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Isusovci From Wikipedia Skoči na - Скочи на: navigacija- навигација, pretraga - претрага

Isusovci, Jezuiti ili Družba Isusova (lat. Ordo Societas Jesu) je rimokatolički crkveni red. Geslo im je: "" odnosno "Sve na veću slavu Božju!". Danas je u svijetu ovo najbrojniji crkveni red s oko 20 000 članova, a osim po duhovnoj djelatnosti isusovci su poznati po svojem djelovanju u znanosti i mnogim društvenim djelatnostima. Poglavar cijele Družbe, "general" reda trenutno je p. Peter Hans Kolvenbach. Sadržaj/Садржај [sakrij/сакриј] • 1 Vanjski linkovi o 1.1 Dokumenti Katoličke crkve o 1.2 Jezuitski dokumenti o 1.3 Web-stranice o 1.4 Medija [uredi - уреди] Vanjski linkovi

Il Gesu, matična crkva Družbe Isusove u Rimu

[uredi - уреди] Dokumenti Katoličke crkve

• Benedict XVI's Address to the Members of the , 22 April 2006 • Benedict XVI's Visit to the Pontifical Gregorian University, 3 November 2006 2 od 55 2

[uredi - уреди] Jezuitski dokumenti

• The Jesuit of 1599 • The Jesuit Mission Press in , 1591-1610 • Letter of the Jesuit Social Justice Secretariat to the leaders of the G8, July 2005PDF (98.5 KiB)

[uredi - уреди] Web-stranice

• J.H. Pollen, "The Jesuits (Society of Jesus)" in the Catholic Encyclopedia (1912) • The Jesuit Portal - Jesuit Worldwide Homepage • Directory of Jesuit Websites • Jesuit universities in the • Jesuits in Canada • Jesuits in the Philippines • Jesuit Conference • Jesuit Volunteer Corps • Jesuit Volunteer Community volunteer opportunities supported by the British Jesuits • Jesuit Refugee Service • Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities • Jesuits in Britain • Jesuits in Ireland • Jesuits in , • Jesuits in Indonesia • Jesuits in Australia • Jesuits in South Africa • Jesuits in • Jesuits in • Sacred Space : famous Jesuit prayer site, in 18 different languages, maintained by Jesuits of the Irish Province • Pray-as-you-go : latest initiative by the British Jesuits, providing daily prayer in MP3 format for use "on the go" • Global Catholic Statistics: 1905 and Today PDF (26.3 KiB) by Albert J. Fritsch, SJ, PhD • Jesuits in Malaysia and Singapore : with online prayer resources and vocation information • Canadian Jesuits International

[uredi - уреди] Medija

• The BBC Radio 4 In Our Time programme on 18 January 2007 was devoted to the early and educational role of the Jesuits; the programme's website offers a free podcast and 'listen again' service In Our Time website • Documentary by the Society of Jesus Province of Chicago (Windows Media Player) • Contemporary Jesuits speak about their vocations, the vows, and the mission of the Society of Jesus (Real Player) • Jesuits and Blessed

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Isusovci

Sa Wikipedije, slobodne enciklopedije

Idi na: navigacija, pretraga

Crkva Il Gesù u Rimu - centralna crkva jezuitskog reda Isusovci ili Družba Isusova su rimokatolički crkveni red. Ovaj red je osnovan 1540. godine.

Danas je u svijetu najbrojniji crkveni red s oko 20.000 članova. Poglavar cijele Odreda, tzv. "general" reda trenutno je p. Peter Hans Kolvenbach. Na prostorima bivše Jugoslavije te Bugarske se nalazi oko 150 isusovaca.

Sveci, blaženici i sluge Božje iz njihovih redova: • Sv. Ignacije Lojolski • Sv. Franjo Ksaverski • Sv. Stanislav Kostka • Sv. Alojzije Gonzaga • Sv. Ivan Berchmans Ostali poznati isusovci: • Bartol Kašić pisac prve hrvatske gramatike • Ruđer Bošković jedan od najvećih evropskih naučnika • Jakov Mikalja autor hrvatsko-italijansko-latinskog rječnika • Ivan Vreman poznati matematičar i astronom uopće. Iz novijeg vremena poznat je pjesnik

Također pogledajte [uredi] • Sv. Ignacije Lojolski • Duhovne vježbe sv. Ignacija Lojolskog

Vanjski linkovi [uredi] • Isusovci u Hrvatskoj • Isusovci u svijetu • Prostor Duha - svakodnevna molitva online Preuzeto sa: "http://bs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isusovci" Kategorije: Odabrani članci na drugim Wikipedijama · Crkveni redovi 4 od 55 4

Исусовци Из Википедија Скочи на: навигација, претрага

Жиг исусоваца

Исусовци или Дружба Исусова или језуити су римокатолички црквени ред, који је основао Игнасио де Лојола у Паризу 1534. године. Његове чланове звали су Христови војници.

Овај црквени ред је данас најбројнији у свету с око 20.000 чланова. Функцију поглавара целе Дружбе, тзв. „генерала“ реда тренутно обавља Петер Ханс Колфенбах. На простору бивше Југославије и у Бугарској налази се око 150 исусоваца.

Свеци, блаженици и слуге Божије из редова исусоваца:

• Св. Игнације Лојолски • Св. Фрањо Ксаверски • Св. Станислав Костка • Св. Алојзије Гонзага • Св. Иван Берчманс [уреди] Види још

• Римокатоличка црква [уреди] Спољашње везе

• Исусовци • Исусовци у хрватској 5 od 55 5

Society of Jesus From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Seal of the Society of Jesus.

The "IHS" trigram comprises the first three Greek letters of "IHΣOYΣ" (Jesus), later interpreted as "Iesus Hominum Salvator", Jesus, Saviour of Mankind, "Iesum Habemus Socium", We have Jesus as Companion or as "Iesu Humilis Societas", Humble Society of Jesus

The Society of Jesus (: Societas Iesu, S.J. and S.I. or SJ, SI) is a Roman Catholic religious order of clerks regular whose members are called Jesuits, Soldiers of Christ, and Foot soldiers of the , because the founder, , was a knight before becoming a .

Jesuits are the largest male religious order in the , with 18,815 members — 13,305 , 2,295 scholastic students, 1,758 brothers and 827 novices — as of January 2008, although the Franciscan family of first orders OFMs, Capuchins, and Conventuals has more total members. The average age of the Jesuits in 2008 is 57.53: 63.01 for priests, 30.01 for scholastics, and 65.06 for Brothers[1].

Jesuit priests and brothers are engaged in ministries in 112 nations on six continents.They are best known in the fields of (schools, colleges, universities, seminaries, theological faculties), intellectual , and cultural pursuits. They are also known in missionary work and direct evangelization, social justice and human rights activities, interreligious dialogue, and other 'frontier' ministry.

The Society of Jesus is consecrated under the patronage of Della Strada, a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and it is led by a Superior General, currently Adolfo Nicolás.[2][3] The headquarters of the Society, its General Curia, is in . The historic curia of St Ignatius is now part of the Collegio del Gesù attached to the , the Jesuit Mother Church. Contents • 1 History o 1.1 Foundation o 1.2 Early works o 1.3 Expansion . 1.3.1 Jesuit activity in o 1.4 Suppression and restoration o 1.5 Jesuits today • 2 o 2.1 God's greater glory o 2.2 Union with Jesus o 2.3 Self-awareness o 2.4 Spiritual direction o 2.5 Effective love 6 od 55 6

o 2.6 Detachment o 2.7 Prayers, efforts at self-conquest, and reflection o 2.8 Devotion to the Sacred Heart, the Eucharist, and Our Lady o 2.9 Zeal for souls o 2.10 Finding God in All Things o 2.11 Examen of Consciousness o 2.12 Discernment o 2.13 Service and humility • 3 • 4 Government of the Society • 5 Habit and dress • 6 Controversies • 7 Jesuits rescue efforts during the Holocaust • 8 Famous Jesuits • 9 Jesuit Educational institutions • 10 Jesuit buildings • 11 Popular culture • 12 See also Society of Jesus • 13 Notes and references • 14 External links o 14.1 Catholic Church documents o 14.2 Jesuit documents History of the Jesuits o 14.3 Jesuit Websites In Various Regions Regimini militantis . 14.3.1 Africa Suppression . 14.3.2 Asia-Oceania . 14.3.3 Jesuit Hierarchy . 14.3.4 North America Superior General . 14.3.5 South America Adolfo Nicolás o 14.4 Media Ignatian Spirituality [edit] History Spiritual Exercises Ad maiorem Dei gloriam [edit] Foundation Discernment

Famous Jesuits St. Ignatius of Loyola St. Blessed St. St. St. St. 7 od 55 7

Ignatius Loyola The Chapel of St. Denis, Rue Yvonne le Tac, .

On August 15, 1534, Ignatius of Loyola (born Íñigo López de Loyola), a Spaniard of Basque origin, and six other students at the University of Paris (Francisco Xavier, , Diego Laínez, and Nicolás Bobadilla all from , Peter Faber from Savoy in France, and Simão Rodrigues from Portugal) met in Montmartre outside Paris, in the crypt of the Chapel of St Denis, Rue Yvonne le Tac.

This group bound themselves by a vow of poverty and chastity, to "enter upon hospital and missionary work in , or to go without questioning wherever the pope might direct".

They called themselves the Company of Jesus, because they felt they were placed together by Christ. The name had echoes of the military (as in an infantry "company"), as well as of discipleship (the "companions" of Jesus). The word "company" comes ultimately from Latin, cum + pane = "with bread," or a group that shares meals.

These initial steps led to the founding of what would be called the Society of Jesus later in 1540. The term societas in Latin is derived from socius, a partner or comrade.

In 1537, they travelled to 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 by the of Arbe (June 24). They devoted themselves to preaching and charitable work in Italy, as the renewed Italian War of 1535-1538 between Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Venice, the pope and the Ottoman Empire rendered any journey to Jerusalem impossible.

They presented the project to the Pope. After months of dispute, a congregation of cardinals reported favorably upon the Constitution presented, and Paul III confirmed the order through 8 od 55 8 the bull Regimini militantis ecclesiae ("To the Government of the Church Militant"), on September 27, 1540, but limited the number of its members to sixty. This is the founding document of the Jesuits as an official Catholic religious order.

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.[4]

Ignatius lays out his original vision for the company in "The Formula of the Institute", which is, in the words of Jesuit historian John O'Malley, "the fundamental charter of the order, of which all subsequent documents were elaborations and to which they had to conform." (O'Malley, John, The First Jesuits. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. 1993. p5) In the Formula's opening statement, one detects the echo of Ignatius' military background within his spirituality: "Whoever desires to serve as a soldier of God beneath the banner of the cross in our Society, which we desire to be designated by the name of Jesus, and to serve the Lord alone and the Church his Spouse, under the Roman pontiff, the vicar of Christ on earth, should, after a vow of perpetual chastity, poverty, and obedience, keep the following in mind."

When developed, Jesuits concentrated on three activities. First, they founded schools throughout Europe. Jesuit were rigorously trained in both classical studies and theology. The Jesuits' second mission was to convert non-Christians to Catholicism, so they developed and sent out missionaries. Their third goal was to stop Protestantism from spreading. The zeal of the Jesuits overcame the drift toward Protestantism in -Lithuania and southern Germany.

Ignatius wrote the Jesuit Constitutions, adopted in 1554, which created a tightly centralized organization and stressed absolute abnegation and obedience to Pope and superiors (perinde ac cadaver, "[well-disciplined] like a corpse" as Ignatius put it).

His main principle became the unofficial Jesuit motto: Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam ("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 the spiritual life if it is performed with this intention, even things considered normally indifferent.[4]

The Society of Jesus is classified among institutes as a mendicant order of clerks regular, that is, a body of priests organized for apostolic work, following a religious rule, and relying on alms, or donations, for support.

The term "Jesuit" (of fifteenth-century origin, meaning one who used too frequently or appropriated the name of Jesus), was first applied to the Society in reproach (1544-52), and was never employed by its founder, though members and friends of the Society in time appropriated the name in its positive meaning.

[edit] Early works 9 od 55 9

Ratio Studiorum, 1598

The Jesuits were founded just before the Counter- (or at least before the date those historians with a classical view of the counter reformation hold to be the beginning of the Counter-Reformation), a movement whose purpose was to reform the Catholic Church from within and to counter the , whose teachings were spreading throughout Catholic Europe.

As part of their service to the Roman Church, the Jesuits encouraged people to continue their obedience to scripture as interpreted by Catholic doctrine. Ignatius is known to have written: "...: I will believe that the white that I see is black if the hierarchical Church so defines it."[5]

Ignatius and the early Jesuits did recognize, though, that the hierarchical Church was in dire need of reform, and some of their greatest struggles were against corruption, venality, and spiritual lassitude within the Roman Catholic Church.

Ignatius's insistence on an extremely high level of academic preparation for ministry, for instance, was a deliberate response to the relatively poor education of much of the clergy of his time, and the Jesuit vow against "ambitioning prelacies" was a deliberate effort to prevent greed for money or power invading Jesuit circles.

As a result, in spite of their loyalty, Ignatius and his successors often tangled with the pope and the Roman Curia. Over the 450 years since its founding, the Society has both been called the papal "elite troops" and been forced into suppression.

St. Ignatius and the Jesuits who followed him believed that the reform of the Church had to begin with the conversion of an individual’s heart. One of the main tools the Jesuits have used to bring about this conversion has been the Ignatian retreat, called the Spiritual Exercises.

During a four-week period of silence, individuals undergo a series of directed meditations on the life of Christ. During this period, they meet regularly with a spiritual director, who helps them understand whatever call or message God has offered in their meditations.

The retreat follows a Purgative-Illuminative-Unitive pattern in the tradition of the mysticism of John Cassian and the Desert Fathers. Ignatius' innovation was to make this style of contemplative mysticism available to all people in active life, and to use it as a means of 10 od 55 10 rebuilding the spiritual life of the Church. The Exercises became both the basis for the training of Jesuits themselves and one of the essential ministries of the order: giving the exercises to others in what became known as retreats.

The Jesuits’ contributions to the late were significant in their roles both as a missionary order and as the first religious order to operate colleges and universities as a principal and distinct ministry.

By the time of Ignatius' death in 1556, the Jesuits were already operating a network of 74 colleges on three continents. A precursor to liberal education, the Jesuit plan of studies incorporated the Classical teachings of Renaissance humanism into the Scholastic structure of Catholic thought.

In addition to teaching faith, the Ratio Studiorum emphasized the study of Latin, Greek, classical literature, poetry, and philosophy as well as non-European languages, sciences and the arts. Furthermore, Jesuit schools encouraged the study of vernacular literature and rhetoric, and thereby became important centers for the training of and public officials.

The Jesuit schools played an important part in winning back to Catholicism a number of European countries which had for a time been predominantly Protestant, notably Poland and Lithuania. Today, Jesuit colleges and universities are located in over one hundred nations around the world.

