The Society of Jesus (Societas Jesu or SJ) is a Roman Catholic religious order whose members are known as Jesuits, aka Soldiers of Christ, and Foot Soldiers of the Pope, because the founder, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, was a knight before he was ordained into the priesthood.
Jesuits constitute the largest male religious order of the Roman Catholic Church, with 18,815 members including 13,305 priests, 2,295 scholastic students, 1,758 brothers and 827 novices (January 2008). Jesuit priests and brothers are engaged in ministries in 112 nations across six continents. They are well known for their work in education (schools, colleges, universities, seminaries, theological faculties), intellectual research, and cultural activities. They are also known for their pro-poor bias, advocacy of social justice and human rights, inter-religious dialogue, and other ‘frontier’ ministries.
Founded by Ignatius of Loyola (born Íñigo López de Loyola), a Spaniard of Basque origin, and six other students at the University of Paris on August 15, 1534, this group bound themselves by a vow of poverty and chastity, to “enter upon hospital and missionary work in Jerusalem, or to go without questioning wherever the Pope might direct”. In 1537, they traveled to Italy to seek papal approval for their order. Pope Paul III gave them a commendation, and permitted them to be ordained as priests. Initially known as the Company of Jesus, they renamed themselves Society of Jesus in 1540.
Ignatius wrote the Jesuit Constitutions, adopted in 1554, which created a tightly centralised organisation which stressed absolute abnegation and obedience to the Pope and superiors. His main principle became the unofficial Jesuit motto: ad maiorem dei gloriam (“for the greater glory of God”). The term ‘Jesuit’ was first applied to the Society in reproach (1544-52), though members and friends of the Society in time appropriated the name in its positive meaning.
By the time of Ignatius’ death in 1556, the Jesuits were already operating a network of 74 colleges in three continents. In addition to teaching faith, the ratio studiorum emphasised the study of Latin, Greek, classical literature, poetry, and philosophy as well as non-European languages, sciences and the arts. Moreover, Jesuit schools encouraged the study of vernacular literature and rhetoric, and thereby became important centres for the training of lawyers and public officials.
Francis Xavier arrived in Goa, Western India, in 1541 and founded St. Pauls — the first Jesuit college worldwide — in 1548. But the college closed down soon thereafter and St. Francis Xavier died in China after a decade of evangelism in India. But his unputrified body was brought back to India and is interred in the Bom Jesus Cathedral in Panjim (Goa).
Under Portuguese royal patronage, the order thrived in Goa, and until 1759 successfully expanded its activities to education and healthcare. But on December 17, 1759, the Marquis of Pombal, secretary of state in Portugal, expelled Jesuits from Portugal and Portuguese possessions overseas. Moreover a decree signed under secular pressure by Pope Clement XIV in July 1773, suppressed the Order in all countries except Prussia and Russia. But on August 7, 1814, by the bull sollicitudo omnium ecclesiarum, Pope Pius VII reversed suppression of the Jesuit order.
The period following the Restoration of the Jesuits in 1814 was marked by rapid growth, as evidenced by the large number of Jesuit colleges and universities established in the 19th century. In the United States, 22 of the Society’s 28 universities were founded or acquired by the Jesuits during this time.
Today the Jesuits form the largest religious order of priests and brothers of the Catholic Church, with the largest number being in India followed by those in the United States. The Society is characterised by its ministries in the fields of missionary work, human rights, social justice and, most notably, higher education. It operates colleges and universities in various countries around the world and is particularly active in the Philippines and India.
Since the inception of the order, Jesuits have been teachers. Today, there are Jesuit-run universities, colleges, high and middle or elementary schools in dozens of countries. Jesuits also serve on the faculties of both Catholic and secular schools. One of the most prominent of these universities is the Gregorian University in Rome, one of the Church’s key seats of learning, associated in a consortium with the Pontifical Biblical Institute and Pontifical Oriental Institute.