St. Xavier's Higher Secondary School, Bettiah

Society of Jesus

The Society of Jesus (Latin: Societas Iesu, S.J., SJ, or SI) is a male religious order within the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits and are sometimes called "The Company" from the Spanish, Compañía de Jesús, which is best translated "companionship" or "society" of Jesus. The society is engaged in evangelization and apostolic ministry in 112 nations on six continents. Its founding principles are contained in the document Formula of the Institute, written by Ignatius of Loyola. Jesuits are known for their work in education (founding schools, colleges, universities, and seminaries), intellectual research, and cultural pursuits, and for their missionary efforts. They also give retreats, minister in hospitals and parishes, and promote social justice and ecumenical dialogue.

Ignatius founded the Society after being wounded in battle and experiencing a religious conversion. He composed the Spiritual Exercises to help others be true disciples of Jesus Christ. In 1534 Ignatius and six other young men, including St. Francis Xavier and Bl. Pierre Favre, professed vows of poverty, chastity, and later obedience, including a special vow of obedience to be sent on mission by the Pope. Ignatius' plan for the order's organization was approved by Pope Paul III in 1540 by the bull containing the Formula of the Institute. The opening lines of this founding document declared that the Society of Jesus was founded to "strive especially for the propagation and defense of the faith and progress of souls in Christian life and doctrine." The Society participated in the Counter-Reformation and later in the implementation of the Second Vatican Council in the Catholic Church.

The Society of Jesus is consecrated under the patronage of Madonna Della Strada, a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and it is led by a Superior General, Adolfo Nicolás in the 2010s. The headquarters of the society, its General Curia, is in Rome. The historic curia of St Ignatius is now part of the Collegio del Gesù attached to the Church of the Gesù, the Jesuit Mother Church.

Jesuits have been active in the field of education throughout the world from the start. The Jesuits number over 16,000 and comprise the largest single religious order in the Catholic Church. Jesuit priests and brothers are engaged in ministries in 112 nations on six continents. Their work is focused on education and intellectual pursuits, mainly at the secondary and tertiary levels, as well as missionary work and ministry in human rights and social justice. These educational institutions engage roughly 1 lakh collaborators and educate approximately 18 lakh students.

In India the Jesuits are responsible for 153 high schools like St. Michael's and St. Xavier's in Patna, 38 colleges like St. Xavier's Kolkata, Ranchi, Patna, Mumbai, and 22 Technical Institutions. Besides, the Jesuits have 5 social institutes, 11 management institutes like XLRI Jamshedpur, XIM Bhubhaneshwar, XISS Ranchi, 6 centres of scientific research in disciplines like History, Botany, and Zoology, 5 dialogue centres to promote communal harmony and collaboration, and innumerable programmes of adult and non-formal education. In all these, and a variety of other fields of activity, over 3000 Jesuits and their 10,000 collaborators from all religions and ethnic backgrounds shape and mould the lives of over 3 lakh young people belonging to every social class, community, and linguistic group through the medium of English and several regional languages.

Jesuit education is inspired by the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and based on the principles of pedagogy elaborated by St. Ignatius of Loyola, with an emphasis on humanism and the service of others.