Under the notion that God can be encountered through created things and especially art, they encouraged the use of ceremony and decoration in Catholic ritual and devotion. Perhaps as a result of this appreciation for art, coupled with their spiritual practice of "finding God in all things", many early Jesuits distinguished themselves in the visual and performing arts as well as in music.

The Jesuits were able to obtain significant influence in the Early Modern Period because Jesuit priests often acted as confessors to the Kings of the time. They were an important force in the Counter-Reformation and in the , in part because their relatively loose structure (without the requirements of living in community, saying the divine office together, etc.) allowed them to be flexible to meet the needs of the people at the time.

[edit] Expansion

Early missions in Japan resulted in the government granting the Jesuits the feudal fiefdom of Nagasaki in 1580. However, this was removed in 1587 due to fears over their growing influence.

Francis Xavier arrived in Goa, in Western India, in 1541 to consider evangelical service in the Indies. He died in China after a decade of evangelism in Southern India. Two Jesuit missionaries, Johann Grueber and Albert Dorville, reached Lhasa in Tibet in 1661. 11 od 55 11

Jesuit missionary, painting from 1779. The ruins of La Santisima Trinidad de Parana in Paraguay, one of the many Jesuit missions established in South America during the 17th and 18th centuries

Jesuit missions in 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 force standing between the Native Americans and slavery. Together throughout South America but especially in present-day and Paraguay they formed Christian Native American city-states, called "" (Spanish Reducciones, Portuguese Reduções). These were societies set up according to an idealized theocratic model. It is partly because the Jesuits protected the natives whom certain Spanish and Portuguese colonizers wanted to enslave that the Society of Jesus was suppressed.

Jesuit priests such as Manuel da Nóbrega and José de Anchieta founded several towns in Brazil in the 16th century, including São Paulo and , and were very influential in the pacification, religious conversion and education of Indian nations

Jesuit scholars working in these foreign missions were very important in understanding their unknown languages and strived to produce Latinicized grammars and dictionaries. This was done, for instance, for Japanese (see Nippo jisho also known as Vocabvlario da Lingoa de Iapam,(Vocabulary of the Japanese Language) a Japanese-Portuguese dictionary written 1603) and Tupi-Guarani (a language group of South American aborigines). Jean François Pons in the 1740s pioneered the study of Sanskrit in the West.

Under Portuguese royal patronage, the order thrived in Goa and until 1759 successfully expanded its activities to education and healthcare. On 17 December 1759, the Marquis of Pombal, Secretary of State in Portugal, expelled the Jesuits from Portugal and Portuguese possessions overseas. 12 od 55 12

[edit] Jesuit activity in China

Jesuits in China.

The of the 16th and 17th centuries introduced Western science and astronomy, then undergoing its own revolution, to China. The Society of Jesus introduced, according to Thomas Woods, "a substantial body of scientific knowledge and a vast array of mental tools for understanding the physical universe, including the Euclidean geometry that made planetary motion comprehensible." [6] Another expert quoted by Woods said the scientific revolution brought by the Jesuits coincided with a time when science was at a very low level in China:

[The Jesuits] made efforts to translate western mathematical and astronomical works into Chinese and aroused the interest of Chinese scholars in these sciences. They made very extensive astronomical observation and carried out the first modern cartographic work in China. They also learned to appreciate the scientific achievements of this ancient culture and made them known in Europe. Through their correspondence European scientists first learned about the Chinese science and culture.

—Agustín Udías, [7]

"Life and works of , by , 1687.

Conversely, the Jesuits were very active in transmitting Chinese knowledge to Europe. Confucius's works were translated into European languages through the agency of Jesuit scholars stationed in China. started to report on the thoughts of Confucius, and father Prospero Intorcetta published the life and works of Confucius into Latin in 1687[8]. It is thought that such works had considerable importance on European thinkers of the period, particularly among the Deists and other philosophical groups of the Enlightenment who were interested by the integration of the system of morality of Confucius into [8] [9] . Two well known examples are: 13 od 55 13

• The French physiocrat François Quesnay, founder of modern economics, and a forerunner of Adam Smith was in his lifetime known as "the European Confucius" [8][10]. The doctrine and even the name of "Laissez-faire" may have been inspired by the Chinese concept of Wu wei [11][12]. • Goethe was known as "the Confucius of Weimar".[13]

[edit] Suppression and restoration

Main article: Suppression of the Jesuits

The Suppression of the Jesuits in Portugal, France, the Two Sicilies, and the by 1767 was troubling to the Society's defender, Pope Clement XIII. A decree signed under secular pressure by Pope Clement XIV in July 1773 suppressed the Order. The suppression was carried out in all countries except Prussia and Russia, where Catherine the Great had forbidden the papal decree to be executed. Because millions of Catholics (including many Jesuits) lived in the Polish western provinces of the Russian Empire, the Society was able to maintain its existence and carry on its work all through the period of suppression. Subsequently, Pope Pius VI would grant formal permission for the continuation of the Society in Russia and Poland. Based on that permission, Stanislaus Czerniewicz was elected superior of the Society in 1782. Pius VII during his captivity in France, had resolved to restore the Jesuits universally; and after his return to Rome he did so with little delay: on 7 August 1814, by the bull Sollicitudo omnium ecclesiarum, he reversed the suppression of the Order and therewith, the then Superior in Russia, Thaddeus Brzozowski, who had been elected in 1805, acquired universal jurisdiction.

Boston College is the home to the world's largest Jesuit community

The period following the Restoration of the Jesuits in 1814 was marked by tremendous 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 taken over by the Jesuits during this time. Some claim that the experience of suppression served to heighten orthodoxy among the Jesuits upon restoration. While this claim is debatable, Jesuits were generally supportive of Papal authority within the Church, and some members were associated with the Ultramontanist movement and the declaration of Papal Infallibility in 1870. 14 od 55 14

In Switzerland, following the defeat of the Ultramontanist Sonderbund by the other cantons, the constitution was modified and Jesuits were banished in 1848. The ban was lifted on 20 May 1973, when 54.9% of voters accepted a referendum modifying the Constitution.[14]

The 20th century witnessed both aspects of growth and decline. Following a trend within the Catholic priesthood at large, Jesuit numbers peaked in the 1950s and have declined steadily since. Meanwhile the number of Jesuit institutions has grown considerably, due in large part to a late 20th century focus on the establishment of Jesuit secondary schools in inner-city areas and an increase in lay association with the order. Among the notable Jesuits of the 20th century, , SJ, was called one of the "architects of the " and drafted what eventually became the council's endorsement of religious freedom, Dignitatis Humanae Personae in apparent contradiction of Pope Eugene IV's Domini Cantate.

[edit] Jesuits today

See also: Jesuit Cardinal

The Jesuits today form the largest religious order of priests and brothers in the Catholic Church, with 19,216 serving in 112 nations on six continents, the largest number being in India followed by those in the United States. The current Superior General of the Jesuits is the Spanish Adolfo Nicolás. The Society is characterized 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. In the United States alone, it maintains over 50 colleges, universities and high schools. A typical conception of the mission of a Jesuit school will often contain such concepts as proposing Christ as the model of human life, the pursuit of excellence in teaching and learning and life- long spiritual and intellectual growth.[15] In Latin America, Liberal Jesuits have had significant influence in the development of , a movement which has been highly controversial in the Catholic theological community and condemned by Pope John Paul II on several fundamental aspects.

Under Superior General , social justice and the preferential emerged as dominant themes of the work of the Jesuits. On November 16, 1989, six Jesuit priests (Ignacio Ellacuria, , Ignacio Martin-Baro, Joaquin López y López, Juan Ramon Moreno, and Amado López); their housekeeper, Elba Ramos; and her daughter, Celia Marisela Ramos, were murdered by the Salvadoran military on the campus of the University of in , , because they had been labeled as subversives by the government[16]. The assassinations galvanized the Society's peace and justice movements, including annual protests at the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation at Fort Benning, Georgia, United States, where the assassins were trained under US government sponsorship."

In 2002, Boston College president William P. Leahy, SJ, initiated the Church in the 21st Century program as a means of moving the Church "from crisis to renewal." The initiative has provided the Society with a platform for examining issues brought about by the worldwide Roman Catholic sex abuse cases, including the priesthood, celibacy, sexuality, women's roles, and the role of the laity. 15 od 55 15

On January 6, 2005, Fr. Peter Hans Kolvenbach, on the occasion of the Jubilee Year, wrote that the Jesuits "should truly profit from the jubilee year to examine our way of life and taking the means to live more profoundly the charisms received from our Founders."[17]

In April 2005, Thomas J. Reese, SJ, editor of the American Jesuit weekly magazine America, resigned at the request of the Society. The move was widely published in the media as the result of pressure from the Vatican, following years of criticism by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on articles touching subjects such as HIV/AIDS, religious pluralism, homosexuality and the right of life for the unborn. Reese is currently on a year-long sabbatical at .

Visit of Benedict XVI to the Pontifical Gregorian University, "one of the greatest services the Society of Jesus carries out for the universal Church."

On February 2, 2006, Fr. Peter Hans Kolvenbach, informed members of the Society of Jesus, that with the consent of Pope Benedict XVI, he intended to step down as Superior General in 2008, the year he will turn 80. The 35th of the Society of Jesus convened on 5 January 2008 and elected Fr. Adolfo Nicolás, a Spanish Jesuit missionary in Japan, as the new Superior General on 19 January 2008. The deliberations of the General Congregation on other important policies for the Jesuit order continued until 8 March 2008. On that date, the General Congregation concluded its deliberations with a Mass of Thanksgiving at the Church of the Gesù. While the Jesuit superior general is elected for life, the order's constitutions allow him to step down.

On April 22, 2006, Feast of Our Lady, Mother of the Society of Jesus, Pope Benedict XVI greeted thousands of Jesuits on pilgrimage to Rome, and took the opportunity to thank God "for having granted to your Company the gift of men of extraordinary sanctity and of exceptional apostolic zeal such as St Ignatius of Loyola, St Francis Xavier and Bl Peter Faber." He said "St Ignatius of Loyola was above all a man of God, who gave the first place of his life to God, to his greater glory and his greater service. He was a man of profound prayer, which found its center and its culmination in the daily Eucharistic Celebration." [18]

In May 2006, Benedict XVI also wrote a letter to Superior General Peter Hans Kolvenbach on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Pope Pius XII's encyclical Haurietis aquas, on devotion to the Sacred Heart, because the Jesuits have always been "extremely active in the promotion of this essential devotion " [19]. In his November 3, 2006 visit to the Pontifical Gregorian University, Benedict XVI cited the university as "one of the greatest services that the Society of Jesus carries out for the universal Church" [20]. 16 od 55 16

On January 19, 2008, Adolfo Nicolas was elected by General Congregation (GC XXXV) as the Order’s thirtieth Superior General and was promptly confirmed by Benedict XVI. A month after, the Pope received members of the General Congregation and urged them to "to continue on the path of this mission in full fidelity to your original charism" and asked them to reflect so as "to rediscover the fullest meaning of your characteristic 'fourth vow' of obedience to the Successor of Peter." For this, he told them to "adhere totally to the Word of God and to the Magisterium's task of preserving the integral truth and unity of Catholic doctrine." This clear identity, according to the Pope, is important so that "many others may share in your ideals and join you effectively and enthusiastically."[21]. The Congregation responded with a formal declaration titled "With New Fervor and Dynamism, the Society of Jesus Responds to the Call of Benedict XVI," whereby they confirmed the Society's fidelity to the Pope.[22]

Jesuits in the World (2007)[23]: 91 Provinces and 12 Dependent Regions: 3 in Africa, 4 in the Americas and 5 in Asia-Oceania. Region Jesuits Percentage South Asia Assistancy 4,018 20.9% United States of America 2,952 15.4% South Europe 2,448 12.7% West Europe 1,958 10.2% East Asia-Oceania 1,672 8.7% South Latin America 1,513 7.9% Africa 1,430 7.4% North Latin America 1,374 7.2% East Europe 1,119 5.8% Central Europe 732 3.8% [edit] Ignatian spirituality

Sacred Heart of Jesus. According to Benedict XVI, the Jesuits have always been "extremely active in the promotion of this essential devotion."

Like all , the spirituality practiced by the Jesuits, called Ignatian spirituality, is based on the Catholic faith and the gospels. Aside from the "Constitutions," "The Letters," and "Autobiography," Ignatian spirituality draws most specially from St. Ignatius' "Spiritual Exercises," whose purpose is "to conquer oneself and to regulate one's life in such a way that no 17 od 55 17 decision is made under the influence of any inordinate attachment." In other words, the Exercises are intended, in Ignatius' view, to give the exercitant (the person undertaking them) a greater degree of freedom from his or her own likes, dislikes, comforts, wants, needs, drives, appetites and passions that they may choose based solely on what they discern God's will is for them.

In the words of Kolvenbach, the Exercises try to "unite two apparently incompatible realities: exercises and spiritual." It invites to "unlimited generosity" in contemplating God, yet going down to the level of many details.[24]

Ignatian spirituality can be described as an active attentiveness to God joined with a prompt responsiveness to God, who is ever active in people's lives. Though it includes many forms of prayer, discernment, and apostolic service, it is the interior dispositions of attentiveness and responsiveness that are ultimately crucial. The result is that Ignatian spirituality has a remarkable 'nowness,' both in its attentiveness to God and in its desire to respond to what God is asking of the person now.[25]

The Ignatian ideal has the following characteristics:[26]

[edit] God's greater glory

Main article: Ad maiorem Dei gloriam

St Ignatius of Loyola —"a man who gave the first place of his life to God" says Benedict XVI — stressed that "Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God Our Lord and by this means to save his soul." This is the "First Principle and Foundation" of the Exercises. Ignatius declares: "The goal of our life is to live with God forever. God who loves us, gave us life. Our own response of love allows God's life to flow into us without limit... Our only desire and our one choice should be this: I want and I choose what better leads to the deepening of God's life in me."

[edit] Union with Jesus

Ignatius emphasized an ardent love for the Saviour. In his Exercises, he devoted the last weeks to the contemplation of Jesus: from infancy and public ministry, to his passion and lastly his risen life. The Spiritual Exercises, in 104, sum this up in a prayer: "Lord, grant that I may see thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, follow thee more nearly." There is a great emphasis on the emotions in Ignatius' methods, and a call for the person to be very sensitive to the emotional movements that shape them.

[edit] Self-awareness

Ignatius recommends the twice-daily examen (examination). This is a guided method of prayerfully reviewing the events of the day, to awaken one's inner sensitivity to one's own actions, desires, and spiritual state, through each moment reviewed. The goals are to see where God is challenging the person to change and to growth, where God is calling the person to deeper reflection (especially apt when discerning if one has a jesuit vocation in life), to where sinful or imperfect attitudes or blind spots are found. The general examen, often at the end of the day, is, as the name implies, a general review. The particular examen, often in the middle of 18 od 55 18 the day, focuses on a particular fault — identified by the person — to be worked upon in the course of some days or weeks.

