The Society of Jesus

The Society of Jesus is a Roman Catholic religious order and members of the Society of Jesus are commonly known as the Jesuits. The Jesuit order grew out of the efforts of its founder, Ignatius of Loyola, and six companions who bound themselves by vows of poverty, chastity, and apostolic labors in the Holy Land or, if this latter plan did not prove feasible, to any apostolic endeavor enjoined by the Pope. Early on in his life, Ignatius saw a need for members of his group to become involved in education. By 1548 Ignatius had opened schools in Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, and India. In 1548 at the request of the magistrates of Messina in Sicily, Ignatius sent five men to open a school for lay persons as well as Jesuit students. As history shows, the Jesuits continued to focus the on education in order to fulfill the motto of the Society of Jesus, "Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam," To the Greater Glory of God.

Today, there are 28 Jesuit Colleges & Universities in the United States. The Society of Jesus has approximately 25,000 members world-wide.

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JASPA is a conference within the Association of Jesuit Colleges & Universities (AJCU)
All rights reserved.  Last Updated:  January 12, 2004