The Jesuits

The Jesuits

1. Created to inspire new members of the "Society of Jesus"

2. "The Society of Jesus"

   • Ignatius was the inspiration, heart and driving force behind the organisation he created. The society of Jesus 1540 grew from the Company of Jesus, which Ignatius and 6 companions had founded in 1534. The companions soon attracted attention in Italy (their base) because of their exceptional abilities and enthusiasm for serving the Church.
     • They undertook a wide variety of work, such as serving the poor, lecturing in the universities and guiding people through Ignatius's Spiritual exercises.
       • They sought out the worst tasks in hospitals: make the beds, sweep the floors and bury the dead.
     • Encouraged by Ignatius to find support from aristocratic patrons and churchmen such as Contarini and Pope Paul III, and they benefited greatly from the support of high-born ladies. By 1539, the number of companions had increaded and Ignatius was reluctantly forced to create an order that could be officially recognised.
       • The order faced opposition from Cardinals, who claimed there were too many orders or suggested that the Jesuits joined the Theatines, who were similar.

3. Establishment to the Order:

   • The society of Jesus was officially founded by Paul III in the very favourable bull of 1540. The bull "Regimini Militantis Ecclesiae" was based on previous rules for the companions such as the Five Chapters. In 1559, the "Constitutions" of the society, based on the 1540 bull, provided a definitive and detailed guide to their life, conduct and work.
     • The aims of the order were set out in the 1540 bull:
       • To advance souls in Christian life and doctrine
       • To pass on and spread ('and defend' was added in 1550) the faith by public preaching, lectures and the ministry of God's word
       • To carry out spiritual exercises and works of charity
       • To hear confessions and administer other sacraments
       • To reconcile those who have quarrelled, serving those in prisons and hospitals
       • To educate in Christian doctrine children and people who could not read or write.

4. Admittance of the Order:

   • The main rule about membershipwas that each Jesuit should work to see that "as many as possible of the very best", entered the society. By the end of the training, only the best would survive. One distinctive feature of the society, however, is that they did not ask for a "dowry" a lump sum payment - to join.
     • Most religious orders asked recruits to have a period of preparation ( a noviciate), when their fitness to join would be assessed, and the recruit would join at the end of the year. The Jesuits had a two year noviciate, during which time they were expected to carry out various tests such as working with the poor or sick or going on a pilgrimage. At the end of two years, they were only admitted to the lowest levels of the society. After this, there would be a programme of education - called scholasticate - at the end of which the Jesuit was ordained (made a priest). The recruit took the normal religious vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Then there was a third stage - a year long second noviciate or third probation when the recruit was under close observation by a senior mentor for any sign of weakness. At last, the recruit could become a formal member of the society.
       • Membership grades:
         • Fully Professed Member:
           • These formed the inner core of the society. They alone took the "fourth vow" or direct personal obedience to the pope. In 1556 only 43 out of 1,000 members had taken this vow.
         • Spiritual co-adjutors:
           • These undertook purely spiritual tasks such as preaching and lecture work. There were only 5 in 1556 and could be rectors of Jesuit "houses".
         • Temporal co-adjutors
           • These were the invention of Ignatius himself. They were not made priests. This group were usually drawn from lower-class backgrounds and were often practical craftsmen such as cooks, or gardeners. They did not have a formal education and were not allowed to gain one. About 25 per cent of the members were in this grade. However, they did teach the catechism, visit hospitals and prisons or do other charitable works depending on ability. This grade was popular with those who did not wish to be ordained but still wanted to work with the society.

5. The Nature and distinctiveness of the order:

   • The Jesuit order undertook a large number of tasks:
     • Missionary Work
       • Main work was missionary work to spread the word of God to those who had no faith. It is estimated that 10million new converts were made in the Americas alone. The jesuits worked in:
         • Brazil: 1549 - Here they developed hospitals and Churches and taught the children.
           • They were criticised for being too tolerant of the natives.
         • Goa & India
     • Educaton
       • Education played a crucial role in the revival of the Catholic Church. The church needed well trained ministers to respond to the criticisms of the Protestants and young people could be strengthened in their faith by good schools. In late 1540s, Ignatius developed a network of schools that spread to all Catholic Europe and beyond. Main features of the Jesuit education plan included:
         • Free Education
         • Catholic Theology was Core
         • Great focus on humanist skills of Latin ect.
         • Schools set up in cities with influencial people
     • Pastoral Work
       • Administering the sacraments; works of charity such as visiting hospitals and prisons; ministering to the dying, prostitutes and the daughters and orphans of prostitutes; preaching
     • Acting as Confessors
       • The Jesuits were well respected and popular as confessors. They did not charge for their services. The question of deciding a "punishment" gained the Jesuits a reputation for a lax approach, as they fitted cases to individual circumastances and were adept at expalining away cases of conscience. E.g. Murder would depend on motive & circumstance. Their ability and moral flexibility made them confessors to the aristocracy and Rulers of Europe, including the Kings of France, Portugal & Poland. To their deeply suspicious enemies, they advised the rulers to put the interests of the Catholic Church first, whatever the moral problem. Most notoriously, the assasination of opponenets, including rulers, was justified by some Jesuit theorists if it led to the greater good for the Church.
     • Work as Theologians and diplomats
       • The Jesuits wereparticularly active at the Council of Trent, a most important general council of the Church that met in three sessions between 1545-1563
     • Defence of the church against the Protestant Advance - Jesuit missions in Europe
     • Preaching:
       • The Jesuits had effective preachers such as Salmeron. Preaching was a core activity and the first section of the Jesuit Constitutios (the rule book of the order). Its importance of spreading the word of God was highly valued.

6. What the Jesuits Were NOT:

   • Not to take over the work of the Parish priests
   • Not formed to stop the advance of Protestantism and very little work was done in this respect between 1540 and 1555. Their main activities at first were in Italy, Spain and Portugal, which were strongly Catholic and far less threatened by the Protestant advance.
   • Not a religious army
   • Not intended to be part of the established hierarchy of the Churhc. Even though they were sought after because of their abilities, they were banned from becoming bishops.

7. Spiritual Exercises

   • The Significance:
     • Begun in 1522, Ignatius' Spiritual Exercises reached its final printed form in 1548. The execises were a set of prayers, reflections, mental exercises and self disciplines that were to last between 28 and 30 days. They were the essential tools of Jesuit training as well as a highly popular course of spiritual enlightenment for laypeople who were guided through it. They were adapted for groups and mission work, which was the intention of Ignatius himself.
   • Aim:
     • "Preparing and disposing our soul to rid itself of all is disordered affections and then, after their removal, of seeking and finding God's will in the ordering of our life for the salvation of our soul."
   • Summary:
     • Week 1: In the first week the person was invited to reflect on the sins of humanity and their personal sins. The week ended with confession, which is a cleansing for the next stage.
     • Week 2: In the second week, a meditation called on the person to follow Christ and then there was reflection on Christ's suffering and death. In prayer, there was the recognition of God's will and that a choice had to be made. This "choice" is at the heat of the second week.
     • Week 3 & 4: In the third and fourth weeks, there were reflections on the passion, death and resurrection of Christ to confirm the choice of a new life in Christ. In conclusion, the person reflected on the many gifts God had given and continued to give, and so in equal generosity, surrendered himself to God.