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FAQs about the Society of Jesus PDF Print E-mail

What does S.J. mean?


In Latin: Societas Jesu
In Pilipino: Kapisanan ni Hesus
In English: Society of Jesus (Companions of Jesus)
In Spanish: Compañia de Jesus (Compañeros de Jesus)
Popular name: Jesuits or mga Heswita

The Society of Jesus today has around 18000 members, the largest single order of priests and brothers in the world. In the Philippines, we have more than 300 men in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.


What does it mean to be Jesuit?


"It is to know that one is a sinner,
yet called to be a companion of Jesus,
as Ignatius was, who begged the Blessed
Virgin to place him with her Son,
and who then saw the Father Himself
ask Jesus, carrying His cross,
to take this pilgrim into his company…"

"It is to engage, under the standard of the cross,
in the crucial struggle of our time
the struggle for faith
and that struggle for justice
which it includes."

- from the 32nd General Congregation Decree on “Jesuits Today”


What is the meaning of Jesuit vows?


The Jesuit takes religious vows which are apostolic. He commits himself until death to the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience. This is so that he may be totally united to Christ and share His own freedom to be at the service of all God’s people. And so, the Jesuit formalizes this commitment, by public vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

In binding the Jesuits, the vows set them free:

free by their vow of poverty, to share the life of the poor, relying on God’s providence, and to use whatever resources they may have not for their own security and comfort, but for service;

free by their vow of chastity, to be men-for-others, in friendship and communion with all, but especially with those who share their mission of service;

free by their vow of obedience, to respond to the call of Christ as made known to them by him whom the Spirit has placed over the Church, and to follow the lead of their superiors, especially the Father General, who has all authority over them.

Moreover, following Ignatius they have asked Christ our Lord to let them render this service in a manner that gives them a personality of their own. They have chosen to give it in the form of a consecrated life, placing themselves at the service not only of the local churches but of the universal Church, by a special vow of obedience to his who presides over the universal Church, namely, the Pope.

I've heard of priests, but what are brothers?


The Jesuit Brother is a man called by God to the apostolic and missionary work of the Church. He is a man who consecrates the labor of his hands, all his talents, all his life, to the service of God and his neighbor. He does this as a full member of a brotherhood of men with one and the same vision, the SOCIETY OF JESUS. As a Jesuit, he commits himself totally to God by taking the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.

When Ignatius and his companions discerned how they were to live their vocation, their experience was already linked to the exercise of priestly ministry. But the required mobility to live out the vocation led Ignatius to accept into the Society a diversity of priests and brothers to share the same vocation and contribute to the one mission. All members are graced with the call to follow Jesus poor and humble.

The Brother's vocation is to be sent to labor strenuously in giving aid towards the salvation and perfection of the souls of others. Brothers share in and contribute to the one apostolic vocation through the personal call of the Spirit. They can function in any mission proper to the Society. Brothers are intimately involved in every apostolic task of the Society through which this mission is carried out.

Thus, the first and most important contribution of a Brother is the gift of his own self, offered freely in service to the Lord.

What is the cost of Jesuit training?


If accepted in the Prenovitiate, the applicant is asked be contribute some amount to help defray expenses undertaken by the Society. He is also expected to provide for his own personal needs while in the Prenovitiate.

Anyone, however, who is not able to meet these financial requirements can explain his situation to the Vocation Director, or to the Director of the Prenovitiate who will judge what arrangements are feasible. No one is refused admittance for purely financial reasons.

As soon as the candidate is accepted into the Novitiate, he has no more financial obligations. The Society, with the help of generous benefactors, takes care of financing his whole formation and training in the Society.


What do I do if I am discerning to become a Jesuit?


Continue to pray, receive the sacraments. Get involved in your parish and your school’s religious activities specially in the liturgy of the Eucharist. Write or visit us. We will be happy to accompany in your search. We encourage you to attend our vocation seminar and other activities.

 

 

 
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The more than 300 men of the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus serve in five universities, numerous schools for basic education, two diocesan major seminaries, three urban and five rural parishes, four retreat houses, and a variety of centers for spirituality, social action, communication, and socio-pastoral services. In addition, we have Jesuits serving in the foreign missions, in Cambodia, China, and East Timor.


None of these ministries can continue without the generous help of benefactors like you. Your gifts truly keep us going. They free us to serve wherever the need is greatest, here or abroad; they support our ministries, enable us to educate new laborers and sustain care for those worn out in service.


Our financial resources are diminishing even as demands of service to the Church grow. For this reason, I am forced to turn again and beg from you who have so often been our partners in ministry. If you can, please make a tax-deductible contribution to support our efforts.


Clicking on the link below will bring you
to a donation portal secured by myAyala.com.

When asked to indicate what ministry or cause you would like to help, please specify:

SJ FUND.

You can give more specific instructions regarding your gift in our donation portal.

Donate by clicking here.


Or you can send a Philippine Peso check
to
Mision de la Compania de Jesus at:

De La Costa House
132 B. Gonzales Street
Loyola Heights, Quezon City
Philippines


If you would like to make a US tax-deductible contribution,
please send a US Dollar check
to
Philippine Jesuit Foundation at:


Philippine Jesuit Foundation
P.O. Box 312
New York, N.Y.  10028
USA

Philippine Jesuit Foundation (PJF) is a charitable organization under section 501(c)3 of the US Internal Revenue Code.
Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

For additional information, contact:

Ms. MARGARET LLAMAS
Executive Director
pjfexecdir@gmail.com
Telephone number: (646) 370-1526


Your gift will be much appreciated and put to good use. Be assured, too, that you will be with us in our prayers, Masses and apostolic works, even as we also ask you to continue to pray for us.



Sincerely yours in the Lord,

JOSE C. J. MAGADIA, S.J.
Provincial


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