The Jesuits (the Society of Jesus) are the largest men’s religious order in the Catholic Church. The Society was founded in 1540 by St. Ignatius Loyola; today there are almost 20,000 Jesuits serving the Church in 112 nations on six continents.

Jesuit priests and lay partners throughout the world are committed to the service of faith, and this requires that we promote justice, foster dialogue between cultures and religions, and lovingly care for those the Lord puts on our path. Through our blog, FriendsInTheLord.com, we hope to represent the spirituality of St. Ignatius, which encourages us to consider what Jesus said and did. At the foundation of Jesus’s life was prayer and a continuous search for how best to live as an authentic human being before a loving God. Jesus preached forgiveness of sins, healed the sick and possessed, and gave hope to the poor and those socially and economically outcast. Jesus spoke of joy, peace, justice and love; he summoned men and women from all classes of society to continue to follow his way to God and his commitment to helping people become whole and holy.

More information about the Jesuits is available on our website: Jesuits.ca.