Since 2009 Paul Martin, MD, has been supporting the works of the Gregorian University Foundation. Dr. Martin is a Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Gatroenterology Hepatology at the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami in Florida.
Recently we asked him how he learned about the Foundation. He shared that he, his brother and father were educated in Ireland at Belvedere College SJ as well as multiple other family members there and at Clongowes Wood College SJ. His daughter continues the tradition of Jesuit education as an undergraduate at Boston College. However, a major reason for supporting GUF is to honor the memory of his uncle, Fr Thomas Martin, SJ. Fr. Martin was born in 1907 in England to Irish parents who returned to Ireland when he was a boy.
In the 1920’s Fr Martin entered the Irish Province and was subsequently posted to Hong Kong where he taught at Way Yan College which had come under Jesuit supervision in the early 1930’s . He returned to Ireland after several years in Hong Kong. Following his ordination he was one of 21 Irish Jesuits who volunteered for service as chaplains with British Forces during the Second World War. Fr Martin landed with the British Army in Normnady at D-Day After service in France and Holland he returned to Dublin where he spent the rest of his career as Procurator for the Irish Jesuit Foreign Missions. He died in Dublin in 1978.
Dr Martin has visited The Greg and remarks how it felt like being in a Jesuit school in Ireland. He had the opportunity to have lunch with the Jesuit faculty members there . This was arranged by former GUF President, Fr Bob O’Toole SJ. At the time Dr. Martin was living in New York City and attended St. Ignatius Church.
Dr Martin feels that Jesuits remain the great educators as well as having a thirst for social justice. Among the Jesuits who taught him in Dublin was then scholastic Peter McVerry SJ who has been a tireless advocate for the less fortunate in Ireland. We thank Dr Martin for honoring his uncle and teachers by supporting The Greg.