The Society of Jesus (Jesuits)
The Society of Jesus (widely known as the Jesuits) is a worldwide Roman Catholic religious order founded in 1540 by Saint Ignatius Loyola and his companions. The Jesuit mission is a mission of reconciliation, working so that women and men can be reconciled with God, with themselves, with each other and with God’s creation.
Since its foundation, the Order has grown from the original ten to more than 16,000 Jesuits worldwide. From the very beginning, the Society of Jesus served the Church in Europe as well as in Asia, Africa and the Americas. Since then, they have experienced growth and have surpassed the apostolic breadth of the early Jesuits in its educational, intellectual, pastoral and missionary endeavours.
The 16,000-plus Jesuits worldwide come from 112 countries and belong to approximately 80 provinces and regions, but the order has a universal character that transcends these boundaries. Indeed, Jesuits are called on to go anywhere across the geographical and cultural frontiers.
In 2019, Fr Arturo Sosa SJ, Superior General of the Jesuits, promulgated four Universal Apostolic Preferences to guide the Society of Jesus in incarnating the mission of reconciliation and justice in all apostolic services which the Jesuits and lay people do in the next 10 years. The Preferences give a horizon, a point of reference to the whole Society of Jesus. They capture our imaginations and awaken our desires. They unite us in our mission. The new Preferences are four areas vital for our world today. The Society of Jesus will pay special attention to them in the next ten years. We invite you to learn more and take action with us! We want to make a Gospel difference.
The Universal Apostolic Preferences
