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

Jesuits were historically looked on with suspicion by Rome.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2025

“What is it the Jesuits say? Service is love in action. I know it’s corny. But I’m going to love this community by being of service to it. So that’s my commitment.”

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 14, 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

All Jesuits were expelled from the Venetian Republic in retaliation.

From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin