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2 Early works 3 Expansion 4 Period of troubles 5 Jesuits today 6 Controversies 7 Famous Jesuits 8 Jesuit institutions 9 Jesuit buildings include 10 External link |
On August 15, 1534, Ignatius and six other students (Peter Faber, Francis Xavier, Alfonso Salmeron, Jacob Laines, and Nicholas Bobedilla - Spaniards, and Simon Rodrigues - a Portuguese) met in St. Mary's Church, Montmartre, bound themselves by a vow, and founded the Society of Jesus - to "enter upon hospital and missionary work in Jerusalem, or to go without questioning wherever the pope might direct".
In 1537 they travelled to Italy to seek papal approval for their order. Pope Paul III gave them a commendation, and permitted them to be ordained priests. They were ordained at Venice by the bishop of Arbe (June 24). They devoted themselves to preaching and charitable work in Italy, the renewed war between the emperor, Venice, the pope and the Seljuk Turks rendered any journey to Jerusalem inadvisable.
With Faber and Lainez, Ignatius made his way to Rome in October, 1538, to have the pope approve the constitution of the new order. A congregation of cardinals reported favorably upon the constitution presented, and Paul III confirmed the order through the bull Regimini militantis (September 27, 1540), but limited the number of its members to sixty. This limitation was removed through the bull Injunctum nobis (March 14, 1543). Ignatius was chosen as the first superior-general. He sent his companions as missionaries around Europe to create schools, colleges, and seminaries.
Ignatius wrote the Jesuit Constitutions, adopted in 1554, which created a monarchical organization and stressed absolute self-abnegation and obedience to Pope and superiors (perinde ac cadaver, "[well-disciplined] like a corpse" as Ignatius put it). His main principle became the Jesuit motto: Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam ("all things for the greater glory of God").
The Jesuits were founded as part of the Catholic Reformation, a reactionary movement to the Protestant Reformation, whose heresy was sweeping Catholic Europe. They preached total obedience to scripture and Church doctrine, Ignatius of Loyola himself declaring:
They also preached that the ceremony and decoration of organized Catholicism (which the Lutherans so despised) should be lavishly financed and executed.
The Jesuits were able to obtain significant influence in the Early Modern Period because Jesuit priests often acted as confessorss to the Kings of the time. They were the leading force in the Counter-Reformation, in part because of their relatively loose structure (without the requirements of living in community, saying the holy office, etc.) allowed them to be flexible to the needs of the people at the time.
Jesuit missions in Latin America were very controversial in Europe, especially in Spain and Portugal, where they were seen as interfering with the proper colonial enterprises of the royal governments. The Jesuits were often the only thing that saved the Indians from slavery. Together throughout South America but especially in Paraguay they formed Christian-Indian city-states, called reductions (Spanish Reducciones). These were societies set up in the ideal Catholic way. It is partly for this reason of protection of the Indians whom certain Spanish and Portuguese wanted to enslave, that they were suppressed.
In China arose the Chinese Rites controversy in the early 18th century.
Following a decree signed by Pope Clement XIV in July 1773, the Jesuits were suppressed in all countries (other than Russia, where the Russian Orthodox government refused to recognize papal authority) in the 18th century, then revived in the 19th century.
In several languages, "Jesuit" acquired a nuance of "hypocritical".
The Society of Jesus is very active in missionary work and in education, operating over 50 high schools and colleges in the United States alone.
Some Latin American Jesuits have taken leftist views of Catholicism, developing Theology of Liberation against the Vatican orientations. Wether taking such political positions is acceptable for Jesuits has been the theme of many debates within the Catholic Church.
Their motto is "Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam," a Latin phrase, often abbreviated AMDG, which means "for the greater glory of God." This phrase is designed to reflect the idea that any work that is not evil can be meritorious for heaven if it is performed with this intention, even things considered normally indifferent like filling up a gas tank in a car.
The Jesuits have frequently been described by Catholic and Protestant enemies as engaged in various conspiracies.
Among many distinguished early Jesuits was St. Francis Xavier, missionary to Asia who converted more people to Catholicism than anyone since St. Paul.
Other famous Jesuits include:
Jesuits have founded and/or managed a number of institutions, notably universities. These include:
Foundation
Early works
One of the main tools of the Jesuits was the Ignatian retreat. In this, people would come together under a priest for a week or longer, remaining silent while attending conferences and undergoing exercises to make themselves a better person. For example, there were conferences and meditations on our imminent deaths, etc. Expansion
Period of troubles
Jesuits today
Controversies
Famous Jesuits
Jesuit institutions
Jesuit buildings include
See also: Bollandist, Acta Sanctorum, Laying on of hands
