Jesuits and Education

A Jesuit is a member of the Society of Jesus (S.J.), a Roman Catholic religious order of men founded by St Ignatius of Loyola. Among the Society's seven founding companions was St Francis Xavier, the heavenly patron of St Xavier's College, Thumba, whose missionary zeal and spirit of service continue to inspire the College's vision and mission. Renowned for its commitment to education, missionary endeavour, and service to humanity, the Society of Jesus was long regarded as the principal force behind the Counter-Reformation and later emerged as a leading influence in the modernisation of the Catholic Church.

The Society traces its origins to the spiritual journey of Ignatius, a Spanish soldier whose religious conversion followed a prolonged recovery from a battle wound. During this period, he composed the Spiritual Exercises, a spiritual guide that invites individuals to grow in freedom, discernment, and a deeper following of Jesus Christ. On 15 August 1534, in Paris, Ignatius and six companions, united by a shared vision, took vows of poverty, chastity, and a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When that final commitment proved impossible, they pledged instead to place themselves at the service of the Pope, accepting whatever apostolic mission they might be entrusted with. In 1539, Ignatius drafted the first constitution of the new order, which Pope Paul III formally approved on 27 September 1540.

The Jesuits' prominence among religious orders and their steadfast loyalty to the Pope soon attracted fierce opposition. By the mid-eighteenth century, a broad coalition of political and ecclesiastical adversaries sought the Society's suppression, driven largely by the anti-clerical and anti-papal currents of the age. Under sustained pressure from the governments of France, Spain, and Portugal, Pope Clement XIV suppressed the Society in 1773. Yet it survived in Russia, where Catherine II the Great refused to enforce the papal decree. As the demand for Jesuit education and missionary work continued to grow, Pope Pius VII restored the Society in 1814.

Today, the Society of Jesus is the largest religious order of men in the Catholic Church. While education remains its principal apostolate, Jesuits also serve in missions, social justice initiatives, communications, ecological stewardship, interreligious dialogue, and public life across the world. In 2013, Pope Francis became the first Jesuit to be elected Pope, a milestone that reflected the Society's enduring commitment to faith, justice, and service.