Showing the way to God. We are the Society of Jesus, a Roman Catholic order of priests and brothers founded half a millennium ago by the soldier-turned-mystic St. Ignatius of Loyola. But most people call us “the Jesuits.”
In the vision of our founder, we seek to “find God in all things.” We dedicate ourselves to the “greater glory of God” and the good of all humanity. And we do so gratefully in collaboration with others who share our values, including laypersons. They have become part of the “we,” the extended Jesuit family.
With 16,000-plus priests, brothers, scholastics and novices worldwide, we are the largest male religious order in the Catholic Church. We are pastors, teachers, and chaplains. We are also doctors, lawyers, and astronomers, among many other roles in Church and society. In our varied ministries, we care for the whole person: body, mind, and soul. And especially in our education ministries, we seek to nurture “men and women for and with others.”
Jesuits draw on the rich tradition of Ignatian spirituality and reflection. In our retreat centres, parishes, campus ministries, and other settings, we offer these resources to all who want to discern God’s presence in their lives. At the same time, we also aim to be “contemplatives in action,” people who bring this spirituality into the wide world. That includes our work on behalf of global justice, peace, and dialogue.
As members of a religious order, Jesuits take three vows — of poverty, chastity and obedience — and a fourth vow of obedience specifically in regard to worldwide mission. In other words, Jesuits must be ready to accept whatever mission the Pope requires, a vow that is reflective of our broader dedication to the universal Church, and to the greater good of all people from all faiths and cultures.
Our collaboration with the laity flows from our personal relationships with Christ. We see ourselves as companions of Jesus, and we invite others to join with us, as friends in the Lord. Together we build up the body of Christ.
With our friends and partners, we also reach out to a broadly diverse world because that’s where God is. From experience and reflection, we know that meaning, value, and divine purpose can be discovered “in all things.”
The Society of Jesus is made up of geographical territories called “provinces.”
There are approximately 80 Jesuit provinces around the world (although their number and boundaries have never been static). Each province has a superior who is simply called “the Provincial,” and who, in turn, reports directly to the central Jesuit government or “curia” in Rome, headed by the Superior General. The current “Father General,” as he is often called, is Father Arturo Sosa, S.J.
In India, there are currently 19 provinces, and in Sri Lanka there is one. And there are many Jesuit communities within the provinces, each one usually headed by a “superior.”
The administrative arm of the Jesuits of India and Sri Lanka is the Jesuit Conference of South Asia. The Conference helps coordinate the relationships among all the various Jesuit entities, including service organizations and the provinces, as well as between them and the international headquarters in Rome.
Jesuit leaders from all countries meet from time to time for what are called General Congregations, often to elect a new Superior General and address important issues facing the order, the Church, and the world. There have been 36 General Congregations throughout the history of the Jesuits, and they are the highest governing authority of the Society of Jesus.
