Greg Daly
Buildings where Pope Francis lived when studying English in Ireland are being cleared of tenants while the Jesuits consider the possible sale of the site, The Irish Catholic understands.
Worldpriest, the Le Chéile Schools Trust and the Irish Homeopathic Institute are just some of the groups who have had to vacate the complex at Milltown Park in the Ranelagh area of Dublin in recent weeks, with the Sandford Language Institute scheduled to leave in September.
Buildings
“The Jesuits in Ireland are considering future options regarding some land and buildings, in light of the closure of the Milltown Institute in Milltown Park,” a spokesperson for the Irish Jesuit province told The Irish Catholic.
“At present, there is a national primary school in temporary accommodation on the site, and the buildings are being used by some Jesuit apostolates,” the spokesperson continued, pointing to how several prefabs connected to St Mary’s National School are currently located at Milltown Park, which also houses Ireland’s largest Jesuit community and adjoins Gonzaga College.
Pope Francis, then Fr Jorge Bergoglio SJ, arrived at Milltown in January 1980, living there for three months while he studied English nearby. Then aged 43, he had just completed a seven-year spell as provincial of the Jesuit order in Argentina, which was ruled at the time by a military junta that remained in power until 1983. During his time at Milltown, then a thriving international hub of Jesuit activity, he attended daily prayers, dined, and mingled with his fellow Jesuits, and studied in his room.
The overall campus, including both Milltown Park and Gonzaga College, is 19 acres in size, and local estate agents estimate that subject to suitable planning permissions, the property excluding the college could fetch a significant sum.
As yet, however, the Jesuits have made no formal steps towards such a sale, saying: “For the moment no long-term lettings are being made in order to leave open possible future options for the land and buildings.
“Any disposal would require various permissions, none of which have been sought.”