The Early Society

The video outlines five core missions that define the Jesuit charism, drawing from foundational documents and historical practice.

Highlights

0:12 Pastoral-Spiritual Mission

• Rooted in the Society’s founding purpose: progress of souls in Christian life and doctrine
• Emphasizes heartfelt transformation through the Spiritual Exercises
• Introduced retreats as a new ministry in the Catholic Church

3:00 Ecclesiastical Mission

• Emerged in response to the Reformation and broader Church needs
• Focused on defending the faith and serving under the Pope
• Phrase “serve the Church” appears in the 1550 Formula but rarely in Ignatius’ own writings

5:54 Social Mission

• Included reconciling the estranged and serving in prisons and hospitals
• First religious order to explicitly list social assistance as part of its mission
• Ends with a call to contribute to the “common good”

7:17 Cultural Mission

• Grew through Jesuit involvement in schools, libraries, and observatories
• Promoted arts, poetry, and learning for their own sake and public benefit
• Reflected in the social history of the order more than in normative documents

9:42 Civic Mission

• Schools often requested and funded by cities for civic development
• Humanistic education aimed to form good citizens
• Influenced Jesuit spirituality through daily engagement with classical civic texts