[edit] Spiritual direction

Meditation and contemplation, and for instance the aforementioned examen, are best guided, Ignatius says, by an experienced person. Jesuits, and those following Ignatian spirituality, meet with their spiritual director (traditionally a priest, though in recent years many laypersons have undertaken this role) on a regular basis (weekly or monthly) to discuss the fruits of their prayer life and be offered guidance. Ignatius sees the director as someone who can rein in impulsiveness or excesses, goad the complacent, and keep people honest with themselves. If the director is a priest, spiritual direction may or may not be connected with the Sacrament of Penance. Ignatius counseled frequent use of sacrament and while some directors see them as integrally linked, others hold them to be two separate relationships.[citation needed]

[edit] Effective love

The founder of the Society of Jesus put effective love (love shown in deeds) above affective love (love based on nice feelings). He usually ended his most important letters with "I implore God to grant us all the grace to know His holy will and to accomplish it perfectly." True and perfect love demands sacrifice, the abandonment of tastes and personal preferences, and the perfect renunciation of self. This can be taken together with the prayer for generosity, which asks for teaching to be generous, to serve God as God deserves without counting any cost or seeking any reward except knowing that one is doing God's will.

[edit] Detachment

Where Francis of Assisi's concept of poverty emphasized the spiritual benefits of simplicity and dependency, Ignatius emphasized detachment, or "indifference." For Ignatius, whether one was rich or poor, healthy or sick, in an assignment one enjoyed or one didn't, was comfortable in a culture or not, etc., should be a matter of spiritual indifference—a modern phrasing might put it as serene acceptance. Hence, a Jesuit (or one following Ignatian spirituality), placed in a comfortable, wealthy neighborhood should continue to live the Gospel life without anxiety or possessiveness, and if plucked instantly from that situation to be placed in a poor area and subjected to hardships should simply cheerfully accept that as well, without a sense of loss or being deprived.

[edit] Prayers, efforts at self-conquest, and reflection

Ignatius's little book, the Spiritual Exercises is a fruit of months of prayer, and it is through prayer that one gets to understand Ignatian Spirituality. Jesuits stress the need to take time to reflect and to pray because prayer is at the foundation of Jesus's life. Prayer, in Ignatian spirituality, does not dispense from "helping oneself," a phrase frequently used by Ignatius. Thus, he also speaks of mortification and of amendment. 19 od 55 19

Upon his recovery from battle wounds, St. Ignatius of Loyola hung his military accoutrements before the image of the Virgin of Montserrat. Then he led a period of asceticism to found the Society of Jesus.

[edit] Devotion to the Sacred Heart, the Eucharist, and Our Lady

The Society of Jesus has a relationship with the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary in a commitment to spread the devotion to the Sacred Heart (though the concept of devotion to Christ's mercy, as symbolized in the image of the Sacred Heart, is more ancient, its modern origins can be traced to St. Marie Alacoque, a Visitation nun, whose spiritual director was St. Claude de la Colombière). The Jesuits particularly promoted this devotion to emphasize the compassion and overwhelming love of Christ for people, and to counteract the rigorism and spiritual pessimism of the Jansenists.

St. Ignatius counselled people to receive the Eucharist more often, and from the order's earliest days the Jesuits were promoters of "frequent communion". It should be noted that it was the custom for many Catholics at this time to receive Holy Communion perhaps once or twice a year, out of what Catholic theologians considered an exaggerated respect for the sacrament; Ignatius and others advocated receiving the sacrament at least monthly, emphasizing Holy Communion not as reward but as spiritual food; by the time of Pope St. Pius X (1903-1914), "frequent communion" had come to mean weekly, and even daily reception, of the Eucharist.

Ignatius made his initial commitment to a new way of life by leaving his soldier's weapons (and symbolically, his old values) on an altar before an image of the Christ child seated on the lap of Our Lady of Montserrat. The Jesuits were long promoters of the , their primary organization for their students until the 1960s, which they used to encourage frequent attendance at Mass, reception of communion, daily recitation of the , and attendance at retreats in the Ignatian tradition of the Spiritual Exercises.

[edit] Zeal for souls 20 od 55 20

The purpose of the Order, says the Summary of the Constitutions, is "not only to apply one's self to one's own salvation and to perfection with the help of divine grace but to employ all one's strength, for the salvation and perfection of one's neighbor."

[edit] Finding God in All Things

The vision that Ignatius places at the beginning of the Exercises keeps sight of both the Creator and the creature, the One and the other swept along in the same movement of love. In it, God offers himself to humankind in an absolute way through the Son, and humankind responds in an absolute way by a total self-donation. There is no longer sacred or profane, natural or supernatural, mortification or prayer - because it is one and the same Spirit who brings it about that the Christian will "love God in all things - and all things in God." Hence, Jesuits have always been active in the graphic and dramatic arts, literature and the sciences.

[edit] Examen of Consciousness

The Examen of Consciousness is a simple prayer directed toward developing a spiritual sensitivity to the special ways God approaches, invites, and calls. Ignatius recommends that the examen be done at least twice, and suggests five points of prayer:

• Recalling that one is in the holy presence of God • Thanking God for all the blessings one has received • Examining how one has lived his day • Asking God for forgiveness • Resolution and offering a prayer of hopeful recommitment

It is important, however, that the person feels free to structure the Examen in a way that is most helpful to him. There is no right way to do it; nor is there a need to go through all of the five points each time. A person might, for instance, find himself spending the entire time on only one or two points. The basic rule is: Go wherever God draws you. And this touches upon an important point: the Examen of Consciousness is primarily a time of prayer; it is a "being with God." It focuses on one's consciousness of God, not necessarily one's conscience regarding sins and mistakes.

[edit] Discernment

Discernment is rooted in the understanding that God is ever at work in one's life, "inviting, directing, guiding and drawing" one "into the fullness of life." Its central action is reflection on the ordinary events of one's life. It presupposes an ability to reflect on the ordinary events of one's life, a habit of personal prayer, self-knowledge, knowledge of one's deepest desires and openness to God's direction and guidance. Discernment is a prayerful 'pondering' or 'mulling over' the choices a person wishes to consider. In his discernment, the person's focus should be on a quiet attentiveness to God and sensing rather than thinking. His goal is to understand the choices in his heart: to see them, as it were, as God might see them. In one sense, there is no limit to how long he might wish to continue in this. Discernment is a repetitive process, yet as the person continues, some choices should of their own accord fall by the wayside while others should gain clarity and focus. It is a process that should move inexorably toward a decision.

[edit] Service and humility 21 od 55 21

Ignatius emphasized the active expression of God's love in life and the need to be self-forgetful in humility. Part of Jesuit formation is the undertaking of service specifically to the poor and sick in the most humble ways: Ignatius wanted Jesuits in training to serve part of their time as novices and in tertianship (see Formation below) as the equivalent of orderlies in hospitals, for instance, emptying bed pans and washing patients, to learn humility and loving service. Jesuit educational institutions often adopt mottoes and mission statements that include the idea of making students "men for others," and the like. Jesuit missions have generally included medical clinics, schools and agricultural development projects as ways to serve the poor or needy while preaching the Gospel. [edit] Jesuit formation

The training of Jesuits seeks to prepare men spiritually, academically and practically for the ministries they will be called to offer the Church and world. St. Ignatius was strongly influenced by the Renaissance and wanted Jesuits to be able to offer whatever ministries were most needed at any given moment, and especially, to be ready to respond to missions (assignments) from the Pope. Formation for Priesthood normally takes up to 14 years, depending on the man's background and previous education, and final vows are taken several years after that, making Jesuit training among the longest of any of the religious orders.

• Candidacy is an informal precursor to becoming a Jesuit, wherein a man interested in joining the Jesuits explores his calling with a spiritual director. The candidate attends Jesuit vocation events, including retreats and discussions with other candidates and Jesuits. Candidacy can last any length of time, with the norm being about a year. During this time, the candidate may or may not live in a Jesuit community. • Novitiate is the first stage of formation. The Novice begins to live the three vows of poverty, chastity, obedience (though he has not yet vowed himself publicly), completes the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola, learns about the history and practice of the order and enters into a series of “experiments.” These experiments are usually short ministerial assignments where the novice tests his aptitude for various ministries, such as, teaching, working with the marginalized or giving retreats. The novitiate lasts two years. Jesuit novices place the letters "n. S.J." after their names.

At this point, the novice pronounces his First Vows (perpetual Simple vows of poverty, chastity and obedience and a vow to persevere to final profession and ordination) and becomes either a Scholastic (entering onto the path of priesthood) or a Jesuit brother (technically known as a "temporal coadjutor", but officially styled "brother" today). The scholastics (who are addressed by the title "Mister") and the Brothers (addressed by the title "Brother") of the Society of Jesus have different courses of study, although they often overlap.

For scholastics, the usual course of studies is as follows:

• First Studies is the period when the scholastic begins his academic training. Depending on his prior education it will last 2–4 years, guaranteeing a grounding in philosophy and the attainment of at least a first university level degree thus, in the United States, a four- year bachelor's degree (unless this has already been earned). It may also introduce the study of theology or some other specialized area. • As Jesuits serve on the faculties of high schools and universities, and in a wide variety of other positions, the Jesuit scholastic or Jesuit priest often earns a master or doctoral 22 od 55 22

degree on some area - it may be, for instance, Theology or it may be History, English, Chemistry, Educational Administration, Law or any other subject. Hence, a Jesuit may spend another few years earning a graduate degree beyond the bachelor's. • Regency is the next stage, wherein the scholastic lives and works in a typical Jesuit community (as opposed to the “formation communities” he has lived insofar). He is engaged full-time in ministry (an Apostolate), which is traditionally teaching in a secondary school, but it may be any ministry Jesuits are engaged in. Regency lasts for 2–3 years. • Theology is the stage immediately preceding ordination. By universal canon law, every candidate for priestly ordination must complete four years of theology studies, though part of this requirement may have been met in first studies. This will include the attainment of a first degree in theology (such as the Bachelor of Sacred Theology), and usually a second (masters level) degree in a specialized area related to theology. (As such, it is not uncommon for a Jesuit to hold a master's level degree in Theology, and, as mentioned above, a second master's or a doctorate in a completely different field.) • Ordination follows, and the new priest may receive a ministerial assignment or be sent back for further studies in any academic field. • The ordained Jesuit priest will either be chosen for profession as a "spiritual coadjutor", taking the usual perpetual vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, or for profession as a "professed of the four vows." • Those who are destined by his superiors for profession for the four vows undertake Tertianship, so named because it is something like a third year of novitiate, which follows within a few years of ordination. After his first fews years of experience of ministry as a priest, the Jesuit completes the final stage of formal formation by revisiting the essentials of Jesuit life which he learned as a novice: once again, he studies the history and Constitutions of the Jesuits, he makes the Spiritual Exercises and participates in experimentism, most often by serving in ministries to the sick, terminally ill or poor. • Final Vows for the fully professed follow upon tertianship, wherein the Jesuit pronounces perpetual solemn vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and the Fourth Vow, unique to Jesuits, of special obedience to the pope in matters regarding mission, promising to undertake any mission laid out in the Formula of the Institute the pope may choose. • Only the professed of the Four Vows are eligible for posts like novice master, provincial superior or assistant to the general of the society. • The professed of the Four Vows take, in addition to these solemn perpetual vows five additional Simple Vows: not to consent to any mitigation of the Society's observance of poverty; not to "ambition" or seek any prelacies (ecclesiastical offices) outside the Society; not to ambition any offices within the Society; a commitment to report any Jesuit who does so ambition; and, if a Jesuit does become a bishop, to permit the general to continue to provide advice to that bishop, though the vow of obedience to Jesuit superiors is not operative over matters the man undertakes as bishop. Under these vows, no Jesuit may "campaign" or even offer his name for appointment or election to any office, and if chosen for one must remind the appointing authority (even the Pope) of these Vows — if the Pope commands that the Jesuit accept ordination as a bishop anyway, the Jesuit must keep an open ear to the Jesuit general as an influence.

The formation of Jesuit brothers has a much less structured form. Prior to the Second Vatican Council, Jesuit brothers worked almost exclusively within Jesuit communities as cooks, tailors, farmers, secretaries, accountants, librarians and maintenance support - they were thus 23 od 55 23 technically known as "temporal coadjutors", as they assisted the professed priests by undertaking the more "worldly" jobs, freeing the professed of the four vows and the "spiritual coadjutors" to undertake the sacramental and spiritual missions of the Society. Following the Second Vatican Council, which recognized the mission of all the Christian faithful, not just those who are ordained, to share in the ministries of the Church, Jesuit brothers began to engage in ministries outside of their communities. Today, the formation of a Jesuit brother may take many forms, depending on his aptitude for ministry. He may pursue a highly academic formation which mirrors that of the scholastics (there are, for instance, some Jesuit brothers who serve as university professors), or he may pursue more practical training in areas such as pastoral counseling or spiritual direction (some assist in giving retreats, for instance), or he may continue in the traditional “supporting” roles in which so many Jesuit brothers have attained notable levels of holiness (as administrative aides, for example). Since Vatican II the Society has officially adopted the term "brother," which was always the unofficial form of address for the temporal coadjutors.

Regardless of the practical details, Jesuit formation is meant to form men who are open and ready to serve whatever is the Church’s current need. Today, all Jesuits are expected to learn English, and those who speak English as a first language are expected to learn Spanish. [edit] Government of the Society

The Society is headed by a Superior General. In the Jesuit Order, the formal title of the Superior General is "Praepositus Generalis," Latin for General President, more commonly called Father General or General, who is elected by the General Congregation for life or until he resigns, is confirmed by the Pope, and has absolute authority in running the Society. The current Superior General of the Jesuits is the Spanish Jesuit, Fr. Adolfo Nicolás Pachón who was elected on January 19, 2008.

He is assisted by "assistants," each of whom heads an "assistancy," which is either a geographic area (for instance, the North American Assistancy) or an area of ministry (for instance, higher education). The assistants normally reside with the General Superior in Rome. The assistants, together with a number of other advisors, form an advisory council to the General. A vicar general and secretary of the Society run day-to-day administration. The General is also required to have an "admonitor," a confidential advisor whose specific job is to warn the General honestly and confidentially when he is acting imprudently or is straying toward disobedience to the Pope or heresy. The central staff of the General is known as the Curia.

The order is divided into geographic provinces, each of which is headed by a Provincial Superior, generally called Father Provincial, chosen by the General. He has authority over all Jesuits and ministries in his area, and is assisted by a socius, who acts as a sort of secretary and chief of staff. With the approval of the General, he appoints a novice master and a master of tertians to oversee formation, and rectors of local houses of Jesuits.

Each individual Jesuit community within a province is normally headed by a who is assisted by a "minister," from the Latin for "servant," a priest who helps oversee the community's day-to-day needs.

The General Congregation is a meeting of all of the assistants, provincials and additional representatives who are elected by the professed Jesuits of each province. It meets irregularly 24 od 55 24 and rarely, normally to elect a new superior general and/or to take up some major policy issues for the order. The General meets more regularly with smaller councils composed of just the provincials. [edit] Habit and dress

Jesuits do not have an official habit. St. Ignatius' intent was the adoption of diocesan clergy dress in whatever country or region Jesuits found themselves. In time, a "Jesuit-style cassock" became standard issue: it wrapped around the body and was tied with a cincture, rather than the customary buttoned front, a tuftless biretta (only diocesan clergy wore tufts), and a simple cape (ferraiuolo) completed the full, formal Jesuit garb, but this too was part of diocesan priestly dress. As such, though Jesuit garb appeared distinctive, and became identifiable over time, it was the common priestly dress of Ignatius' day. Missionaries of all religious orders, at their commissioning ceremony, received a large crucifix worn on a cord around the neck and often tucked, for convenience, to the cassock's cincture: historical depictions of Jesuit saints show the buttonless cassock, cape, biretta, and cervical crucifix.

During the missionary periods of the Continental Americas, the various Amerindian tribes referred to the Jesuits as the "Blackrobes" because of the black cassocks they wore.

Today, most Jesuits wear the simple Roman collar tab shirts in non-liturgical, ministerial settings. Since the 1960s some have opted for secular garb. [edit] Controversies

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The Jesuits, like Freemasons, Jews, and other groups, have frequently been described as engaged in various conspiracies: the assassination attempt (See: Father , Oswald Tesimond, , et. al.), the Lincoln Assassination, the JFK Assassination, and numerous earlier or lesser-known assassinations, assassination attempts, or crimes. They have often been the target of dozens of expulsions and have also been, at times, excommunicated by the Pope.

The Monita Secreta, also known as the "Secret Instructions of the Jesuits" was published (1612) and (1614) in Kraków, and is alternately alleged to have been written by either , the fifth general of the society, or by Jerome Zahorowski. The document appears to lay down the methods to be adopted for the acquisition of greater power and influence for the order and for the Roman Catholic Church. Sympathizers for the Society of Jesus argue that the Secreta were merely fabricated to give the Jesuits a sinister reputation;[27] it has become widely considered a forgery by Zahorowski.[citation needed]

Henry Garnet, one of the leading English Jesuits, was hanged for misprision of treason because of his involvement in Gunpowder Plot. The plan had been an attempt to kill King James I of England and VI of Scotland, his family, and most of the Protestant aristocracy in a single attack by blowing up the Houses of Parliament in 1605; another Jesuit, Oswald Tesimond, managed to escape arrest for involvement in the same plot. 25 od 55 25

Jesuit Robert Southwell was arrested while visiting the house of Richard Bellamy, who lived near Harrow and was under suspicion on account of his connection with Jerome Bellamy, who had been executed for sharing in Anthony Babington's plot. He was hanged for treason.[citation needed]

John Ballard (also Jesuit) was executed for being involved in an attempt to assassinate Queen of England. The same fate struck Edmund Campion, a Jesuit priest unjustly sentenced to death as a traitor.[citation needed]

They have also been accused of using casuistry to obtain justifications for the unjustifiable (See: formulary controversy; Blaise Pascals' Lettres Provinciales) [28]. In English, according to the Concise Oxford Dictionary, "Jesuitical" has acquired a secondary meaning of "equivocating". The Jesuits have also been targeted by many anti-Catholics like Jack Chick, Avro Manhattan, Alberto Rivera (who claimed to be a former Jesuit himself), and the late former Jesuit priest, Fr. .[29][citation needed]

Within the Catholic Church, some Jesuits are criticized by some parties for allegedly being overly liberal and allegedly deviating substantially from official Church teaching and papal directives, especially on such issues as abortion, priestly celibacy, homosexuality, and liberation theology.[30] John Paul II appointed Jesuit priest Roberto Cardinal Tucci, S.J., to the College of Cardinals after serving for many years as the chief organizer of papal trips and public events. In total, John Paul II and Benedict XVI have appointed 10 Jesuit cardinals. [edit] Jesuits rescue efforts during the Holocaust

Nine Jesuit priests have been formally recognized by Yad Vashem, the Holocaust ' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority in Jerusalem, for risking their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust of World War II. Several other Jesuits are known to have rescued or given refuge to Jews during that period. [31]

A plaque commemorating the 152 Jesuit priests who gave of their lives during the Holocaust was installed at Rockhurst University, a Jesuit university, in Kansas City, Missouri, United States, in April 2007, the first such plaque in the world. [edit] Famous Jesuits

Main article: List of Famous Jesuits

Notable Jesuits include missionaries, educators, scientists, artists and philosophers. Among many distinguished early Jesuits was St. Francis Xavier, a missionary to Asia who converted more people to Catholicism than anyone before. José de Anchieta and Manuel da Nobrega, founders of the city of São Paulo, Brazil, were also Jesuit priests. Another famous Jesuit was St. Jean de Brebeuf, a French missionary who was martyred in North America during the . The Filipino [edit] Jesuit Educational institutions

Main article: List of Jesuit institutions 26 od 55 26

Though there is almost no occupation in civil life, and no ministry within the Church, which a Jesuit has not held at one time or another, and though the work of the Jesuits today embraces a wide variety of apostolates and ministries, they are probably most well known for their educational work.

Since the inception of the order, Jesuits have been teachers. Today, there are Jesuit-run universities, colleges, high schools and middle or elementary schools in dozens of countries. Jesuits also serve on the faculties of both Catholic and secular schools as well.

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.

In the United States, 28 Jesuit tertiary education institutions are organized as the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, the oldest one being in Washington, D.C., founded by Bishop John Carroll in 1789, and the largest Loyola University Chicago. The 46 Jesuit high schools of America are organized under the Jesuit Secondary Education Association, with Saint Joseph's Preparatory School in Philadelphia being the most prestigious and well-known,[citation needed] having produced such alumni as Andrew von Eschenbach, the current commissioner of the United States Food and Drug Administration, and Michael Nutter, the current mayor of Philadelphia, the fifth-largest city in the United States. The Jesuits have recently opened a number of middle schools in poor neighborhoods in New , Boston and Chicago. There are also Jesuits serving on the faculties of other Catholic colleges and universities; additionally they serve on many secular faculties.

In Latin America Jesuit institutions are organized into the Asociación de Universidades Confiadas a la Compañía de Jesús en América Latina (Association of Universities Entrusted to the Jesuits in Latin America).

In the Philippines, the Jesuit universities are all independent, although they maintain institutional ties. The Ateneo de Manila University, Ateneo de Naga University, Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Marian College of Ipil, and Ateneo de Davao University are all loosely federated. An affiliated association, Mindanao Consortium of Ateneo Universities, groups all of the Jesuit universities located in Mindanao island with the purpose of promoting Muslim-Christian unity and dialogue as well as to exchange knowledge and expertise in various academic fields.

In Australia, the Jesuits run a number of high schools including Xavier College, St Ignatius' College, Riverview, Loyola senior high school [Mt Druitt], Saint Ignatius' College, Athelstone and St Aloysius' College.

In Ireland, the Jesuits run five secondary schools: Belvedere College, Gonzaga College (both in ), in Clane, Co. Kildare, St Ignatius College, in Galway city, and Crescent College, which is in Limerick.

In the the Jesuit educational institutions are: St. Aloysius' College, Glasgow, Campion Hall, Oxford, Heythrop College (London), Mount St Mary's College (Sheffield) and Stonyhurst College (Clitheroe). 27 od 55 27

In , the Jesuits run College de la Sainte Famille, a private boys school in Fagalla, Cairo. They are also involved in charitable organisations in the South of the country.

In , the Jesuits run various secondary schools (high schools) such as "Sint- Jozefscollege" in Aalst (Dutch-speaking) and "Onze-Lieve-Vrouwecollege", "Xaverius College" and "Sint-Jan Berchmans College", al three in (Dutch-speaking). "Universitair Centrum Sint-Ignatius" in Antwerp (Dutch-speaking; now part of "Universiteit Antwerpen") and the 'Facultés Notre-Dame de la Paix' of Namur (French-speaking) are both Jesuit universities.

In India, the Jesuits run top colleges and schools in the country including Loyola College, Chennai, St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, St. Xavier's College, Calcutta, Xavier Labour Relations Institute, Jamshedpur, Loyola School, Thiruvananthapuram, St Xavier's College, Thiruananthapuram, St Xavier's College, Palayamkottai, Loyola College, Kunkuri, St Xavier's College, Balipara, Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneshwar, St Joseph's College, Tiruchirapalli, St Xavier's College, Goa, Andhra Loyola College, Vijaywada, Loyola , Secunderabad, Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB), Xavier Institute of Social Service (XISS) and Xavier Institute of Development and Service (XIDAS), St Vincent's High School, Pune and St Xavier's College, Ranchi, St Xavier's College, Ahmedabad. They also run some of the top theological colleges in India the famous ones being Jnana Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune (De Nobili College) and Vidyajyoti College of Theology, Delhi. They also run 9 Regional Theology Centers (RTC) for contextual theologies in diverse regions of the country. Their educational institutions also have some of the country's best sportspersons producing centers, prominent among them being St Ignatius High School, Gumla, St Mary's High School, Samtoli, Loyola School Jakhama (Kohima). Some of the top bureaucrats and politicians (including those opposing Christianity) are Jesuit school alumni.

In Indonesia, the Jesuits run seven junior and/or high schools, including Canisius College (SMP Kolese Kanisius), St.Mikael College, De Britto College, Loyola College, Junior High School of Wood Technology, Gonzaga College, and Le Coq d'Armanville College. All of those schools are junior high school and high school.

In Hong Kong S.A.R., the Jesuits run two secondary schools including Wah Yan College, Kowloon and Wah Yan College, Hong Kong.

In Japan, the Jesuits founded Sophia University. It is considered to be one of the best private universities in the country, and is one of Tokyo's top ranked private universities.

In Korea, the Jesuits are running Sogang University. It is established in February, 1960. It is founded by Art Dethlefs, Basil Price, Jin Song Man(진성만), Theodor Geppert, Ken Killoren and Clancy Herbst. Nowadays Sogang University is considered to be one of the best private universities in Korea.

In Taiwan, Jesuits founded the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Management of the Catholic Fu-Jen University during the 1950s. In 2003 another new Faculty of Social Sciences was derived from the Faculty of Law. Thus until today, the Fu Jen Catholic University is still considered to be one of the best private universities in Taiwan.

Jesuits also operate retreat houses, for the purpose of offering the Spiritual Exercises (above) and other types of days of prayer or spiritual programs extended over weekends or weeks. The 28 od 55 28 oldest Jesuit retreat house in the United States is Mount Manresa in Staten Island, New York, and today there are 34 retreat houses or spirituality centers run by the order in the U.S. Jesuits also serve on the staffs of other retreat centers.

Jesuits are also known for their involvement in publications. La Civiltà Cattolica, a periodical produced in Rome by the Jesuits, has often been used as a semi-official platform for and Vatican officials to float ideas for discussion or hint at future statements or positions. In the United States, America magazine has long had a prominent place in intellectual Catholic circles, and the Jesuits produce Company, a periodical specifically about Jesuit activities. Most Jesuit colleges and universities have their own presses which produce a variety of books, book series, textbooks and academic publications as well. Ignatius Press, staffed by Jesuits, is an independent publisher of Catholic books, most of which are of the popular academic or lay- intellectual variety.

In Australia, the Jesuits run a winery at Sevenhill, the Jesuit Mission Australia, and they produce a number of magazines, including Eureka Street, Madonna, Australian Catholics, and Province Express. [edit] Jesuit buildings

Ruins of Saint Paul's Church, , one of many churches built by the Jesuits in Asia during the 16th and 17th centuries 29 od 55 29

Church of the Gesu, mother church of the Society of Jesus in Rome

Many buildings and ruins give witness to the order's construction activity world-wide. Among these are:

• Sant'Ignazio di Loyola in Rome, Italy • Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis Church in Paris • Ruins of Saint Paul's Church in Macau • Ruins of San Ignacio Church in the Philippines • Basilica of Bom Jesus near Panaji, Goa, in India • Church of the Gesù in Rome, Italy • Iglesia de San Ildefonso/Iglesia de los Jesuitas (The Jesuit church)in Toledo, Spain • São Roque Church in Lisbon, Portugal • Ateneo de Manila University Church of the Gesu in the Philippines • La Santisima Trinidad de Parana in Paraguay • Colegio San Ignacio de Loyola in San Juan de Puerto Rico • Belen School in Havana, Cuba • Belen Church in Havana, Cuba • St. Ignatius Cathedral in Xujiahui, Shanghai, China • Stonyhurst College in Lancashire, United Kingdom • St Aloysius' College in Sydney, Australia • St Ignatius College (Riverview) , in Australia • St. Ignatius College Preparatory School in Chicago, Illinois, United States of America • St Ignatius Church in San Francisco, California, United States of America • St. Ignatius Chapel in Kowloon, Hong Kong S.A.R. (inside the campus of Wah Yan College, Kowloon) • Cathedral of Salvador in Brazil • New Cathedral of Coimbra , in Portugal • St. Ignatius College in Galway, Ireland (Gaeilge Coláiste Iognáid) 30 od 55 30

• St Ignatius Primary School, church and college in North London • Regis High School , a very selective, tuition-free private college preparatory in New York City, New York • St. Xavier High School, Cincinnati a private, all-male, college-preparatory high school in Cincinnati, Ohio • St. Francis Xavier High School, New York a private, all-male, college preparatory high school in New York, New York • Xavier College a private school in Melbourne, Australia for boys from kindergarten to year 12. Well known for its chapel. • Universidad Católica Andrés Bello campus buildings, in Caracas, Venezuela • Pontificia Universidad Javeriana campus buildings, in Bogotá, Colombia • Colegio del Salvador a private, all male college and school with Church in , • St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Ohio, an all-male college preparatory school closely affiliated with St. Xavier High School • Walsh Jesuit High School in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, a co-ed college preparatory school. Well known for dominant athletics. Also, 100% of the students enroll in 4-year colleges. • Church of Carolus Borromeus (Carolus Borromeuskerk, Dutch wiki) in Antwerp, with several magnificent works of Rubens. First dedicated to Ignatius de Loyola, then in 1773 renamed to the church of . More Jesuit churches on the Dutch wiki. [edit] Popular culture

