&c=1 and all costs http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7861066.stm, estimated at £3m. Ivereigh said his reputation had been "comprehensively vindicated".
Awarding costs against the Daily Mail, Justice Eady said that Ivereigh had achieved an “unqualified victory” against the newspaper’s “intransigence”, and had done so “in light of the sneering, belittling of his personality and his character made by the defendant”. Associated Newspapers, the judge said, "chose a strategy that in the end yielded nothing and are to be regarded as ‘in substance and in reality’ the losers."
Ivereigh is currently lead organiser of West London Citizens, part of the London Citizens alliance. In 2007, he founded the Strangers into Citizens campaign.
people for media interviews in support of Catholic viewpoints.
Strangers into Citizens
Strangers into Citizens is a campaign by the London-based Citizen Organising Foundation , better known as London Citizens. The campaign is calling for a one-off naturalisation of long-term irregular migrants in the United Kingdom...
campaign and associate editor of the online magazine Godspy
Godspy
Godspy is an English-language online magazine "for Catholics and other seekers" launched in 2003, dealing with subjects from "politics to the arts, science to the economy, sexuality to ecology," and exploring the "ideas and experiences that reveal God’s presence in the world." The magazines name...
.
Education and writing
Ivereigh was educated at the BenedictineEnglish Benedictine Congregation
The English Benedictine Congregation comprises autonomous Roman Catholic Benedictine communities of monks and nuns and is technically the oldest of the 21 congregations that are affiliated in the Benedictine Confederation....
public school, Worth Abbey School
Worth School
Worth School, near the village of Turners Hill, Crawley, West Sussex, England, is a co-educational Roman Catholic boarding and day independent school for pupils aged between 11–18 years. The school is located with Worth Abbey, a Benedictine monastery, in of Sussex countryside...
, and was, briefly, a novice member of the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
.
In 1989 he joined St Antony's College, Oxford
St Antony's College, Oxford
St Antony's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England.St Antony's is the most international of the seven all-graduate colleges of the University of Oxford, specialising in international relations, economics, politics, and history of particular parts of the...
, as a postgraduate student. In 1993 he completed a D.Phil.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
thesis for the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
titled Catholicism and Politics in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
: an Interpretation, with Special Reference to the Period 1930-1960 published as Catholicism and Politics in Argentina, 1810-1960 (New York: St Martin's Press
St. Martin's Press
St. Martin's Press is a book publisher headquartered in the Flatiron Building in New York City. Currently, St. Martin's Press is one of the United States' largest publishers, bringing to the public some 700 titles a year under eight imprints, which include St. Martin's Press , St...
; Basingstoke: Macmillan
Macmillan Publishers
Macmillan Publishers Ltd, also known as The Macmillan Group, is a privately held international publishing company owned by Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. It has offices in 41 countries worldwide and operates in more than thirty others.-History:...
in association with St Antony's College, Oxford
St Antony's College, Oxford
St Antony's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England.St Antony's is the most international of the seven all-graduate colleges of the University of Oxford, specialising in international relations, economics, politics, and history of particular parts of the...
, 1995).
He has edited The Politics of Religion in an Age of Revival: Studies in Nineteenth-Century Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
(London: Institute of Latin American Studies, 2000) and Unfinished Journey: the Church 40 Years after Vatican II: Essays for John Wilkins (New York; London: Continuum, 2003).
He has been Deputy Editor of The Tablet
The Tablet
The Tablet is a Catholic international weekly review published in London. Contributors to its pages have included Evelyn Waugh, Graham Greene, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Paul VI ....
, editorial adviser to The Way, and associate editor of Godspy. He currently writes for America magazine's "In All Things" blog, while also contributing regularly to America magazine, Our Sunday Visitor, The Tablet, The Spectator, and others.
Work for the Archbishop of Westminster
In October 2004, Ivereigh was appointed press secretary to the Archbishop of WestminsterArchbishop of Westminster
The Archbishop of Westminster heads the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster, in England. The incumbent is the Metropolitan of the Province of Westminster and, as a matter of custom, is elected President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, and therefore de facto spokesman...
, working alongside his public affairs adviser, Sir Stephen Wall
Stephen Wall
Sir Stephen Wall, GCMG, LVO is a retired British diplomat who served as Britain's ambassador to Portugal and Permanent Representative to the European Union.-Biography:...
. After Sir Stephen's departure in May 2005, Ivereigh was appointed director for public affairs, a role which combined both positions. Ivereigh has been credited with boosting the Archbishop's public image, which had been damaged by controversies over his dealings with paedophile priests. Ivereigh accompanied the Archbishop to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
for the conclave
Papal conclave
A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a Bishop of Rome, who then becomes the Pope during a period of vacancy in the papal office. The Pope is considered by Roman Catholics to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church...
that elected Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
.
Press allegations and resignation
On 18 July 2006, Ivereigh resigned as the cardinal's director of public affairs following allegations by the Daily MailDaily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
. The allegations were the subject of legal proceedings initiated by Ivereigh in the High Court of Justice
High Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
against Associated Newspapers Ltd. (ANL). A trial in February 2008 was inconclusive, but at the retrial in January 2009 http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=42861&c=1 the jury unanimously found that Ivereigh had been libeled. He was awarded £30,000 in damages http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=42967&c=1 and all costs http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7861066.stm, estimated at £3m. Ivereigh said his reputation had been "comprehensively vindicated".
Awarding costs against the Daily Mail, Justice Eady said that Ivereigh had achieved an “unqualified victory” against the newspaper’s “intransigence”, and had done so “in light of the sneering, belittling of his personality and his character made by the defendant”. Associated Newspapers, the judge said, "chose a strategy that in the end yielded nothing and are to be regarded as ‘in substance and in reality’ the losers."
Ivereigh is currently lead organiser of West London Citizens, part of the London Citizens alliance. In 2007, he founded the Strangers into Citizens campaign.
Catholic Voices
In August 2010 it was announced that Austen Ivereigh would head up a media group, known as Catholic Voices, which was set up to respond to opposition to the visit of the Pope to the UK in September 2010. It has since continued its work to provide a range of Catholic layLay
-Roles, jobs, or offices:*Laity, persons in a religious organization who are not members of the clergy*Lay magistrate, magistrates who are not trained in legal technicalities*Lay judge, a person assisting a judge in some jurisdictions...
people for media interviews in support of Catholic viewpoints.