Who are the Jesuits?
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| Who are the Jesuits? |  |
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"The Society of Jesus is an apostolic body of men of the Church, animated by a deep personal love of Jesus Christ, who as contemplatives in action and in partnership with others, are men on mission, ever searching for the magis."
The Jesuits are men who belong to a Catholic religious order called the Society of Jesus. This group was founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola over 450 years ago.
Over this period, Jesuit priests and brothers have lived an amazing story of serving the Church in new and unexpected ways. We are still men on the move, ready to change place, occupation, method-- whatever will advance our mission in the Church. We are expected to do anything or go anywhere to teach Jesus Christ and preach his Good News.
Today that "we" has expanded to include men and women who share this vision of service to faith and to the justice that faith demands.
Together Jesuits and lay partners place ourselves in the presence of God and ask ourselves the questions that St. Ignatius suggested to his first companions during the period of prayer that led to their permanent companionship: What have I done for Christ? * What am I doing for Christ? * What will I do for Christ?
International Jesuit portal: http://www.sjweb.info/
| Becoming a Jesuit | |
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What is a Jesuit vocation?
We recall Jesus gathering his disciples when we speak of ‘vocation’. Jesuits strive to live as Jesus did, answering his call to serve others and working to build a just world.
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Australian Jesuit Provincial
Mark Raper in Rwanda |
The Jesuit vocation means living the Gospel message fully, generously, perhaps even heroically. It is not an easy life. It is a wonderful vocation. Everything for the greater glory of God; more is not possible. Pedro Arrupe SJ (Superior General 1965-1983) |
What do Jesuits do?
Jesuits are priests and brothers who work in parish and retreat ministry, in high schools and colleges, in refugee camps, with indigenous Australians, and in many other settings.
Jesuits may be found working as lawyers and doctors, psychologists and counselors, writers and journalists, theologians and philosophers, researchers and scientists. In short, Jesuits do all kinds of work. Their mission is everywhere and always the promotion of faith in Jesus Christ and the justice demanded by that faith. Jesuits seek to make Christ's Kingdom available to our times.
How do you become a Jesuit?
Jesuit training traditionally takes a long time. Nowadays, every person's education and background is taken into account to ensure that they receive as good a preparation for Jesuit life as is possible. The description that follows is simply an outline of what can still be called the ‘normal’ pattern of initial formation for a Jesuit student in the Australian Province, though there is much room for variation.
The application process to join the Jesuits
The overall purpose of the application process is to discover the suitability of a man for the novitiate and his capacity to live a fruitful and happy life as a Jesuit.
The Thirty-Second General Congregation of the Society of Jesus said:
What is it to be a Jesuit? It is to know that one is a sinner, yet called to be a companion of Jesus as Ignatius was: Ignatius who begged the Blessed Virgin to “place him with her Son” and who then saw the Father himself ask Jesus, carrying his Cross, to take this pilgrim into his company.
And so, the man we seek is one who is aware of his humanity and weakness but has the self-knowledge and the openness to grow that would enable him to follow Jesus as one of us now and in the future.
Applications to the novitiate usually happen between September and November of each year. Aapplications are usually completed by the first week in December. The process involves:
- interviews with four Jesuits
- letters of reference
- psychological testing
- a medical examination
- Certificates of Baptism and Confirmation
All of the material is presented to the Provincial of the Australian Province who, in consultation with his consultors, makes the final decision regarding admission of a candidate to the Jesuit novitiate.
For more information please email the Coordinator of the Jesuit Vocations Ministry, Fr. Edward Dooley .