• The Mission 1986 award winning film in which 18th century Spanish Jesuits try to protect a remote South American Indian tribe in danger of falling under the rule of pro- slavery Portugal. • Black Robe 1991 film about a Jesuit in 17th century Quebec and his struggles with the Algonquin tribe. • The Exorcist Novel and film set at Georgetown University, a Jesuit school, with two Jesuit priests as exorcists. The novel and screenplay were written by William Peter Blatty, a 1950 graduate of the school. • Possessed (2000 film) a film based on a book by Thomas B. Allen (author) that inspired The Exorcist. • The Sparrow 1996 science fiction novel about a Jesuit mission to an alien world. (See also its 1998 sequel, Children of God.) • A Case of Conscience 1958 science fiction novel about a Jesuit mission to an alien world. • Donald Strachey movies, Timothy was formerly a Jesuit student. [edit] See also

Christianity portal

Catholicism portal

• Monumenta Historica Societatis Iesu • • Apostleship of Prayer 31 od 55 31

• Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities • • Catholicism in China • Catholicism in Japan • Jesuit Ivy • Jesuit Missions of the Chiquitos • Jesuit pre-modern China missions • Laying on of hands • • Misiones Province , Argentina • Ratio Studiorum • Residential Schools [edit] Notes and references

1. ^ May edition of Jesuits in Europe , including statistics 2. ^ News on the elections of the new Superior General 3. ^ africa.reuters.com, Spaniard becomes Jesuits' new "black pope" 4. ^ a b Höpfl, Harro (2004). Jesuit political thought: the Society of Jesus and the state, c. 1540-1630. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. pp. 426. ISBN 0521837790. 5. ^ Ignatius Loyola, "The spiritual exercises", trans. Anthony Mottola. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1964, pp.140-141. Reference from William B. Ashworth Jr, "Catholicism and Early Modern Science" in David C. Lindberg, Ronald L. Numbers, "God and Nature". p.159, n. 91 (p.166) 6. ^ Woods, Thomas E.. How The Catholic Church Built Western Civilization. Regnery Publishing. pp. 101. 7. ^ Udías, Agustín. Searching the and the Earth: The History of Jesuit Observatories (Astrophysics and Space Science Library). Berlin: Springer. ISBN 140201189X. 8. ^ a b c Parker, John (1978). Windows into China: the Jesuits and their books, : delivered on the occasion of the fifth annual Bromsen Lecture, April 30, 1977. Boston: Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston. pp. 25. 9. ^ Hobson, John M. (2004). The Eastern origins of Western civilisation. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. pp. 194–195. 10. ^ Miller, Joseph Dana (1917). Single Tax Year Book. New York, U.S.: Single Tax Review Publishing Company. pp. 318. 11. ^ Gerlach,Christian. "Wu-Wei in Europe. A Study of Eurasian Economic Thought" (PDF). Working Paper No 12/05. London School of Economics. 12. ^ Hobson, John M. (2004). The Eastern origins of Western civilisation. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. pp. 196. 13. ^ Huanyin, Yang (1993), "Confucius (K’ung Tzu) (551-479 BC)" (PDF), Prospects: the quarterly review of comparative education XXIII (No 1/2): 211–19, http://www.ibe.unesco.org/publications/ThinkersPdf/confucie.PDF 14. ^ Chancellerie Fédérale Suisse, Votation populaire du 20 mai 1973 (1973-05-20) (in French), Arrêté fédéral abrogeant les articles de la constitution fédérale sur les jésuites et les couvents (art. 51 et 52), http://www.admin.ch/ch/f/pore/va/19730520/det236.html, retrieved on 23 October 2007 15. ^ St. Aloysius College mission statement. 16. ^ Global Capitalism, Liberation Theology, and the Social Sciences: An Analysis of the Contradictions of Modernity at the Turn of the Millennium (Paperback)by Andreas 32 od 55 32

Muller (Editor), Arno Tausch (Editor), Paul M. Zulehner (Editor), Henry Wickens (Editor), Haupauge/Huntington, New York: Nova Science Publishers, ISBN 1560726792 17. ^ Letter to major superiors, 6 January 2005. 18. ^ Benedict XVI (2006-04-22), Address of his Holiness Benedict XVI to the Fathers and Brothers of the Society of Jesus, http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2006/april/documents/hf_ben- xvi_spe_20060422_gesuiti_en.html, retrieved on 23 October 2007 19. ^ Benedict XVI (2006-05-15), Letter to the Superior General of the Society of Jesus on the 50 th anniversary of the Encyclical Haurietis Aquas , http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/letters/2006/documents/hf_ben- xvi_let_20060515_50-haurietis-aquas_en.html, retrieved on 23 October 2007 20. ^ Benedict XVI (2006-11-03), Address of his Holiness Benedict XVI - Visit of the Holy Father to the Pontifical Gregorian University, http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2006/november/documents/hf _ben-xvi_spe_20061103_gregoriana_en.html, retrieved on 23 October 2007 21. ^ Benedict XVI (2008-03-04), Papal Address to Members of Jesuit General Congregation: Rediscover the Fullest Meaning of Your Characteristic '4th Vow' of Obedience, http://zenit.org/article-21968?l=english, retrieved on 8 March 2008 22. ^ Jesuits end meeting by approving decrees, confirming fidelity to pope, CNS March 7, 2008 23. ^ Curia Generalis, Society of Jesus (2007-05-07). "News from the Curia (Vol. 11, N. 9)", The Jesuit Portal - Society of Jesus Homepage.. Retrieved on 24 October 2007. "The annual statistics of the Society for 2006 have been compiled and will be mailed to the Provinces within a few days. As of January 1, 2007 the number of Jesuits in the world was 19,216 (364 fewer than in 2005)..." 24. ^ Discourse given to the Rome Consultation, 16 February 2003. 25. ^ Charles J. Jackson, Ignatian Spirituality. 26. ^ Pinard De La Boullaye, Ignatian Spirituality. 27. ^ Catholic Encyclopedia online: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10487a.htm 28. ^ "Pascal: Adversary and Advocate" Robert J. Nelson, Harvard University Press, 1981. Page 190 29. ^ see Malachi Martin (1987) The Jesuits: The Society of Jesus and the Betrayal of the Roman Catholic Church, Simon & Schuster, Linden Press, New York, 1987, ISBN 0671545051 30. ^ See: o Philip Sherwell (2005-08-05). "US Catholic editor resigns after clash with Pope", The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved on 18 February 2007. o Fr. Paul Mankowski, S.J. (2005-04-04). "Liberal Jesuits & the Late Pope". Catholic World News. Retrieved on 2007-02-18. 31. ^ Hiatt Holocaust Collection [edit] External links

Christianity portal

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Society of Jesus 33 od 55 33

• Pollen, J. H. (1913). "The Society of Jesus". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. • Pollen, J. H. (1913). "St. Ignatius Loyola". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. • Pollen, J. H. (1913). "Distinguished Jesuits". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. • Pollen, J. H. (1913). "History of the Jesuits Before the 1773 Suppression". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. • Pollen, J. H. (1913). "The Suppression of the Jesuits (1750-1773)". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. • Pollen, J. H. (1913). "The Jesuits During the Interim (1773-1814)". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. • Pollen, J. H. (1913). "The Jesuits After the Restoration (1814-1912)". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. • Pollen, J. H. (1913). "Jesuit Apologetic". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. • Pollen, J. H. (1913). "Jesuit Generals Prior to the Suppression of the Society (1541- 1773)". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. • Finding God In All Things

[edit] Catholic Church documents • Benedict XVI's Address to the Members of the Society of Jesus, 22 April 2006 • Benedict XVI's Visit to the Pontifical Gregorian University, 3 November 2006 [edit] Jesuit documents • The Jesuit Ratio Studiorum of 1599 • The Jesuit Mission Press in Japan, 1591-1610 • Letter of the Jesuit Social Justice Secretariat to the leaders of the G8, July 2005PDF (98.5 KiB) [edit] Jesuit Websites In Various Regions • The Jesuit Portal - Jesuit Worldwide Homepage • Directory of Jesuit Websites • Ignatian wiki • Jesuit Refugee Service • Sacred Space : long-running Jesuit daily prayer site Sacred Space, in 20 languages, coordinated by the Jesuits of the Irish Province • Global Catholic Statistics: 1905 and Today PDF (26.3 KiB) by Albert J. Fritsch, SJ, PhD [edit] Africa • Jesuits in East Africa • Jesuits in West Africa • Jesuits in South Africa • Jesuits in Zimbabwe [edit] Asia-Oceania • Jesuits in Australia • Jesuits in Goa, India • Jesuits in Indonesia o Finding God in All Things Blogsite on Ignatian Spirituality and Jesuits (in Indonesian) • Jesuits in the Philippines o Jesuit universities in the Philippines • Jesuits in Malaysia and Singapore 34 od 55 34

[edit] Europe • Jesuits in Britain o Jesuit Volunteer Community, UK • Jesuits in Ireland • Jesuits in France • Jesuits in Germany • Jesuits in Hungary • Jesuits in Italy • Jesuits in Poland [edit] North America • Jesuits in Canada o Canadian Jesuits International • United States Jesuit Conference o Jesuit Volunteer Corps o Ignatian Volunteer Corps o Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities • Old Catholic (not Roman) Jesuits in the United States [edit] South America • Jesuits in [edit] Media • The BBC Radio 4 In Our Time programme on 18 January 2007 was devoted to the early history and educational role of the Jesuits; the programme's website offers a free podcast and 'listen again' service In Our Time website • Pray-as-you-go : latest initiative by the British Jesuits, providing daily prayer in MP3 format for use "on the go" • Documentary by the Society of Jesus Province of Chicago (Windows Media Player) • Contemporary Jesuits speak about their Jesuit vocation, the vows, and the mission of the Society of Jesus (Real Player) • Jesuits Saints and Blessed Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society_of_Jesus" Categories: Society of Jesus | Jesuits | Former Jesuits | 1540 establishments | Religious organizations established in the 1540s | Counter-Reformation | Roman Catholic Church history

Compagnie de Jésus Un article de Wikipédia, l'encyclopédie libre. La Compagnie de Jésus — abrégée s.j. : Societas Jesu — est une congrégation catholique fondée par Ignace de Loyola et approuvée en 1540. On appelle ses membres les Jésuites. C'est l'ordre religieux numériquement le plus important de l'Église catholique avec 19 200 membres en 2007. Son actuel supérieur général est Adolfo Nicolás. 35 od 55 35

Sceau de la Société de Jésus. "IHS" sont les trois premières lettres de "IHΣOYΣ", "Jésus" en Grec. Ultérieurement réinterprété comme "Iesus Hominum Salvator" ("Jesus Sauveur de l'Humanité") ou "Iesum Habemus Socium" ("Nous avons Jésus comme Compagnon") Sommaire

[masquer]

• 1 Histoire o 1.1 Fondation o 1.2 Expansion . 1.2.1 En France . 1.2.2 En Amérique o 1.3 Difficultés, suppression et restauration o 1.4 Aujourd’hui • 2 Spiritualité o 2.1 Vœux • 3 Gouvernement • 4 Enseignement o 4.1 Une opinion de sur l'éducation qu'il avait reçue o 4.2 Établissements célèbres • 5 Jésuites célèbres • 6 Controverses • 7 Notes et références • 8 Voir aussi o 8.1 Liens internes o 8.2 Liens externes

o 8.3 Bibliographie

Histoire [modifier] 36 od 55 36

Portrait Ignace de Loyola par Jacopino del Conte (vers 1600)

Fondation [modifier]

Article détaillé : Ignace de Loyola.

Converti après une jeunesse assez mondaine et un brillant début de carrière militaire, Ignace de Loyola (1491-1556), gentilhomme basque espagnol, ressent après divers tâtonnements un appel à aider les âmes (selon ses propres termes) et servir le Christ. Cela le conduit à faire des études de théologie à l'université de Paris, et progressivement à rassembler autour de lui des amis dans le Seigneur prêts à travailler pour la plus grande gloire de Dieu (devise qui deviendra célèbre en latin: Ad maiorem Dei gloriam ou AMDG, dans l'Église).

Ainsi, le 15 août 1534, Ignace de Loyola et six autres étudiants, dont François Xavier et Pierre Favre, le premier prêtre ordonné de la Compagnie, se retrouvent à Montmartre, et décidant de se consacrer à Dieu, de faire vœu de pauvreté et de chasteté, et fondent la Societas Iesu (s.j.), connue en français sous le nom de « Compagnie de Jésus ». Ignace a suggéré que leur fraternité prenne le titre de Compagnie de Jésus pour qu'il rappelle en permanence à ces religieux leur engagement militant et sans réserve au service du Christ. Dans la bulle pontificale de fondation en 1540, c'est pourtant, le terme latin Societas Iesu qui fut utilisé. Le terme Jésuite apparaîtra peu après en 1545 avec une connotation péjorative donnée par les Luthériens[1].

Ignace et ses compagnons partent en 1537 pour l'Italie afin d'obtenir la reconnaissance de leur ordre par le pape Paul III, ce qu'ils obtiennent par la bulle Regimini militantis ecclesiae en 1540. Le 21 juillet 1550, le pape Jules III dans sa bulle "" confirmera la Compagnie de Jésus.

Une réforme de l'Église, espérée et attendue depuis des années, était rendue plus urgente encore par les succès de la réforme protestante: ce fut l'objet de la convocation du Concile de Trente où les Jésuites prendront une part importante, puis du mouvement de la Contre-Réforme.

À ses débuts, la Compagnie s'occupait essentiellement d'activités missionnaires, mais elle se tourna dès 1547 vers l'enseignement, qui devint son activité principale vers la fin du XVI e siècle . Un collège fut ouvert à Rome en 1551 alors que des membres étaient déjà au Congo, au Brésil et en Angola. L'activité éducative des Jésuites s'étendit aussi dans l'Empire ottoman, avec notamment le Lycée Saint-Benoît établi en 1583. 37 od 55 37

À la mort d'Ignace de Loyola (1556), la Compagnie comptait plus d'un millier de membres. Soixante ans plus tard, elle en regroupait treize mille dans toute l'Europe.

Expansion [modifier]

Les Jésuites vont tenter de convertir l’Extrême-Orient et les indigènes aux Amériques.

François Xavier arrive à Goa en 1542 et au Japon le 27 juillet 1549. Le samouraï Mitsuhide Akechi leur accorde le fief de Nagasaki en 1580. Mais le Japon est alors dans une période de transition politique instable et Hideyoshi Toyotomi leur retire ce fief dès 1587 et les expulse du pays.

En 1582, commence la mission jésuite en Chine. Le père Matteo Ricci est reconnu comme un pair par les mandarins, fonctionnaires lettrés chinois et devient de fait le premier sinologue. Alexandre de Rhodes romanise l'alphabet vietnamien en 1623. Deux missionnaires jésuites, Johann Grüber et Albert Dorville atteignent Lhassa au Tibet en 1661.

