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.

---

Discover More

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

One of his last Facebook posts, earlier this month, as a Chicagoan educated by Jesuits, was, “pope leo XIV is a sout’ sider my friendts. his cassock size is 4XIV.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2025

When he sought initially to become Pope in 2005 some Jesuits breathed a sigh of relief.

From BBC • 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

If you need someone to clean up a mess in Catholic education, you call the Jesuits.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 6, 2024

Following the initial success of the Reformation movement, the Catholic Church was fighting back, notably through the activities of the Jesuits in Austria and the southern German states.

From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin