The Jesuits
The Jesuits, or Society of Jesus, are a Roman Catholic religious order founded in 1540 by St. Ignatius Loyola and a group of companions. Ignatius, after a profound spiritual and religious conversion, developed a method of prayer called the Spiritual Exercises. The Jesuits were, in some sense, a corporate attempt to embody and live out of the experience of the Exercises and to be companions of Jesus working to help the whole world enter deeper relationship with God. After receiving papal approval, Jesuits quickly became missionaries, educators, givers of retreats, preachers, scientists, philosophers, and theologians. Today, there are about 14,000 Jesuits in the world. Gonzaga Eastern Point Retreat House is a work of the United States East Province of the Society of Jesus.
Interested in becoming a Jesuit? Visit beajesuit.org.
Ignatian Spirituality
Ignatian Spirituality is a term that describes the manner of seeking, finding, and entering a relationship with God, as articulated in the Spiritual Exercises and by its various practitioners. Ignatian Spirituality helps people identify where and how God is at work in persons, places, and things; it helps people learn how to respond to God gratefully and generously, and it provides a framework for thinking about the entirety of one's life as a participation in the mission of Jesus. It is a practical spirituality for busy people, and millions -- from lay people to priests to popes-- have found it a helpful tool in building their relationships with God.
The Jesuits, or Society of Jesus, are a Roman Catholic religious order founded in 1540 by St. Ignatius Loyola and a group of companions. Ignatius, after a profound spiritual and religious conversion, developed a method of prayer called the Spiritual Exercises. The Jesuits were, in some sense, a corporate attempt to embody and live out of the experience of the Exercises and to be companions of Jesus working to help the whole world enter deeper relationship with God. After receiving papal approval, Jesuits quickly became missionaries, educators, givers of retreats, preachers, scientists, philosophers, and theologians. Today, there are about 14,000 Jesuits in the world. Gonzaga Eastern Point Retreat House is a work of the United States East Province of the Society of Jesus.
Interested in becoming a Jesuit? Visit beajesuit.org.
Ignatian Spirituality
Ignatian Spirituality is a term that describes the manner of seeking, finding, and entering a relationship with God, as articulated in the Spiritual Exercises and by its various practitioners. Ignatian Spirituality helps people identify where and how God is at work in persons, places, and things; it helps people learn how to respond to God gratefully and generously, and it provides a framework for thinking about the entirety of one's life as a participation in the mission of Jesus. It is a practical spirituality for busy people, and millions -- from lay people to priests to popes-- have found it a helpful tool in building their relationships with God.
