"Nonni"

Visiting in Manhattan last week was a kindly, frosty-chinned churchman of 79, an Icelander and a Jesuit, whose Norse ancestors included such worthies as Queen Aud, widow of Olaf the White, King of Dublin, Thord Gellir the Godar, who re-formed Iceland's Althing (Parliament) in 965, Loftur Guttormsson the Rich. Hrolfur Bjarnason the Strong and Svenn Thorarinsson who was a procurator and royal farm manager in 1857. When a son was born to Svenn Thorarinsson, he named the babe Jon Svensson. But Jon's mother nicknamed her child "Nonni," and when the boy grew up he popularized that name in Europe in many a book about himself. Spry at 79, "Nonni" Svensson, S.J. turned up at Fordham University last week, willingly rehearsed his story for the Press. "Nonni" did not live long on the Icelandic farm of his birth. At 12 he was one of two healthy boys chosen to be educated in France at the expense of a rich nobleman. Crossing to Denmark in a sailing vessel, the youths got no farther than Copenhagen because of the Franco-Prussian War. Cared for by the bishop and clergy of that city, "Nonni" was converted to Catholicism, then skipped off with a troop of gypsies, was found by police after many an adventure. The two young Icelanders finally arrived in France in 1871, by which time "Nonni" had discovered a vocation for the priesthood. He studied at a Jesuit college in Amiens, there entered the Jesuit novitiate, was packed off by his superiors to Germany to teach Latin, history, modern languages. Not until he was 56 did "Nonni" Svensson begin writing books about himself, but after that he wrote copiously: four volumes alone concerning his childhood, twelve altogether, which have sold 6,000,000 copies in 30 languages.

Two years ago Father Svensson's German provincial returned from a trip to Japan, asked the Icelander if he would not enjoy a similar jaunt. Permission was granted by the General of the Order in Rome, providing Father Svensson would write a book about his trip, obtain a reputable doctor's assurance that his health was perfect, pay his own way. Father Svensson in good shape save for a touch of rheumatism in one leg, raised money for his trip by lecturing in France, Switzerland, Germany, set out for Japan via the U. S. and Canada.

For Fordham University, Father Svensson's arrival last week was eventful. The erect, twinkling-eyed Icelander turned out to be wearing the fedora hat of the late great priest-chancellor of Austria, Monsignor Ignaz Seipel, with whom Father Svensson lived in Vienna and at whose death the Jesuit was present. Fordham's Jesuits made a quick deal with their colleague, bought him a new hat and acquired Monsignor Seipel's for the University museum.

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