Are Jesuits Really Catholic?

Lisa ReiterSaint Louis University

Historical Context

Understanding “Charism” Bernard loved the hills, Benedict the valleys Francis the towns Ignatius the great cities

Jesuit charism

The Charism of the Society is different

Jesuits are on the frontiers In the past those frontiers have been

physical and geographical Today, those frontiers have different

dimensions:  intellectual

Early History of the Society

1540: Society of Jesus is founded Pope Paul III papal Bull

1545-1563: Council of Trent Jesuits were sought after as advisors

Missionary Activity

Suppression of the Society

Political and economic, Not theological

1767 Promulgated in Catholic countries Georgetown is founded during

suppression Restored in 1814 by Pope Pius VII

Contemporary History

1965 Vatican II document: Gaudium Et Spes

(The Church in the Modern World) Pedro Arrupe, S.J. becomes Superior

General 1971

Bishop’s Synod document: Justice in the World▪ ‘preferential option for the poor’

1973 Arrupe’s address “Men and Women for

Others”

Contemporary History continued

1974-1975: General Congregation 32, Decree 4

The mission of the Society of Jesus today is the service of faith, of which the promotion of justice is an absolute requirement.  For reconciliation with God demands the reconciliation of people with one another.

In one form or another, this has always been the mission of the Society; but it gains new meaning and urgency in the light of the needs and aspirations of the men and women of our time, and it is in that light that we examine it anew.  We are confronted today, in fact, by a whole series of new challenges.

Contemporary History

1977: Rutillo Grande, S.J. is murdered in El Salvador Followed in 1989 by the 6 Jesuits & 2

Women at the UCA 1981

Arrupe suffers a stroke John Paul II appoints Fr. Paola Dezza, S.J.

the pontifical delegate

Contemporary History

1983: General Congregation 33 Arrupe resigns Peter Hans Kolvenbach elected Superior

General April 2005

John Paul II dies Cardinal Ratzinger is elected Pope

Benedict

General Congregation 35

January – March 2008 Kolvenbach resigns Nicolás is elected Superior General Pope Benedict meets with GC 35

delegates In a private audience with Pope

Benedict, Nicolás renews his vows

Benedict’s address to GC 35 Today I should like to encourage you and your confreres to

go on in the fulfilment of your mission, in full fidelity to your original charism, …..

As my predecessors have often told you, the Church needs you, counts on you, and continues to turn to you with confidence, particularly to reach

the geographical and spiritual places where others do not reach or find it difficult to reach.

Those words of Paul IV have remained engraved in your hearts: “Wherever in the Church, even in the most difficult and exposed fields, in the crossroads of ideologies, in the social trenches, there has been or is confrontation between the burning exigencies of humanity and the perennial message of the Gospel, there have been and are the Jesuits” (3 December 1974, to the 32nd General Congregation).

Lisa’s contact information

reiterlr@slu.edu 314-977-2425