Why were the Jesuits founded?

Answer 1

• Create schools throughout Europe
• Convert non-Christians to Catholicism
• Stop the spread of Protestantism
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Catholic Answer

The Jesuit or the Society of Jesus, were formed by St. Ignatius of Loyola as a religious Order specifically loyal to the Pope. They were to further Catholic education, staff missions, and stop and reverse the protestant heresy. Today they still do the same things, although most of their emphasis is on teaching.

from
A Catholic Dictionary, edited by Donald Attwater, Second edition, revised 1957

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The Jesuits.
The Society, at first called Company, of Jesus, an order of clerks regular founded by St. Ignatius Loyola in 1534. Whilst the primary end of the Society is to be at the call of the pope for whatever work is required, its chief apostolic labours are the education of youth and foreign missions. In addition to their numerous schools and colleges for lay pupils, Jesuits are in charge of a number of seminaries in Rome and elsewhere and such pontifical institutions as the Gregorian University, and are strongly represented on Roman congregations and commissions; outstanding in their scholarship is the work of the Bollandists and they are responsible for mission territories in many parts of the world (including Alaska [in 1949]). They have a number of priests of Byzantine rite, working chiefly among Russians and other Slavs. The solemn vows of religion are taken by a special section of the priests when they make their second profession, or, as is said, "take their last vows" to which is added a fourth, of special obedience to the Holy See to go wherever sent on missions. The training undergone is long, arduous and varied. A devoted spirit of obedience, versatility and efficiency are characteristic of the Society. Its rules are contained in the "institutum Societatis Jesu," especially the constitutions as drawn up by St. Ignatius himself; in view of fables current about the society, it may be noted that these rules are not secret.

they taught school, held the religious ceremonies, ran the hospitals, help build the colonies, recorded history, cared for the poor, donated some of their income (which was called a tithe) and most importantly they spread the Catholic Faith.

Answer 2

To combat the Protestant Reformation and to engage in missions work. The founders - Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, Alfonso Salmeron, Diego Laínez, Nicolás Bobadilla, Peter Faber, and Simão Rodrigues - believed that God desired them to do so.

Answer 3

Catholic Answer
St. Ignatius of Loyola founded the Jesuits in 1534, and it was approved by Pope Paul III in 1540 with two primary goals: 1) to restore the Catholic faith in areas devastated by the protestant revolt and 2) to preach the Gospel in non-Christian lands.
from Modern Catholic Dictionary by John A. Hardon, S.J. Doubleday & Co., Inc. Garden City, NY 1980
Jesuits. The Society of Jesus, founded by St. Ignatius Loyola and approved by Pope Paul III in 1540. As conceived by the founder, it had a twofold aim: to strengthen and where necessary to restore the Catholic faith in the wake of the Protestant Reformation, and to preach the Gospel in non-Christian lands. Typical of the first purpose was the establishment of colleges throughout Europe, and the second purpose was the development of worldwide mission enterprises in Asia, Africa, and the newly developed Americas.
The Society of Jesus grew out of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, and its structure and discipline were embodied in the detailed Constitutions, also written by the founder.

Answer 4

Catholic Answer

Pretty modest, they wanted to follow Jesus, be saints, convert the world, and return the protestants to the Church.

from Modern Catholic Dictionary by John A. Hardon, S.J. Doubleday & Co., Inc. Garden City, NY 1980

Jesuits. The Society of Jesus, founded by St. Ignatius Loyola and approved by Pope Paul III in 1540. As conceived by the founder, it had a twofold aim: to strengthen and where necessary to restore the Catholic faith in the wake of the Protestant Reformation, and to preach the Gospel in non-Christian lands. Typical of the first purpose was the establishment of colleges throughout Europe, and the second purpose was the development of worldwide mission enterprises in Asia, Africa, and the newly developed Americas.

The Society of Jesus grew out of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, and its structure and discipline were embodied in the detailed Constitutions, also written by the founder.

Opposition from many quarters, but especially from the Jansenists, led to suppression of the Jesuits by Pope Clement XIV in 1773. They were restored by Pope Pius VII in 1814. Since their restoration, they grew in numbers to become the largest single religious institute in the Catholic world through their universities, colleges, and secondary schools, through scholarly publications, retreat houses, and seminaries.

The Society of Jesus is divided into assistancies, these in turn into provinces, and within the provinces are local communities. The superior general is elected for life; he appoints provincials and also the rectors of the more important local communities.

There are three kinds of finally professed members in the society: the solemnly professed and the spiritual coadjutors who are priests, and the lay brothers who are spiritual coadjutors. The solemnly professed take solemn vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience and four simple vows: special obedience to the Pope, not to mitigate the society's poverty, not to accept ecclesiastical dignitaries, actively seeking to avoid such preferments. The others take simple vows only. But all the finally professed make a total renunciation of private ownership

Answer 5

they were a catholic response to the reformation