The Society of Jesus: Ignatius Loyola and the Catholic Reformation

Historical Context and Overview of the Society of Jesus

  • The Catholic Reformation: During the period of the Protestant movement, the Catholic Church was actively engaged in internal reform efforts known as the Counter-Reformation.
  • Foundation of the Order: The Society of Jesus, commonly known as the Jesuits, was officially established as a religious order in 15401540.
  • Ignatius Loyola (1491–1556):     * Loyola was the founder and primary leader of the Jesuits.     * He began his career as a soldier but turned toward religious life while recovering from wounds sustained in battle.     * Under his firm leadership, the Jesuits developed into a highly disciplined organization characterized by unquestioned loyalty to the Pope.

The Constitution of the Society of Jesus (1540)

  • Name and Banner: The society is distinguished by the name of Jesus; members are described as those who desire to "fight for God under the banner of the cross."
  • Primary Service: The dual purpose of the society is to serve God alone and the Roman pontiff, who is recognized as God's vicar on earth.
  • Solemn Vows: Initiation into the society requires a solemn vow of perpetual chastity.
  • Mission and Purpose: The organization was founded for the following specific objectives:     * Providing for the advancement of souls in Christian life and doctrine.     * The propagation of the faith through public preaching and the ministry of the word of God.     * Conducting spiritual exercises and performing deeds of charity.     * Training the young and the "ignorant" in Christianity.     * Providing spiritual consolation to the faithful through the hearing of confessions.
  • Institutional Loyalty: Members are required to recall daily that the society as a whole, and each individual part, fights for God under obedience to the "most holy lord, the pope" and all succeeding Roman pontiffs.
  • The Peculiar Vow of Obedience:     * While all Christians are subject to the Roman pontiff, Jesuits are bound by a "peculiar vow" in addition to general obligations.     * This vow serves to promote greater humility and the "perfect mortification" of the individual through the sacrifice of their own will.     * Members must obey the Pope's decrees regarding the welfare of souls and faith propagation "instantly" and "without evasion or excuse."
  • Global Mission Scope: The society is pledged to go wherever the Pope sends them, including:     * To the Turks or other infidels.     * To the regions known as the Indies.     * To heretics, schismatics, or among the faithful.

The Spiritual Exercises (1548)

  • Obedience to the Church Hierarchy:     * Believers must be ready to obey with both mind and heart, setting aside all personal judgment.     * The Catholic Church is revered as the "true spouse of Jesus Christ," the "holy mother," and the "infallible and orthodox mistress."     * Authority is exercised through the church hierarchy.
  • Sacramental and Devotional Practices:     * Confession: Members should commend the confession of sins to a priest as practiced in the Church.     * Holy Eucharist: Reception of the Eucharist is required at least once a year, though weekly or monthly reception is preferred, provided there is necessary preparation.     * Veneration: The exercises command the praise of relics, the invocation of Saints, pious pilgrimages, the stations, indulgences, and jubilees.     * Church Atmosphere: The practice of lighting candles in churches and other aids to piety is explicitly approved.
  • Lifestyle and Vows:     * High esteem is to be held for religious orders.     * Celibacy and virginity are to be preferred over the married state.     * Vows of chastity, poverty, and perpetual obedience are approved as "works of perfection."     * One should never take a lower vow (such as marriage) if it acts as an impediment to a "more perfect" state.
  • Defense of the Institution:     * All precepts of the Church must be upheld and never censured; they should be defended promptly using reasons from all available sources.     * Decrees, mandates, traditions, and rites must be commended even if the personal conduct of leaders is not upright.     * Publicly attacking or reviling superiors is forbidden as it leads to scandal, disorder, and sets the people against their "princes and pastors."     * The proper course for addressing grievances is a private approach to those with the power to remedy the evil.

Questions & Discussion

Question 1: What does Loyola demand from the Catholic faithful?

  • Answer: Loyola demands absolute and unquestioning obedience to the Roman pontiff and the Catholic hierarchy. Specifically, he requires the faithful to:     * Set aside their own private judgment in favor of Church doctrine.     * Commit to a disciplined life of sacraments, including frequent confession and Eucharist.     * Observe traditional Catholic devotions such as the veneration of saints, relics, and pilgrimages.     * Publicly defend all Church precepts and avoid any criticism of church superiors that might cause social or religious disorder.     * Ideally, embrace the "perfect" states of chastity, poverty, and obedience above the state of marriage.