Brother Marcel Villemure fic
Brother Claude Villemure fic
“Brother Tokyo Tower”
Canadian-born Religious Brother with the Brothers of Christian Instruction, a religious order of Brothers founded by Jean-Marie de la Mennais and Gabriel Deshayes. The brothers are also known as La Mennais Brothers or Mennasians. (They are, specifically, the Brothers of Christian Instruction of Ploërmel, not to be confused then with the Brothers of Christian Instruction of St. Gabriel)
Joined the Mennasian’s 15 August 1952 just before his 16th birthday.
Public allegations that Brother Marcel sexually abused and took pornographic pictures of a student at St. Mary’s International College in 1966.
There are now sex abuse allegations five Mennasian brothers who served at SMIS: (i) Brother Marcel Villemure (Brother Claude Villemure); (ii) Brother Lawrence Lambert (Guy Lambert); (iii) Brother John Paradis (Brother Paul-Emile Paradis or Brother Paul Paradis); (iv) Brother Benoit Lessard (Brother Daniel Lessard) and (v) Brother Alban Cyr fic
It has also been learned that Frank Selas, a layman who taught at SMIS, is a child molester. Ditto Donald Andrews.
Brother Lessard died in 1980. The other three Brothers are still alive. As far as I can tell the first four Brothers were at SMIS at the same time in the 60s – they were definitively all in Japan, and definitely all at the school on retreat December 1963. Brother Cyr was there in the late 60s to early 70s – I am quite certain that he too is still alive.
Frank Selas is believed to be hiding out in South America since a warrant for his arrest was issued in Louisiana.
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04 October 2014: Kagei letter to parents and alumni re contact by victims and talk of some sort of inquiry
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The Allegations
2014 : Statement re abuse by Brothers Marcel Villeneuve fic & Lawrence Lambert fic
More allegations against Brothers of Christian Instruction
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16 August 2015: Australian diplomat’s son in Tokyo St Mary’s child sexual abuse story
06 October 2014: BLOG SMIS sex abuse scandal
28 April 2014: BLOG “I had sex with bro Lawrence”
03 April 2014: BLOG More on the Brothers and SMIS
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18 September 2012: FRENCH Report on celebrations of Brother Marcel Villemure fic 60th anniversary of religious life and 76th birthday the anniversary on Marcel (Contacts, 19 October 2012)
18 September 2012: GOOGLE English Google translation of speeches at Brother Marcel’s anniversary celebrations
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The following dates and information are drawn from the linked Mennaisian documents and publications
Was referred to as Brother Tokyo Tower because, according to Brother Lambert, Brother Villemure would ask “parents and students alike to stand on the third step of the stairway in order to be able to speak to them face to face.”
He is described by various sources as both a large and strong man. According to Brother Michel Jutras, Brother Marcel worked hard trying to build a tennis court for the Brothers at their summer cottage in Inawashiro, Japan. According to Brother Michel’s speech the grounds were littered with huge heavy stones which had to be moved, and Brother Marcel, known for his physical prowess, used pulleys and cables and and managed, and, but the sound of it, sheer brawn, to move things which no one else could move. (See Brother Michel in this google translation)
According to Brother Michel, Brother Marcel had a loud and powerful voice (See Brother Michel in this google translation)
28 February 2014: listed as a contact for “Young Mennaisians) Japan on the Mennaisian website ( Brother Marcel Villemure contact on Mennaisian Family website 28 February 2014) (External link to page on 03 March 2014)
2012: Unveiling of statues of Jean-Marie Robert de la Mennais. (Statues by nephew unveiled – LaMennais March 2012 #14)
“Three statues of Jean-Marie Robert de la Mennais were unveiled and blessed during the closing ceremonies of the 150th anniversary of his death. This took place on November 18 at our Shizuoka Seiko Gakuin (school); another one in Tokyo on November 27, and the last one much later at Sayuri Yochien. These statues were made by Br. Claude Villemure’s nephew, in Vancouver, Canada”
18 September 2012: Br. Lambert speech at Brother Marcel’s 60th (re their time in England in 60s with Br. Lessard etc.) (unofficial English translation)
2012: Celebrating 60 years of religious life – living in Yokohama Japan ( Brother Marcel Villemure 60th anniversary – Contacts October 2012 French)
2010: in Yokohama ( identified as such with reprint of 1963 group picture) (Group picture)
2008: Superior Yokohama Community Japan (Brother Villemure Superior Yokohama community -extract from 15 Jan 2008 directory)
15 January 2007: listed as one of two “councilors, ” with Vice-Province Japan-Philippines (Brothers of Christian Instruction Annual Directory) (Brother Claude (Marcel) Villemure – Administration 2007)
circa 2006: Began to study Spanish, and by 2012 was fluent in the language
1966: Left St. Mary’s International School – relocated to Yokohama (see Brother Lambert’s speech) Brothers Lambert and Villemure both left St. Mary’s International School in 1966. Brother Lawrence later returned.
1963: Group picture of Brothers of Christian Instruction after a retreat at St. Mary’s International School in Tokyo (Brother Lawrence Lambert is Brother Guy Lambert. This is Page 8 from April 2010 edition of LaMennais magazine) Also in picture (Brother Claude Villemure Now in Yokohama)
September 1961: Brother Marcel and Brother Lawrence (Guy) began to teach 3rd graders at St. Mary’s International School in Japan (see Brother Lambert’s speech)
Approximately 1959 – 1961: at Pell Wall Hall School, (St. Joseph’s College) Market Drayton, Shropshire, England (the stately mansion, acquired by the brothers 1928, was abandoned in 1962 and sold in 1965. ) Also there during that time were Brothers Lawrence Lambert fic and Benoit Lessard fic (see Brother Lambert’s speech)
11 September 1958: final vows? ? (Prf prp) (2009: Brothers with Brothers of Christian Instruction November 2009 )
15 August 1952: joined Brothers of Christian Instruction? (Nvc) (Brothers with Brothers of Christian Instruction November 2009 ) I believe this is when he would have spent time in Pointe du Lac, Quebec (Brother Michel Jutras speech at anniversary)
31 August 1936: DOB : – raised in Grand-Mere, Quebec. Grand Mere is close to Shawinigan, Quebec, home of Canada’s former Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chretien. Brother Michel Jutras, the former Headmaster of St. Mary’s International School in Japan is also from Grand Mere, Quebec. ( French – information in speeches in issue of Contacts 2012 re his 60th anniversary and 76th birthday celebrations)
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The first day of school, September 1969
St. Mary’s International School, Japan. Silent video clip (This clip was filmed after Father Villemure’s departure from SMIS, but I beleive the firtd of school in 1989 would have been much the same as the first day before his 1966 departure )
Hi! I am my name is Simon Scott and I am a Tokyo-based freelance journalist who is a regular contributor to the Japan Times. I am also the Japan correspondent for the New Zealand Herald. Many of the stories I have published are up on the web, so Google: Simon Scott + Japan Time etc., if you want to check out previous stuff I have written.
I am currently researching a story about sexual abuse at St. Mary’s International School for the Japan Times and want to communicate with anyone who has any relevant information. I would like to talk with not just the victims of the abuse, but also anyone who may have information they feel could help with my story or who may be able to put me in contact with someone who does. I fully understand this is a sensitive topic and be rest assured that I won’t disclose the identity of any sources who wish to remain anonymous.
Please email me at my personal email address: rotty007@gmail.com
Regards,
Simon Scott.