Aux Amériques, les Jésuites s'installent à Québec en 1625. Ils participent aux missions espagnoles de Californie. En Amérique du Sud, particulièrement au Brésil et au Paraguay, la mission jésuite suscite la réprobation des colons espagnols et portugais puisqu'elle s'oppose au système esclavagiste des . Les Jésuites créent des réductions, centres dans lesquelles les indigènes sont alphabétisés et christianisés, et par là soustraits aux planteurs. La première est créée dès 1609 chez les Indiens guaranis (voir le film Mission dénonçant l'esclavagisme et l'impérialisme des colons face aux Indiens). On doit aussi aux Jésuites la fondation de plusieurs villes, dont São Paulo en 1554.

Dans ces régions du monde, la Compagnie lutte contre l'influence protestante. Très engagée dans la Contre-Réforme, elle s'oppose à la Révolution copernicienne et aux prises de position de Galilée par la voix de Robert Bellarmin en particulier. C'est dans les Pays-Bas espagnols (dont les protestants des Provinces-Unies ont fait sécession au cours du XVIe siècle) qu'ils sont les plus nombreux proportionnellement à la population. On leur attribue des Notion de la Wallonie au XVII e siècle et de la Flandre qui opèrent le premier tracé de la première Frontière linguistique, séparant Wallons et Flamands dans ce qui deviendra la Belgique.

Mais le protestantisme ou la nouvelle science ne sont pas ses seules sources d'inquiétude. La Compagnie doit faire face à de violentes persécutions dues à sa nouveauté, à son soutien inconditionnel au pape, à l'efficacité de son organisation centralisée, et à ses positions théologiques. Bien qu'elle soit influente auprès des souverains d'Europe et de la haute noblesse, que ses plus hauts dignitaires confessent, les intérêts économiques des colons finiront par l'emporter : l'ordre est dissous sur les terres espagnoles et portugaises en 1767.

En France [modifier]

En 1580, les Jésuites installèrent une Maison Professe à Paris, dans le quartier du Marais, qui accueillit les meilleurs théologiens et scientifiques. 38 od 55 38

On décida de construire une grande chapelle à côté de la maison professe, l'église Saint-Louis (aujourd'hui église Saint-Paul Saint-Louis). En mai 1641, le cardinal de Richelieu donna la première messe dans cette église. La noblesse venait écouter les sermons des prédicateurs. Madame de Sévigné allait à toutes les messes dans cette église pour écouter les sermons du père Louis Bourdaloue, célèbre prédicateur. On y entendait aussi la musique des grands compositeurs français de l'époque, Marc-Antoine Charpentier et Jean-Philippe Rameau notamment, qui y furent maîtres de musique.

En 1656-1657, à la demande des jansénistes, Blaise Pascal attaqua les Jésuites dans Les Provinciales sur la question de la casuistique. Marc Fumaroli nota à ce sujet[réf. nécessaire] :

« La modernité jésuite, à l'épreuve de la France, apparut à la fois choquante et démodée, et la fidélité jésuite à Aristote, à Cicéron, à saint Thomas, sembla impure et équivoque. Bien qu’ils fussent en fait, par leur encyclopédisme, les derniers tenants de l'Antiquité vivante, les jésuites passèrent pour traîtres à l'Antiquité. Bien qu'ils fussent par leur adaptation aux réalités du monde de la Renaissance, les premiers historiens, sociologues et ethnologues du catholicisme, ils furent tenus pour ses pires réactionnaires… »

En Amérique [modifier]

Père jésuite au Brésil au XVIII e siècle .

Au XVIe siècle, les populations indigènes sont exploitées par le système colonial dit d'encomiendas. Ce système permet aux colons de disposer de la main d'œuvre pour l'exploitation de leurs domaines.

En 1550 et 1551, les conférences de reconnaissent le principe d'égalité des droits et des devoirs de tous les hommes et leur vocation à la liberté. La culture des Indiens commence alors à être reconnue. Ils peuvent commencer à être instruits et catéchisés.

Malgré cela, certains colons continuent d'abuser des Indiens, les réduisant à l'état de serfs. En réaction, les ordres religieux développent une nouvelle manière d'évangéliser les Indiens : 39 od 55 39 maîtrise et promotion des langues indigènes, étude et préservation des coutumes locales, mise en place d'une organisation sociale et progrès économique des communautés autochtones. Regroupant les Indiens autour de leurs monastères, ils les protègent des excès de l', et les sédentarisent.

Dès leur arrivée au Pérou, en 1566, les Jésuites s'inscrivent dans cette manière de faire. Ils développent le système des "réductions". Ce mot fait référence à la tentative de regrouper (reducere en latin) dans un même lieu une population indigène et de les réduire ainsi à la vie civile. Les Jésuites créent des missions pour les Indiens Mojos (ou Moxos), Chiquitos et Guarani. En misant sur le strict respect de toutes les dispositions protectrices des Indiens dans la législation espagnole, ils s'attirent les bonnes grâces des fonctionnaires espagnols.

Mais les tensions entre les deux systèmes (encomiendas et réductions) et les rivalités entre l'Espagne et le Portugal, sur fond de disgrâce de la Compagnie de Jésus en Europe, feront disparaître ces entreprises.

Les Jésuites sont obligés de quitter les missions vers 1767. Les réductions sont alors détruites sauf dans les missions de Chiquitos et Mojos. Cependant le clergé diocésain ne réussit pas à en perpétuer l'esprit. Les missions connaissent alors un déclin progressif. Le film Mission a popularisé l'histoire de la fin des réductions jésuites.

Difficultés, suppression et restauration [modifier]

En 1614, un jésuite polonais, chassé de sa congrégation, publie pour se venger le livret Monita secreta societatis Jesu, un faux livre d'instructions aux jésuites' sur la manière de se comporter pour augmenter le pouvoir et les richesses de la Compagnie. Ce mythe va imprégner les esprits, et notamment les esprits libéraux des XVIIIe et XIXe siècle.

En 1704 et 1742, le pape interdit les rites chinois empreints de syncrétisme que les missionnaires jésuites respectaient en Asie.

En France, les Jésuites ont à subir les attaques des jansénistes gallicans et parlementaires, puis de l'athéisme des philosophes de l’Encyclopédie auxquels ils répondent avec leur Journal de Trévoux et leur Dictionnaire de Trévoux, pour finir par être interdits et bannis de France en 1763-1764, et leurs deux cents collèges fermés. Ils venaient d'être chassés du Portugal en 1759, et le seront encore d'Espagne en 1767. Cependant le roi Stanislas, avant 1766, les accueille dans son duché de Lorraine resté théoriquement indépendant du royaume de France.

L'opposition contre eux est tellement répandue, que le pape Clément XIV en vint, en 1773, à prendre la décision de supprimer l'ordre partout dans le monde, sauf en Russie où la tsarine Catherine II avait interdit la promulgation de la bulle papale et en Prusse où le roi protestant Frédéric II, eut l'habileté de marquer sa désapprobation au pape, tout en profitant de l'aubaine que constituait tous ces savants et ces professeurs pour organiser l'enseignement et la recherche dans ses États.

La bulle débutait par la clause ad perpetuam rei memoriam et on pouvait y lire : « Il est à peu près impossible que, la société des jésuites subsistant, l'Église puisse jouir d'une paix véritable et permanente ».

L'Ordre fut rétabli en 1814, mais les attaques continuèrent tout au long du XIXe siècle : 40 od 55 40

• En France, les Jésuites[2] furent bannis à nouveau en 1880, puis à nouveau avec les autres congrégations en 1901. • En Suisse, c'est seulement en 1973 que fut abrogée l'interdiction constitutionnelle de l'activité des Jésuites. L'interdiction remontait à 1848 et fut à l'origine de la Guerre du Sonderbund et de la Suisse moderne. Avec le pour toile de fond, le bannissement des Jésuites avait été confirmé par les articles d'exception lors de la révision constitutionnelle de 1874.

Ces bannissements n'empêchèrent pas la Compagnie d'investir de nouveaux champs. Les missions reprirent en Amérique du Nord ou à . Les Jésuites y fondèrent des universités au cours du XIXe siècle.

Neuf prêtres jésuites, dont cinq français, font partie des Justes parmi les Nations [3] . Maurice Schumann déclara à la BBC au sujet de Pierre Chaillet : « Vous avez été notre 18 juin spirituel ! ».

Ils lancèrent par ailleurs des revues intellectuelles comme Études en France, Relations au Québec et la Civiltà Cattolica en Italie. Après la Seconde Guerre mondiale, les Jésuites allèrent finalement au Tchad ou au Japon.

Aujourd’hui [modifier]

Au 1 er janvier 2005, la Compagnie de Jésus regroupe 19 850 membres répartis dans 112 pays dans le monde[4] contre 35 000 en 1964. A l'instar du reste de l'Église catholique, la Compagnie de Jésus est confrontée à une chute des vocations; elle est également confrontée à la concurrence d'ordres plus récents. En perte de vitesse en Europe, les Jésuites sont maintenant majoritairement en Asie (3 500 en Inde), en Amérique latine et en Afrique. 900 novices sont en formation.

Son actuel supérieur, élu[5] par la 35e congrégation générale de janvier 2008, est Adolfo Nicolás, d'origine espagnole, succédant à Peter Hans Kolvenbach qui avait démissionné le 7 janvier 2008.

En France, la Compagnie publie régulièrement ses travaux dans plusieurs revues dont les plus connues sont Etvdes, Christus et Projet. Elle est également active dans l'enseignement scolaire (dix-sept établissements dont le lycée Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague à Paris) et supérieur (cinq établissements dont les célèbres classes préparatoires du lycée privé Sainte-Geneviève à Versailles). Elle possède ses propres facultés de théologie et de philosophie, regroupées dans le Centre Sèvres, à Paris.

En Belgique, la Compagnie publie dans la revue la N.R.T. La Nouvelle Revue Théologique [6] . Elle possède ses propres facultés de théologie et de philosophie, dont I.E.T. : la Faculté de Théologie de la Compagnie de Jésus à Bruxelles.[7]

Aux États-Unis, la compagnie de Jésus publie depuis 1909 la revue hebdomadaire America, considérée comme modérée, voire libérale, dans ses prises de positions au sein de l'Église catholique.[8] 41 od 55 41

Spiritualité [modifier]

La spiritualité de la Compagnie repose sur les Exercices spirituels composés par Ignace de Loyola et se caractérise par une obéissance stricte, au pape en particulier, et un grand zèle apostolique.

La devise de la Compagnie : Ad majorem Dei gloriam (« Pour la plus grande gloire de Dieu »), explique la diversité des tâches auxquelles s'adonnent les Jésuites. Outre l'enseignement, qui s'étend à tous les niveaux, ils pratiquent la prédication, sont missionnaires, directeurs de conscience, étudient la théologie, effectuent des recherches scientifiques, etc.

Vœux [modifier]

Tous les membres de la Compagnie professent les trois vœux habituels des religieux catholiques : ceux de pauvreté, de chasteté et d'obéissance à leur supérieur. À cela, les profès prononcent un quatrième vœu, celui d'obéissance au pape :

« Il est bon de rappeler dans quelle intention la Compagnie a fait le vœu d'obéir, sans alléguer d'excuse, comme au Souverain Vicaire du Christ : il s'agissait d'être envoyé parmi les fidèles ou les infidèles, partout où il jugerait que ce serait utile pour une plus grande gloire divine et un plus grand bien des âmes. » — Septima pars, I, 603

Gouvernement [modifier]

Article détaillé : Constitutions de la Compagnie de Jésus.

La Compagnie de Jésus est organisée selon les Constitutions édictées par Ignace de Loyola entre 1541 et 1558. Elles n'ont pas changé jusqu'en 1965.

La compagnie est dirigée par un Praepositus Generalis, mot latin qui désigne un Supérieur général, communément appelé Père Général[9] qui est élu à la tête de la congrégation jusqu'à sa mort ou à sa démission. Il est confirmé par le pape et a une autorité absolue sur la Compagnie.

Sous ses ordres se trouvent des « assistants » qui l'assistent dans son travail. Leurs tâches sont réparties par zones géographiques (par exemple l'Amérique du Nord) ou par ministère (par exemple l'enseignement). Les assistants forment le Conseil consultatif auprès du Général.

Un vicaire général assisté d’un secrétaire de la Compagnie s'occupent de l'administration quotidienne de la Compagnie.

Un « admoniteur » conseille également le Général de la Compagnie. Son rôle est de le prévenir de façon honnête et confidentielle quand il agit de manière imprudente ou contraire aux canons de la foi, risquant la désobéissance au pape.

La Compagnie est divisée en « Provinces » géographiques, chacune sous les ordres d'un Supérieur provincial qui est choisi par le Général et a autorité sur tous les Jésuites et les ministères de sa zone. Il est assisté d'un socius, équivalent d'un secrétaire général en charge de l'administration. 42 od 55 42

Chaque communauté de Jésuites est gouvernée par un recteur assisté d'un « ministre » (le mot latin signifie « serviteur »).

La Congrégation générale est la réunion de tous les « assistants », des Supérieurs provinciaux et de représentants élus par les profès jésuites. Elle se réunit irrégulièrement, en général pour élire un nouveau Supérieur Général ou pour résoudre des problèmes majeurs concernant la Compagnie.

La Curie générale de la Compagnie est à Rome au Borgo Santo Spirito 4.

Enseignement [modifier]

Ignace de Loyola avait insisté pour que les membres de la Compagnie aient un bon niveau de culture générale. Très vite l'enseignement est devenu une activité importante : en 1548, à Messine (Sicile), s'ouvre la première maison de formation pour jeunes appelée "collège". En 1551, c'est la création du Collège Romain à Rome. À la mort du fondateur (1556), les Jésuites dirigent 45 collèges ; en 1580, il existe 144 collèges jésuites, dont 14 en France . L'expérience vécue dans les premiers collèges sera codifiée en une sorte de charte de l'éducation : le Ratio Studiorum.

Une opinion de Voltaire sur l'éducation qu'il avait reçue [modifier]

Voltaire, qui a souvent prêché le pour et le contre et que Faguet a qualifié de « chaos d'idées claires », a écrit contre les Jésuites de nombreux passages que tout le monde connaît. Il a également écrit celui-ci que l'on connaît moins :

« J'ai été élevé pendant sept ans chez des hommes qui se donnent des peines gratuites et infatigables à former l'esprit et les mœurs de la jeunesse. Depuis quand veut-on que l'on soit sans reconnaissance pour ses maîtres ? Quoi! il sera dans la nature de l'homme de revoir avec plaisir une maison où l'on est né, le village où l'on a été nourri par une femme mercenaire, et il ne serait pas dans notre cœur d'aimer ceux qui ont pris un soin généreux de nos premières années ? Si des Jésuites ont un procès au Malabar avec un capucin, pour des choses dont je n'ai point connaissance, que m'importe ? Est-ce une raison pour moi d'être ingrat envers ceux qui m'ont inspiré le goût des belles-lettres, et des sentiments qui feront jusqu'au tombeau la consolation de ma vie ? Rien n'effacera dans mon cœur la mémoire du père Porée, qui est également cher à tous ceux qui ont étudié sous lui. Jamais homme ne rendit l'étude et la vertu plus aimables. Les heures de ses leçons étaient pour nous des heures délicieuses ; et j'aurais voulu qu'il eût été établi dans Paris, comme dans Athènes, qu'on pût assister à de telles leçons; je serais revenu souvent les entendre. J'ai eu le bonheur d'être formé par plus d'un Jésuite du caractère du père Porée, et je sais qu'il a des successeurs dignes de lui. Enfin, pendant les sept années que j'ai vécu dans leur maison, qu'ai-je vu chez eux? La vie la plus laborieuse, la plus frugale, la plus réglée ; toutes leurs heures partagées entre les soins qu'ils nous donnaient et les exercices de leur profession austère. J'en atteste des milliers d'hommes élevés par eux comme moi; il n'y en aura pas un seul qui puisse me démentir... » — Lettre au père de Latour; à Paris, le 7 février 1746.

