Jesuits

Cultural  

1. A religious order of men in the Roman Catholic Church; its official name is the Society of Jesus. Founded by Ignatius of Loyola in the sixteenth century, the society became the spearhead of the Counter Reformation.

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The Jesuit order has a long tradition of vigorous missionary work and of intellectual and scholarly achievement. The Jesuits have also been known historically for their influence, often behind the scenes, in European politics and for their skill and resourcefulness in debate — characteristics that have sometimes led people to mistrust them. In recent years, they have become better known as free-ranging thinkers on religious and political questions.

Example Sentences

Months earlier he had been evicted from Plankey Mill Farm near Bardon Mill, just a few miles from Hadrian's Wall, by landowners Jesuits in Britain.

From BBC • Jul. 12, 2025

A diligent student, he studied to be a chemist in college but decided instead to join the Jesuits, the highly intellectual order known for its focus on education and its engagement with gritty real-world situations.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2025

"It's time to go forward," he asserts, quoting Father Frans, who he says inspired him to join the Jesuits.

From BBC • Dec. 17, 2024

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles turned to the Jesuits to use a corporate work study program employed at a Chicago high school to subsidize Catholic tuition.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 6, 2024

I’m out on O’Connell Street and why shouldn’t I take the few steps to the Jesuits and tell all my sins this last night I’ll be fifteen.

From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt