Are Jesuits into Monastic-type spirituality and contemplation?

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I think the dichotomy should be between “apostolic” and “enclosed.” Many apostolic or active religious (not to mention seculars) are also contemplatives. In fact, all religious have a contemplative dimension to their prayer life, I believe. At least, this is true of all the religious I know.
 
I know the OP is male, but the first thing that came to mind when reading this thread was the recent website Jesuit Women. There’s a substantial list of congregations of women in the Jesuit tradition I helped her compile.

The only way you’re going to know is to go visit. Start locally first. Get in touch with the diocesan Vocations director. Tell them your attractions. Then see who’s in the dioceses next door to you.

Ignatius among the Dominicans isn’t out in midfield. The DSMME (Ann Arbor Dominicans), have statues of both Sts Ignatius of Loyola and Teresa of Avila in their chapel. The Dominicans and Jesuits both have churches in Raleigh.

I think a good middle ground would be the Oblates of St Francis de Sales. Their patron was Jesuit-educated, and much of Ignatius comes through DeSales’ writings. I’ve done both the Spiritual Exercises and the Introduction to the Devout Life, and there are great similarities between them.

There are new congregations coming forth with blended spiritualities, yes. The Poor Friars, who have recently posted on CAF Vocations, are Franciscan-Carmelite. The Daughters of Mary, Mother of Israel’s Hope are Beno-Salesian, as are the Adorers of the Royal Heart. My own Congregation is Vincentian-Paulacrucian with great Salesian (name removed by moderator)ut.

Hope this helps.

Blessings,
Mrs Cloisters OP
Lay Dominican
http://cloisters.tripod.com/charity/
http://cloisters.tripod.com/
 
AlbMagno said:
I don’t like that they aren’t Ignatian and they aren’t sooo open to science ministries,
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I actually know a Dominican Friar in the Eastern Province that has a Ph.D. in Microbiology, is a college professor of biology and theology, and I believe he is helping with the whole Covid-19 epidemic. That’s pretty open to the science ministries.

A little about this Dominican Friar: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicanor_Austriaco

He visited our parish a couple of years ago, and while here, gave some conferences to both laity and the medical establishment which were very well received by Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
 
Yes, I’ve heard about Nicanor. I like his example, but he is the only contemporary dominican scientist that I’ve heard. What I was referring to was, altough Dominicans are closer to natural sciences than other orders, not as much as the Jesuits, and them (the Dominicans) seem more into social sciences and philosophy. Or that’s what I can tell from some internet digging.
 
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I’ve known several Dominicans who were scientists or at least had significant scientific interests. I think it’s another one of those common misconceptions because we don’t popularly associate sciences with the Dominican charism.
 
Thank you so much! Can’t tell you how excited I am to go exploring the Jesuit Women topic. (And since we’ve been in quarantine mode, I’ve been watching daily Mass with the DSMME most mornings. They are fantastic - beautiful singers, too!)
 
AlbMagno said:
However, what I didn’t see is the classic catholic style of other religious, with a strong emphasis on Liturgy and Liturgical art, Contemplation, etc. all that things that are more “monastic” but yet other active orders have. In other words, I found Ignatian Spirituality too much “invisible”. This is strange because 1600-1900 jesuits seemed very into these things even while being a evangelizing order.

So, do any of you know about the communal prayer life of the Jesuits? Is it all based on the imagination and emotions as St. Ignatius said, or does it have more “monastic” elements?
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Monastic is probably the wrong word since the Jesuits are very much an apostolic order. They’re also not like the Dominicans though, which is a mendicant order (basically itinerant preachers); Ignatius sought to establish something different again, something more dynamic and adaptable to meet the needs of any given area where members of the order were needed. As Pope Francis has said, Jesuits traditionally operate on the fringes although, as the saying goes: "if you’ve met one Jesuit, you’ve met one Jesuit!

In terms of spirituality however, while their spirituality has at its heart the idea of “God in all things” (so seeking God in the world) they are also very contemplative - every Jesuit novice does the full Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola, in their first year, which is a month-long silent retreat! He will also do this again before his final vows. He will also repeat this throughout his life as a Jesuit as well as doing short retreats and other exercises from Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises.

When it comes to apostolic life, Jesuits are involved in almost every work imaginable, although the service of faith (including of course education which they’re famous for) and the promotion of justice lies at the heart of the Jesuit charism. So a science background would fit right in - more than a few Jesuits (including some particularly well known ones) have been involved in science.
 
Thank you Father, I was just thinking about writing one of the priests here, it must have been God 😁

You are right, I didn’t remember about the silent retreats. I think, as many of you say, that Jesuits in fact have a very strong spiritual life/theology, they just conceal it for some reason.
 
AlbMagno said:
I think, as many of you say, that Jesuits in fact have a very strong spiritual life/theology, they just conceal it for some reason.
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i’m not sure they conceal it as such, it may be more just that it’s part of the ordinary lives as much a praying the office and so not spoken of much for that reason.
 
In this time of COVID-19, please keep elderly religious in prayer. I was inspired to look up the St Louis Jesuits on YouTube last night, and they had their farewell concert this past October. I listened to their original rendition of “Bless the Lord, My Soul” as a Lenten/pandemic penance/prayer. The St Louis Jesuits group are in their 70s and 80s. Their farewell concert was to raise money for a non-profit organization that ministers to the homeless – while conducting the Spiritual Exercises for the same.
 
If you haven’t taken this “spirituality test” I think it might be interesting to take

https://vocationnetwork.org/en/articles/show/63

When I took it, it indicated that I have an Augustine spirituality (even though I thought I was more of a Dominican). But it really makes sense, because I’ve always been attracted by the charism of Canon Regulars.
 
I’ve taken that test and got Thomistic/Dominican I think (not surprising considering it is based in the Myers Briggs Test and I am an INTJ). I should take it again though, thanks 🙂
 
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Dominicans are Augustinian. They’re one of several orders based on the Rule of St Augustine, which was Letter 211 written to women.

The other orders are:

Norbertines
Mercedarians
Trinitarians
Servites

And, of course, the Augustinians, themselves.

The great orders have women’s counterparts, too.

As for women, the Visitation, Good Shepherd, and Ursuline sisters follow that rule.

Canons Regular are the most ancient form of religious life for men.
 
Just dawned on me that the Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matara are Ignatian. They’re the only Ignatian cloister that I know of.
 
A priest friend of mine gave me a different viewpoint. The Jesuits introduced a new military outlook, influenced by Ignatius of Loyola’s background where obedience, hierarchy and training were stressed in the fight-back of the Catholic/Counter Reformation.
This differed from the traditional view with its emphases on virtue and the good of society.
 
Cloisters said:
Dominicans are Augustinian. They’re one of several orders based on the Rule of St Augustine, which was Letter 211 written to women.

The other orders are:

Norbertines
Mercedarians
Trinitarians
Servites

And, of course, the Augustinians, themselves.

The great orders have women’s counterparts, too.

As for women, the Visitation, Good Shepherd, and Ursuline sisters follow that rule.

Canons Regular are the most ancient form of religious life for men.
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TRUE!!!
 
Lemaitre was educated by Jesuits, I think that is why there is confusion.

On a side note, I hope one day Lemaitre gets canonized ❤️, he was a reasonably holy guy and we need more patrons of sciences besides Albert the Great.
 
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