Établissements célèbres [modifier]

Article détaillé : Collèges et lycées de jésuites. 43 od 55 43

Jésuites célèbres [modifier]

Article détaillé : Jésuite.

Controverses [modifier]

Des Jésuites ont été parfois soupçonnés par certains jansénistes et par de nombreux protestants d'être à la source de conspirations.

Adam Weishaupt, fondateur des , passa quelques mois au noviciat des jésuites. Un autre Jésuite, , contemporain de la Révolution Française, développe dans ses Mémoires pour servir à l'histoire du Jacobinisme la théorie d'une conspiration des Illuminatis voulant renverser les pouvoirs en place à travers la franc-maçonnerie et les afin d'asservir l'humanité. Cette théorie du complot aura un impact considérable dans les milieux contre-révolutionnaires et chez divers théoriciens du complot qui se succèderont par après.

Les Jésuites ont parfois été accusés d'être trop influents au Vatican. Aucun Jésuite n'a jamais été élu pape. Le Supérieur Général de l'Ordre est parfois appelé pape noir (dans les médias). Ce titre n'est jamais utilisé par les Jésuites eux-mêmes.

La Compagnie de Jésus a pour devise Ad maiorem Dei gloriam (Pour la plus grande gloire de Dieu), dont les initiales A.M.D.G. servaient d'épigraphe à la plupart des livres qui émanaient d'elle. Pierre Larousse a écrit à ce sujet :

« Au temps où florissaient à Montrouge et à Saint-Acheul les maisons d'éducation de la Compagnie de Jésus, la célèbre devise jouait un rôle important dans la discipline. Le révérend père fouetteur (ceux qui ont été placés sous sa main pourraient l'attester) avait fait graver les quatre initiales sur le manche du terrible martinet. La gent écolière était fouettée ad majorem Dei gloriam, gloire dont elle se serait sans doute fort bien passée. »

De nos jours, les préjugés contre les Jésuites ne sont pas aussi vifs que par le passé.

Le terme jésuite est parfois utilisé en langage courant comme synonyme de "hypocrite"[10]. Ce sens péjoratif est antérieur à la naissance de la Compagnie de Jésus. Voir l'article "Jésuite".

Notes et références [modifier]

1. ↑ Lettre de Pierre Canisius à l'empereur Oswald II, 5 février 1545 (écrite de Cologne), dans Epistulae, Fribourg, 1896, p. 134. 2. ↑ en 1878, 1514 Jésuites étaient répartis sur 46 établissements cf. Etat des congrégations autorisées ou non (1085 Jésuites en 1861 cf. Recensement spécial des communautés religieuse) 3. ↑ righteous [archive] 4. ↑ [http://www.fides.org/fra/news/2005/0503/31_3821.html [archive] Agenzia Fides - EUROPE / ITALIE - Le nombre des Jésuites est de 19 850 : confirmation de la tendance des dernières années, d’une diminution du nombre des prêtres et des frères 5. ↑ (fr) « Les Jésuites élisent Adolfo Nicolás comme supérieur général » sur Wikinews, le 21 janvier 2008. 6. ↑ Site de la revue Nouvelle Revue Théologique [archive] 7. ↑ Site de la "Faculté de Théologie de la Compagnie de Jésus à Bruxelles [archive] 44 od 55 44

8. ↑ Site de la revue America [archive] 9. ↑ Ou encore « pape noir » en référence à la couleur de son habit et du pouvoir illimité que l'on prêtait au Père Général de la Compagnie de Jésus. 10. ↑ Le Grand Robert

Voir aussi [modifier]

Wikimedia Commons propose des documents multimédia libres sur Compagnie de Jésus.

• 27 juillet 1998 : Le P. Michel Albecq, jésuite français, est assassiné à Brazzaville en République du Congo.

Liens internes [modifier]

• Ordres religieux par ordre alphabétique • Liste des congrégations catholiques • Histoire des congrégations chrétiennes • Sœurs du Christ • Jésuite • Supérieur général de la Compagnie de Jésus • Potager du Dauphin

Liens externes [modifier]

• (en) Le portail mondial de la Compagnie de Jésus [archive] • (fr) Constitutions de la Compagnie de Jésus [archive] • (fr) Le site de la province de France [archive] • (fr) Le site de la province de Belgique francophone [archive] • (fr) Le site de la province du Canada français et d'Haïti [archive] • (fr) Jésuites-Bollandistes [archive] • (fr) Études [archive] • (fr) Christus [archive] • (fr) Centre de recherche et d'action sociales (Ceras) et sa revue Projet [archive]

Bibliographie [modifier]

• Alain Guillermou , Les Jésuites. Paris : PUF, coll. « Que sais-je ? », 1999. (ISBN 2130443346) • André Ravier, Ignace fonde la Compagnie de Jésus, • Jésuites , Jean Lacouture, Seuil, octobre 1991.

(ISBN 2-02-012213-8) (tome 1, édition brochée) (ISBN 2-02-014407-7) (édition complète) (ISBN 2-02-013714-3) (tome 1, édition reliée) (ISBN 2-02-014408-5) (édition complète) 45 od 55 45

• Alain Woodrow et Albert Longchamp, Les Jésuites. Histoire de pouvoirs. Paris, Jean- Claude Lattès, 1984. (ISBN 2010181107)

• François de Dainville, L'éducation des Jésuites (XVIe-XVIIIe siècles). Paris : éd. de Minuit, 1978. (Le sens commun). (ISBN 2-7073-0222-8).

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Ce document provient de « http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compagnie_de_J%C3%A9sus ». Catégories : Compagnie de Jésus | Religion sous l'Ancien Régime | Nouvelle-France

Compagnia di Gesù Da Wikipedia, l'enciclopedia libera. Vai a: Navigazione, cerca 46 od 55 46

Lo stemma della Compagnia di Gesù

La Compagnia di Gesù (in latino Societas Iesu), comunemente nota come i Gesuiti, è, presa singolarmente, il maggior istituto religioso della Chiesa cattolica; i cui appartenenti fanno di Gesù il centro e lo scopo della loro vita, determinati ad essere "compagni di Gesù", imitandolo in tutti gli aspetti della sua vita e morte, collaborando con lui nella vita apostolica e servendolo nella Chiesa Cattolica con la maggiore dedizione possibile, disposti ad ogni sacrificio, compreso quello della vita. Essa fu fondata nel 1534 da un gruppo di sei studenti dell'Università di Parigi guidati da Ignazio di Loyola. La compagnia, con sede a Roma, continua oggi a coinvolgere nelle sue variegate attività apostoliche persone credenti e non credenti in più di cento Paesi. L'attuale Superiore dei Gesuiti (il «Papa », detto così per via del colore della tonaca, per la durata a vita dell'incarico e per il peso dell'ordine nel cattolicesimo) è padre Adolfo Nicolás, eletto il 19 gennaio 2008, ex-moderatore della Conferenza Gesuita dell'Asia Orientale e Oceania. Indice

[nascondi]

• 1 Le origini • 2 La storia - La soppressione e la ricostituzione • 3 Idee di fondo • 4 L'espansione • 5 I Gesuiti oggi • 6 Controversie • 7 Statistiche • 8 Gesuiti famosi • 9 Bibliografia • 10 Voci correlate • 11 Collegamenti esterni

• 12 Altri progetti

Le origini [modifica] 47 od 55 47

Sant'Ignazio di Loyola, fondatore della Società di Gesù

La fondazione non ufficiale dell'ordine può essere fatta risalire al 15 agosto 1534, quando Ignazio ed altri sei studenti, Francisco Xavier (meglio noto come san Francesco Saverio), Alfonso Salmeron, Diego Laínez e Nicola Bobadilla, spagnoli, Pierre Favre (meglio noto come Beato Pietro Fabro), francese, e Simon Rodrigues, portoghese, si incontrarono nella Chiesa di Saint Pierre de Montmartre, a Parigi, legandosi reciprocamente con un voto di povertà e castità, allo scopo di eseguire "un lavoro missionario e di ospitalità a Gerusalemme o, se questo non si fosse realizzato entro un anno, andare senza domande in qualsiasi luogo il papa avesse ordinato loro".

Nel 1537 essi si recarono in Italia per chiedere l'approvazione papale della loro compagnia. Il papa Paolo III diede loro una lode e consentì loro di essere ordinati come preti. Essi vennero ordinati a Venezia dal vescovo di Arbe (ora Rab, in Croazia) il 24 giugno per praticare la preghiera e lavori di carità in Italia, in modo da assolvere queste funzioni mentre il papa era occupato nel nuovo conflitto che lo vedeva impegnato con l'imperatore Carlo V, Venezia e l'Impero Ottomano già in viaggio verso Gerusalemme.

Ignazio si recò nuovamente a Roma nell'ottobre del 1538, insieme a Favre e Laynez, per far approvare al Papa la costituzione della nuova congregazione. Una commissione di cardinali si dimostrò favorevole al testo preparato da Ignazio, e Paolo III confermò la congregazione con la bolla papale Regimini militantis (27 settembre 1540), ma limitò il numero dei suoi membri a sessanta. Questa limitazione venne rimossa tramite una successiva bolla, la Iniunctum nobis, del 14 marzo 1543. Ignazio venne scelto come primo Superiore Generale della Compagnia, sebbene avesse chiesto ai suoi confratelli di non essere votato come tale. Egli inviò i suoi compagni come missionari a creare scuole, istituti, collegi e seminari in tutta l'Europa. Nel 1548 fondò il Ginnasium di Messina, l'Università di Messina.

Ignazio scrisse le Costituzioni ignaziane, adottate nel 1554, le quali creavano un'organizzazione monarchica e spingevano per un'abnegazione ed un'obbedienza assoluta al papa ed ai superiori (perinde ac cadaver, "ben disciplinati come un cadavere", scrisse Ignazio).

La storia - La soppressione e la ricostituzione [modifica] 48 od 55 48

Una copia della Ratio Studiorum del 1598

I Gesuiti vennero fondati immediatamente prima della Controriforma, un movimento il cui scopo era di riformare dall'interno la Chiesa cattolica romana e di contrastare la Riforma protestante, le cui dottrine si stavano spargendo in tutta l'Europa cattolica. Come parte del loro servizio alla Chiesa cattolica, i gesuiti incoraggiavano le popolazioni a continuare la loro obbedienza alle Sacre Scritture ed alla dottrina della Chiesa romana. La regola fondamentale dei Gesuiti nei riguardi della Chiesa, valida per tutti i cattolici, era quella fissata da S. Ignazio nei suoi Esercizi spirituali (n. 365):

« Per essere sicuri di non sbagliare dobbiamo sempre regolarci in questo modo: quello che io vedo bianco, creda che sia nero, se la Chiesa gerarchica così stabilisce; certi che tra Cristo nostro Signore, sposo, e la Chiesa, sua sposa, vi è lo stesso spirito che ci governa e regge per la salvezza delle nostre anime. Infatti dal medesimo Spirito e Signore nostro, che diede i dieci comandamenti, è retta e governata nostra santa madre Chiesa. »

Tuttavia, Ignazio ed i primi gesuiti capivano che la gerarchia cattolica aveva stretta necessità di riforme e le loro più grandi lotte furono contro la corruzione e la venalità dentro la Chiesa romana. Di conseguenza, sebbene i Gesuiti fossero figli fedeli del Papa, Ignazio ed i suoi successori si scontrarono spesso con la Curia romana. Nel corso della loro storia i gesuiti hanno guadagnato la reputazione di essere le "truppe di élite" del Papa. L'ordine, ironia della sorte, fu soppresso da papa Clemente XIV con il breve Dominus ac Redemptor che fu promulgato il 16 agosto 1773. Dai dati storici a nostra disposizione sappiamo che Clemente XIV, prima di diventare papa e prima di essere creato cardinale, era un filo-gesuita e grazie ad essi avanzò nel servizio e vicinanza alla Santa Sede. Il Frate, poi eletto papa, era una persona ambiziosa e secondo alcune fonti storiche accettò di divenire papa a condizione, dettata da altri, di sopprimere i gesuiti. Secondo altre fonti storiche, il Papa soppresse i gesuiti a causa delle pressioni di molti potenti del tempo e non l'avrebbe fatto in un modo predeterminato, ma per motivi contingenti e per la pace della Chiesa. L'ordine fu ricostituita, dopo 41 anni, da Pio VII nel 1814; nella "Russia bianca" il breve non fu reso noto dal Monarca al popolo; così invalidandolo secondo il diritto dell'epoca. I Religiosi continuarono ininterrottamente, in quei 49 od 55 49 diversi decenni, ad essere a servizio della Chiesa e della società del tempo continuando l'opera di precettori nei collegi e non solo.

Idee di fondo [modifica]

Ignazio ed i gesuiti che lo seguirono credevano che la riforma della Chiesa dovesse cominciare nel cuore dei singoli. Uno degli strumenti principali che i gesuiti usarono per portare avanti tale conversione era il "ritiro ignaziano", detto esercizio spirituale. Durante un periodo di silenzio della durata di quattro settimane, gli individui si dedicavano ad una serie di meditazioni dirette sulla vita di Cristo. Durante questo periodo, essi si incontravano regolarmente con un direttore spirituale che li aiutava a capire qualunque chiamata o messaggio Cristo avesse offerto alle loro meditazioni.

I gesuiti fondarono molte scuole (studiarono in scuole gesuite Cartesio, Fidel Castro e l'attuale imperatrice del Giappone), che attraevano i figli delle élite a causa dei loro metodi di insegnamento avanzati e dell'elevato tono morale. Essi furono tra i primi ad incorporare gli insegnamenti classici dell'Umanesimo rinascimentale nella struttura scolastica del pensiero cattolico. Oltre ad insegnare la fede, le scuole ignaziane si distinsero per il loro insegnamento di latino, greco, letteratura classica, poesia e filosofia.

