Today in history 6/24: Happy Birthday Jesuits!

Who were the Jesuits?

In early 1537, Ignatius of Loyola and Parisian companions traveled to Venice hoping to sail to Jerusalem. War blocked the routes, so they turned instead to prayer, study and discernment.

On June 24, 1537, most of the group—including Ignatius, Francis Xavier and Peter Faber—were ordained as priests in Venice. This moment transformed their informal brotherhood into a sacramental mission. They spent the next 18 months preaching, serving the poor, and deepening their spiritual lives. St Ignatius experienced a decisive mystical vision during this period: Christ and the Eternal Father called him into service.

In 1540, Pope Paul III formally approved their new community as the Society of Jesus.

The men, charisms & accomplishments

St Ignatius of Loyola
- Charism: Discernment of spirits, spiritual direction, missionary governance.
- Later accomplishments: Authored the Spiritual Exercises; became first Jesuit Superior General; oversaw rapid global expansion.

St Peter Faber
- Charism: Gentle spiritual accompaniment, reconciliation, peacemaking.
- Later accomplishments: First Jesuit priest; key figure in reform efforts in Germany and the Low Countries; mentor to future saints like Peter Canisius.

St Francis Xavier
- Charism: Missionary zeal, cross-cultural evangelization.
- Later accomplishments: Evangelized India, Japan and Southeast Asia; became one of the greatest missionaries in Church history.

The June 24 ordinations were not just a clerical milestone—they were the ignition point of a global apostolic movement. The companions took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. These bound them together, but ordination empowered them to preach absolve and celebrate the sacraments as a unified mission body. Their early ministries—teaching, preaching, caring for the poor, and discerning God’s will—became the DNA of the Jesuit order. Within decades, Jesuits were founding schools, advising rulers, evangelizing continents and shaping Catholic spirituality.

How do Jesuits guide Christians today?

Here are 5 ways they suggest to find a path to heaven. Much depends on specific gifts from the Holy Spirit given to each individual. See this Catholic 365 post for help discerning.

Discern your mission: Like St Ignatius, learn to notice where God consoles or unsettles you, specifics below.
Serve in companionship: The Jesuits began as friends seeking holiness together—Christian mission is communal.
Go where the need is greatest: St Xavier’s willingness to travel to the margins models missionary courage.
Practice gentle accompaniment: St Faber shows that quiet spiritual friendship can transform nations.
Integrate prayer and action: Their ordinations flowed from deep prayer, not ambition—holiness fuels mission.

A St Ignatius deep dive

St. Ignatius of Loyola authored The Spiritual Exercises. His goal was to understand impulses and emotions, break negative thinking patterns and make good decisions leading to better habits. Our "inner steering wheel" is known as the prefrontal cortex (PFC). As our impulse control center, it helps us think before we act, temper our emotions, consider options and stay focused on long-term goals. When St Ignatius pauses, reflects, prays or chooses patience; he leverages his PFC to guide emotion. Spiritually, our PFC is where we choose virtue instead of fear, anger or impulse. When souls practice prayer or self-examination, the PFC grows stronger and becomes more connected. This enables us to exercise prudence, choose kindness, self-control and wisdom. These exercises are helpful for young adults whose PFC is not completely developed or for those with impulse control vices. To summarize, the brain’s decision-making and a souls’s spiritual growth work together. This helps us become calmer, more loving, and more grounded. When he tells souls to “act against” negative habits, he asks us to step back, pray, reframe and calm our emotions via these specific methods.