Today is the feast day of St. Ignatius of Loyola. As a product of the old Jesuit school system, the one that existed before Vatican II, I have always had a spot in my heart for the Society of Jesus. As Jimmy Aiken says "When they're good, they're very, very good, and when they're bad, their horrid."
Even today the Society contains solid orthodox priests who have done great things, as well as those who are not so orthodox and have caused confusion to the faithful and discredit to their order. In this they are like all other institutions which contain people.
The Society of Jesus is the largest religeous order in the Church, with over 14,000 priests. Jesuits serve God in almost every nation on Earth, even in ones where Catholics and Chrsitians in general are persecuted, something which is not unusual for the order which has had many martyrs in its history.
The founder, St. Ignatius was a member of the aristocracy who was a knight, soldier, hermit, student, teacher and order founder. Born in the castle of Loyola Ignatius, the youngest of 13 children, became a soldier. Wounded in battle he hung his military vestments before an image of the Blessed Virgin and devoted the rest of his life to service to God. A worthy model for the members of his order.
My God bless all the members of the Society of Jesus and may our prayers joint the prayers of their founder for them.
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