Inoltre, le scuole ignaziane incoraggiarono lo studio della letteratura vernacolare e della retorica, diventando, di conseguenza, importanti centri educativi per avvocati ed altri pubblici ufficiali. Le scuole gesuite giocarono, così, un importante ruolo nel recupero al cattolicesimo di un certo numero di paesi europei che per un certo tempo erano diventati prevalentemente protestanti, in particolare la Polonia. Le scuole ignaziane continuano ancora oggi a fornire educazione di qualità in oltre cento nazioni.

I Gesuiti furono capaci di ottenere significativa influenza all'inizio dell'era moderna perché spesso i sacerdoti gesuiti erano i confessori dei re dell'epoca. Essi furono una forza importante durante la Controriforma e nelle missioni cattoliche, anche perché la loro struttura relativamente tollerante (senza il requisito di vivere in comunità, di rispettare la Liturgia delle ore e così via) consentì loro di essere flessibili verso le necessità delle popolazioni dell'epoca.

Teoria casuistica: la gravità del peccato dipende dalla situazione. Per questo motivo molti sovrani preferivano confessarsi con i gesuiti, e questo portava ad essi molto potere.

Per approfondire, vedi la voce Casistica (teologia).

L'espansione [modifica]

Le prime missioni in Giappone ottennero ai Gesuiti il feudo di Nagasaki nel 1580. Tuttavia la concessione fu revocata nel 1587 poiché la loro crescente influenza generava paure.

A partire dal Cinquecento iniziò, ad opera di alcuni missionari gesuiti, tra cui Matteo Ricci, l'evangelizzazione del popolo cinese nel cui ambito scoppiò la cosiddetta "Questione dei riti cinesi"

Due missionari gesuiti, Gruber e D'Orville, raggiunsero Lhasa in Tibet nel 1661. 50 od 55 50

I Gesuiti oggi [modifica]

La compagnia di Gesù è molto attiva nel lavoro missionario e nell'insegnamento, in molti paesi del mondo.

Il loro motto non ufficiale è la frase in latino Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam, spesso abbreviata come "AMDG", che significa "per una maggiore gloria di Dio". Questa frase vuole riflettere l'idea che ogni lavoro che non sia maligno può essere meritorio per il Paradiso, se viene effettuato con questa intenzione, anche un lavoro normalmente considerato neutro.

Controversie [modifica]

I critici dei Gesuiti, sia cattolici che protestanti, li hanno spesso accusati di essere coinvolti in varie cospirazioni. Essi sono stati anche accusati di usare la casistica per giustificare ciò che è indimostrabile. In parecchie lingue "gesuita" o "gesuitico" acquisì di conseguenza un significato di aggiramento della verità obiettiva o di ipocrita.

Nel particolare gergo utilizzato tra i membri numerari dell'Opus Dei i Gesuiti vengono chiamati con un certo disprezzo i "soliti" per via della loro ostilità sovente manifestata in relazione a certi aspetti dell'Opera.

Statistiche [modifica]

Al 1° gennaio 2008 i gesuiti erano in totale 18.815, di cui 13.305 sacerdoti (- 186 rispetto al 2007), 2.295 scolastici (- 74), 1.758 fratelli (- 52) e 827 novizi (- 39). La diminuzione complessiva rispetto al 1° gennaio 2007, è di 401 membri. Al 1° gennaio 2008 l'età media dei Gesuiti si attestava sui 57,53 anni: 63,01 anni per i sacerdoti, 30,01 anni per gli scolastici e 65,06 anni per i fratelli.

1965 ... 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

36.038 21.354 20.711 20.408 20.170 19.850 19.564 19.216 18.815

Gesuiti famosi [modifica]

Oltre al fondatore Ignazio di Loyola, tra i molti Gesuiti delle origini che si sono distinti spicca san Francesco Saverio, missionario in Asia che convertì al cattolicesimo più persone di chiunque altro prima di lui.

Altri Gesuiti famosi sono:

• Claudio Acquaviva , quinto Superiore Generale della compagnia • Francois d'Aguillon • Giulio Alenio • • José de Anchieta , fondatore di San Paolo del Brasile 51 od 55 51

• Juan Andres • Girolamo De Angelis , missionario e martire in Giappone • Angelo Arpa , filosofo e studioso di cinema. Ha collaborato con molti registi, fra i quali Federico Fellini e Roberto Rossellini. (1909-2003) • Pedro Arrupe , 28mo Superiore Generale, finora l'unico generale dell'ordine che ha rassegnato le dimissioni per motivi di salute • Jakob Balde • Augustin Barruel • • San Roberto Bellarmino , teologo, cardinale • San Giovanni Berchmans , scolastico belga • Daniel Berrigan , politico statunitense • Constanzo Beschi , missionario nell'India del Sud, italiano • Nicola Bobadilla , uno dei fondatori della compagnia, spagnolo • Sant'Andrea Bobola , polacco • Pietro Boetto , arcivescovo di Genova durante la seconda guerra mondiale • , agiografo, belga • San Francesco Borgia , terzo Superiore Generale dell'ordine • Ruggero Giuseppe Boscovich , astronomo, matematico, croato • Roberto Busa , pioniere della linguistica computazionale • Sant'Edmondo Campion , martire inglese • San Pietro Canisio , teologo tedesco, autore del catechismo popolare. • , settimo Preposito Generale dell'ordine • John Carroll , primo vescovo statunitense • Giuseppe Castiglione (1688 - 1766), fratello gesuita, pittore, missionario in Cina • Michel de Certeau , filosofo, francese • Angelo La Rosa ,Promotore opere sociali nella città di Palermo, ex parroco dell'Albergheria e promotore della comunità di inserimento nel quartiere disagiato della vucciria • San Pietro Claver missionario degli schiavi in Sud America (Venezuela) • San Claude de La Colombière , promotore della devozione allo Sacro Cuore, francese • , scrittore e filosofo inglese • Jacques Courtois , missionario in Cina, francese • George Coyne , astronomo statunitense, già direttore della Specola Vaticana • Jean Daniélou , teologo, cardinale e accademico di Francia. • John Dear • storico, filippino. • Jeremiah Delgado • , tedesco che fu impiccato per la sua opposizione ad Hitler • Paolo Dezza , filosofo, cardinale, italiano • , politico statunitense • , teologo, cardinale statunitense • Jacques Dupuis , teologo, esperto di dialogo inter-religioso, belga • Giovanni Battista Eliano • Ignacio Ellacuría , Rettore dell'Università dell'America Centrale, El Salvador (ucciso nel 1989) • Beato Pierre Favre , uno dei fondatori della compagnia, francese • Francis J. Finn , scrittore statunitense per ragazzi • Fulvio Fontana • Father 52 od 55 52

• Luis Frois • San Henry Garnett , Primo provinciale inglese, giustiziato dopo false accuse per la Congiura delle polveri • San Francesco di Geronimo , nato a Grottaglie, detto "il Missionario di Napoli" • Giovanni Antonio Genovesi , missionario da Palazzo Adriano (PA). Promosse la diffusione del culto a Santa Maria del lume che da Palermo si estese in Sicilia, in Italia e nel Messico. • San Luigi Gonzaga , scolastico italiano • Luigi Gottifredi , nono Superiore Generale dell'ordine • René d'Herblay , vescovo di Vannes,francese • , secondo santo cileno • Gerard Manley Hopkins , poeta inglese • Claude Jay , uno dei fondatori dell'ordine, francese • Pierre Johanns , Indologista, lussemburghese • Eusebio Francisco Kino , missionario nei Stati Uniti, italiano • , scientista, tedesco • Anton Korošec politico sloveno e presidente del governo jugoslavo • San Stanislao Kostka , novizio, polacco • San Gabriele Lalemant , missionario in Canada • Luigi Lanzi , archeologo, storico dell' arte, italiano. • Hugo Makibi Enomiya-Lassalle , missionario in Giappone • , uno dei fondatori dell'ordine, secondo Superiore Generale dell'ordine, spagnolo • Amando López • Joaquín López y López • Henry de Lubac , teologo, uno dei più insigni teologi cattolici del 1900 e tra i principali ispiratori del Concilio Vaticano II, cardinale, francese • Anton Luli , albanese • Gabriele Malagrida , l'Apostolo de Brasile, nato a Menaggio (Co) 1689, assassinato dall'inquisizione nel 1761 a Lisbona, missionario e martire • Louis Maimbourg • Jacques Marquette , esploratore (Mississippi), francese • Carlo Maria cardinal Martini , arcivescovo di Milano • Martino Martini , missionario in Cina, italiano • Ignacio Martín-Baró • Beato , viene chiamato “apostolo di Monaco” (di Baviera) • Beato Julien Maunoir , patrono della Bretagna • Anthony de Mello , scrittore spirituale, indiano • Everardo Mercuriano , quarto preposito generale della Compagnia • San Paolo Miki , martire giapponese • , teologo, spagnolo • Segundo Montes • Juan Ramón Moreno • Leone Nani • Roberto de Nobili , missionario in India, italiano • Manoel da Nóbrega , Missionario in Brasile, fondatore di Rio De Janeiro, portoghese • Oswald von Nell-Breuning , scientista sociale, tedesco • San Giovanni Ogilvie , martire scozzese • Gjon Pantalia • Venerabile Giuseppe Picco , nato a Nole Canavese (Torino) 53 od 55 53

• Francesco Piccolomini , ottavo preposito generale della Compagnia • Ennio Pintacuda , sociologo • John Powell , scrittore statunitense • , fratello gesuita italiano, pittore • San Michele Agostino Pro , martire messicano • , teologo, tedesco • San , nacque a Carpi () • San Giovanni Francesco Régis, missionario delle campagne, francese • Alexandre de Rhodes , missionario in , francese • • Lorenzo Ricci , 18mo e ultimo Superiore Generale prima della soppressione dell'ordine in 1773 • Matteo Ricci , missionario in Cina, italiano • Giambattista Roberti , poligrafo, italiano • Simon Rodrigues , uno dei fondatori dell'ordine, portoghese • Sant'Alfonso Rodríguez , fratello gesuita, spagnolo • Carlo Gregorio Rosignoli • San José María Rubio , spagnolo, canonizzato nel 2003 da papa Giovanni Paolo II • Giovanni Girolamo Saccheri , matematico italiano, uno dei "padri" delle geometrie non euclidee • Alfonso Salmeron , uno dei fondatori dell'ordine, spagnolo • Fred Santangelo , gallese, emerito docente universitario di teologia • Johann Adam Schall von Bell , missionario in Cina, tedesco • Paolo Segneri • James Skehan , direttore emerito del Weston Geological Observatory del Boston College. Geologo specializzato sui rapporti tra scienza e dottrina cristiana della creazione, ha affermato sulla questione cruciale dell'universo infinito: «Fintanto che le qualità infinite, qualunque esse siano, della Deità sono superiori alle qualità infinite dell'universo, io non vedo alcuna contraddizione con il cristianesimo né un appoggio al panteismo». • Bartolomeo Sorge promotore dell'iniziativa sociale:"Primavera di Palermo" • Carlo Spinola , missionario in Giappone, proclamato Beato nel 1867, genovese • Ignacije Szentmartony , matematico ed astronomo, croato • Pierre Teilhard de Chardin , paleontologo, francese • , missionario in Cina, astronomo, belga • Pasquale Tosi , missionario nell'Alaska, italiano • Alfonso Vagnoni , missionario in Cina • Giuseppe Valeriano , pittore e architetto • Alessandro Valignano , missionario in Giappone, italiano • José María Vélaz , • , missionario in Cina, astronomo, belga • Antonio Vieira , scrittore, diplomatico e missionario in Brasile, portoghese • Muzio Vitelleschi , sesto Preposito Generale della Compagnia • Edmund Aloysius Walsh • , musicista, compositore, missionario in Paraguay, italiano • Piet Zoetmulder • Camillo Costanzo , martire e beato, nato a Bovalino Superiore, bruciato vivo in Giappone. • Ottavio Gaetani, agiologo siciliano 54 od 55 54

Bibliografia [modifica]

• Soggettario per i cataloghi delle biblioteche italiane, Firenze, Il cenacolo, 1956. Voce: Gesuiti, rinvio da: Compagnia di Gesù. • Franco Venturi, Settecento riformatore, Torino, Einaudi, 1969. • Gian Paolo Brizzi, La formazione della classe dirigente nel Sei-Settecento, , Il Mulino, 1976. • Stefano Zen, Bellarmino e Baronio, in Bellarmino e la Controriforma. Atti del Simposio Internazionale di Studi (Fonti e Studi baroniani, 3), Sora 15-18 ottobre 1986, a cura di R. De Maio, A. Borromeo, L. Gulia, G. Lutz, A. Mazzacane, Sora, Centro di Studi Sorani «V. Patriarca», 1990, pp. 277-321. • William V. Bangert, Storia della Compagnia di Gesù, Genova, Marietti, 1990. ISBN 8821168069. • Pierre-Antoine Fabre, Ignace de Loyola: le lieu de l’image, Paris, Vrin, 1992. ISBN 2711610950. • Joseph de Guibert, La spiritualità della Compagnia di Gesù, trad. it., Roma, Città Nuova, 1992. ISBN 8831192248. • Fabrizio Manuel Sirignano, L'itinerario pedagogico della Ratio Studiorum, Napoli, Luciano, 2001. ISBN 8888141200. • Stefano Zen, Monarchia della verità. Modelli culturali e pedagogia della Controriforma («La Ricerca Umanistica», 4), Napoli, Vivarium, 2002. ISBN 8885239633. • Fabrizio Manuel Sirignano, Gesuiti e giansenisti: modelli e metodi educativi a confronto, Napoli, Liguori, 2004. ISBN 8820736411. • Antonio Trampus, I gesuiti e l'illuminismo: politica e religione in Austria e nell'Europa centrale, 1773-1798, Firenze, Olschki, 2000. ISBN 8822248740.

Voci correlate [modifica]

• Ignazio di Loyola • Ad maiorem Dei gloriam , AMDG • Numquam nega raro adfirma • San Francesco Saverio • Chiesa del Gesù • Exposcit debitum • Lega Missionaria Studenti

Collegamenti esterni [modifica]

• Sito italiano dei Gesuiti • Sito della ONG MAGIS, Movimento e Associazione dei Gesuiti italiani per lo sviluppo • James W. Skehan, S.J. - Boston College Pagina personale sul portale del Boston College del professor emerito James Skehan.

Altri progetti [modifica] 55 od 55 55

• Wikisource contiene inoltre opere originali di o su Compagnia di Gesù (in italiano) • Wikimedia Commons contiene file multimediali su Compagnia di Gesù • Wikiquote contiene citazioni di o su Compagnia di Gesù

[espandi] v • d • m Compagnia di Gesù

Estratto da "http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compagnia_di_Ges%C3%B9" Categorie: Compagnia di Gesù | Ordini di Chierici Regolari | [altre]