The Jesuit Order in Ireland has named a former teacher and priest who it says abused boys while he was on the teaching staff at Belvedere College in Dublin in the 1970s.
The order says Joseph Marmion abused boys ‘sexually, emotionally and physically‘, and it’s making the information public in the hope that others who may have suffered come forward and get help.
The Jesuits were contacted by a former pupil in early 2019, who was a student at Belvedere in the 1970s and was abused by Joseph Marmion.
The order says they have been in contact over the years with others who were also abused.
Joseph Marmion died in 2000 and had been removed from the teaching staff in 1978 following disclosures of sexual abuse which were received by the school in 1977.
He taught in the Dublin school from 1969 until 1978. He also taught in Crescent College Limerick, and Clongowes Wood College, Co Kildare.
Fr. Leonard Moloney SJ, Provincial of the Order, has met personally with this man who has accused the priest. Fr. Moloney said: “In our communications, he made it clear to me that he was concerned for others who may also have suffered and that they should be proactively offered a response and support. This man also conveyed to me that he believed others who were abused may be helped by the recognition that they too were dreadfully harmed. He asked that we name his abuser, Joseph Marmion SJ, publicly and that we make this information widely available in order to reach as many former students as possible.”
Fr. Moloney continued: “We have in the past apologised and invited victims and survivors of abuse by members of the Society to come forward and to seek help. We do so again today. These efforts must always be continuous. We hope to explore with you the responses and supports that would be most useful at this time. I would like pay tribute to the man abused by Joseph Marmion who asked us take this course of action. His request, made solely out of concern for others has been an example to us all.”
