Few know that the Jesuit order, also known as the Society of Jesus, is the largest congregation that exists in the Catholic Church. It has 16,000 members, It was founded over 480 years ago by St. Ignatius Loyola and his spirituality continues to fascinate thousands of people.
FR. ANTONIO SPADARO
Jesuit
'When I met the Jesuits, what impressed me was that they were living a life worth living. I was also impressed by the spiritual experience, the spiritual exercises. In doing them, I realized this was what I wanted to do with my life.'
Fr. Antonio Spadaro, is one of the most active on social networks, and he runs one of the oldest intellectual magazines that exist, 'La Civiltà Cattolica,' which is also the initiative of the Society of Jesus.
FR. ANTONIO SPADARO
Jesuit
'It's hard to describe the life of a Jesuit, because each one is different. There are those who study or teach, those who work with immigrants or the poor, those who work in an office or others who have a different sort of pastoral work. The most astounding part of the Society of Jesus is that each of us does a different job. There is no Jesuit model, but each offers the talents he has received.'
In order to understand it, one must see that besides parishes and missions, the Society of Jesus has 231 universities worldwide, and Jesuit Refugee Service helps at least half a million people in 57 countries.
Fr. Spadaro says one trait the Jesuits have in common is a very strong spiritual experience, which is the discovery of themselves as'sinners, but saved by the Lord.'
FR. ANTONIO SPADARO
Jesuit
'St. Ignatius is not the founder of the Society of Jesus in the classical sense of the term. He lived a spiritual experience and shared it with his friends, college classmates with those whom he shared money, food, classes ... Gradually the group was consolidated and decided to go to the Holy Land to do apostolate.'
But as St. Ignatius could not sail to the Holy Land, they stood at the complete disposal of the pope to work in what the Church needed.
Obedience to the pope was their fourth vow, which is added to the existing poverty, chastity and obedience.
Since then the DNA of the Jesuits, is versatility, to not be afraid of borders and to remain obedient to the pope.
