History and Catholic identity
Inspired by the Catholic Tradition
The existence of the Zwijsen building as a community centre for reflection, meditation and prayer at Tilburg University campus has its origin in the fact, that the university - founded as a Roman Catholic School of Economics in 1927 - always remained faithful to its special identity and Roman Catholic roots. It was one of the founding fathers of the university that priest and professor Martinus Cobbenhagen left his mark on this institute, by stating as one of the first people in the Netherlands, that Economics and Ethics belong together. Up unto this day this statement is still one of the foundations of the identity of this university.
The developments and changes in thought and beliefs in the Roman Catholic community after World War II, and also the more divers and multicultural nature of Dutch society, have not passed Tilburg University unnoticed. Still faithful to its origin, this has resulted in a more open minded - open Catholic, you could say - attitude by the university towards every kind of thought and belief, present in modern society in the Netherlands and abroad, and it wants to encourage every encounter regarding this issue through meetings and debate.
Source: CSV, March 2008.
Zwijsen building: history
The Centre for Science and Values (CSV) initiated the founding of a building for reflection and silence, which has resulted in the Zwijsen building now present at Tilburg University campus. Since 1988 the board of CSV - existing of scientists from the various faculties of the university - had the desire to create a building with such a purpose on campus. A building, in which you could feel the presence of peace and tranquility, but also would give room for moments of reflection by means of meetings and debate. A special environment, in which scholars and scientist could reflect on their own issues in a non-scientist way, or even reflecting from a more personally setting.
The univerity turned for the development of such a centre to the expertise of Professsor Geert Bekaert from Antwerp (Belgium). It became clear, that this new building should add a new quality to the university, in which the present institutionalized religions were not to become the main issue. Furthermore it became clear, that the building should become an example of a balance between silence (emptyness) and meetings: the point of departure was silence and tranquility, but always with the possibility for organizing meetings in the building of several natures (debate, cultural, religious). A building which would be very accessible, with actually no identity of its own, so every visitor could make it its own and feel him- or herself welcome at all times. A building in the centre of the campus, so meeting other people would be the central point and main purpose.
The result was, that - with the help of the architects Martin van der Heijden and Ad Roefs, and also several financial beneficiaries - on 22th of May 1992 the Zwijsen building officially opened its doors to the university community, originally known to the public as the 'silence centre'. Due to this festive occasion, a book With words: conversations on silence was released, edited by Jan Renkema (FGW, Dep Language and Cultural Studies), in which interviews with national celebrities and local people were presented on the issu of 'silence'
Source: Frans Theunissen/Cathy de Waele (CSV), 1993.
Joannes Zwijsen
The building is named after Joannes Zwijsen, who was a Roman Catholic priest in Tilburg in the middle of the nineteenth century. In 1853 he became bishop of the nearby town 's-Hertogenbosch, and after a few years he also became archbishop of the Dutch Roman Catholics in the Netherlands.
Because of his position and influence, he has played a major role in the emancipation of the Roman Catholic population in the Netherlands, especially by creating and developing the means for high standard education and good public health care.
Source: Winkler Prins, 1954 sixth edition.
