Who founded the Jesuits?
The Jesuits were first started as the Society of Jesus, by Ignatius Loyola in 1534 and approved by the Pope in 1540. Ignatius is now referred to as Saint Ignatius. The Jesuits are a Catholic order of monks (who may live in the Community), of whom there are still about 200 in Britain today. The Jesuits were formed to save souls and convert people to the Catholic faith. They were God’s army, without the swords. One aspect of Jesuit life is that they are prepared to go to areas of conflict or fighting and view themselves as sharing the faith of Jesus, to go wherever the ministry is needed. Jesuits have played an important role in European history through the power and influence which they have exerted at European courts. Their influence has been felt throughout the rest of the world as well and they even founded a theocratic Government (a Government run by the Church) in Paraguay.
