I’ve noticed that whenever there’s a conspiracy regarding the Catholic Church, it’s always either instigated by, or carried out by the Jesuits (The Jesuits started WWII, the Jesuits know “the truth” about the Catholic Church and the Vatican fears them, the Jesuits killed Kennedy, whatever). My question is, why is it always the Jesuits? You (or, at least, I) never hear any of these conspiracies being the work of the Franciscans, Dominicans, Cistercians, etc.; it’s always the Jesuits (and sometimes the Knights Templar, but I belive they were Cistercians, and I see Jesuits much more than Knights Templar).
I’ve tried to do some internet searches, but everything I find is either complementary of the Jesuits, or utter whack job conspiracy theories. From what I can tell, they’re very devoted to the Pope, have for centuries been a society of scholars and teachers (it seems they created many universities), and extol a life of service. The only bad thing I can find is when they were, for some reason, temporarily disbanded because the Pope.
I’m not looking for any Catholic bashing, Protestant vs. Catholic debates, or any new conspiracies; but instead factual information (if there is any) as to why it’s always the Jesuits. If this thread belongs in a different forum, I apologize, and please move it.
The Jesuits were founded during the Reformation, in large part, as a response to it, and they were on the “front line” of the Counter-Reformation. For example, most of the priests who snuck into England to perform illegal church services during the reign of Queen Elizabeth were Jesuits. The Jesuits were also agressive missionaries and teachers, and a number of prominent Catholic commanders during the wars of religion, like Tilley and Wallenstein. The Jesuits also take special vows of obedience to the Pope, and were, in the 16th and 17th centuries, at least, millitantly anti-Protestant, even more than most of the other religious orders. So, all of this together means that, from their founding, they were seen as the Pope’s “special agents”.
And the anti-Jesuit conspiracy theories aren’t new, btw. Jesuits were accused of plots to poison Queen Elizabeth I.
My understanding of the Jesuits is that they are somewhat radical when it comes to pursuing their version of the faith. Not radical in the sense that they carry out assassinations, but somewhat liberal in their thinking. This probably makes them a target for every whacko conspiracy theorist.
Historically, they have been teachers and explorers, one of my favorites being Bernard Hubbard, S.J.
Someone will be along shortly to expound more fully on the OP, I suspect.
The Jesuit is to “serve as a soldier of God beneath the banner of the Cross, and to serve the Lord alone and the Church, his spouse, under the Roman pontiff, the vicar of Christ on earth.” The Jesuit’s mission is “to strive especially for the defense and propagation of the faith and for the progress of souls in Christian life and doctrine.”
Since the beginnings of the Order, The members of The Society of Jesus have been the papal shock-troops in the spiritual war against Protestantism. This has put the Jesuits on the front lines in Northern Europe, and made them powerful enemies. Because they dedicated themselves to this “battle,” they became the lightning-rods for criticism by Protestants. The other orders you talk about mainly tended the sick, fed the poor, or retreated from society all together.
However, it ain’t just the Jesuits that get the blame anymore. Protties, Catholic liberals (even a non-Lefty liberal like Fr Andrew Greeley), and Dan Brown’s DaVinci Code have all focused on Opus Dei as a source of Catholic evil (several Greeley novel villians have belonged to a fictional group that is definitely modeled on OD).
I think the very fact that the Jesuits are the “worldly” makes them suspect to those of faith who are not.
One of my very good friends is a Jesuit, and he seems to represent all that’s good about them (as I see it): very well educated and informed, knows what he believes and why, and can function in the world at a high level. He’s very dynamic and interesting, and I could see him being a threat to those used to a more conservative type of faith.
I did a little reading up on Jesuits after I became friends with him, and found a joke that may illuminate how Jesuits are perceived, for good or for bad:
*A Protestant, a Jew, and a Jesuit are having dinner together when a fuse blows and all the lights go out. The Protestant drops to his knees and prays to Jesus. The Jew begins feverishly davening while praying to God.
The Jesuit goes down to the basement, finds the fusebox, and turns the lights back on. *
When discussing religious orders, OP indicates the Dominican order (Ordo Praedicatorum, generally rendered in English as Order of Preachers). SJ indicates the Jesuits (Societas Jesu, Society of Jesus).
The Jesuits are also very educated (usually a doctorate or several masters), and so, there’s the anti-intellectual bias (what do they know that they ain’t tellin’ us ordinary folk).
There’s their many years of disciplined formation which makes them of a like mind, but quite caple of acting independently. Often, they live independently, which is very different from the traditional norm for orders. Thus, they are like the Church’s 007s in the ‘war’ against Protestantism and secularism.
The Jesuit’s main tool is the element of surprise and their fanatical devotion to the Pope.
Two. The Jesuit’s two main tools are the element of surprise and their fanatical devotion to the Pope and their dedication to scholarly pursuits.
I say it’s ABOUT TIME that Malta got up off its ass and contributed something to the world. What else has Malta ever done that was worth anything – you know, except for that Falcon?
Although it is really an attempt to explain why it was so unfair that so many of the Catholic powers, including the papacy, turned against the Jesuits, the Catholic Encyclopedia entry does do a good job of covering some of the local political factors involved.
You should never underestimate the rivalry between the Catholic orders and there were many Catholics over the centuries who distrusted the Jesuits just as much as the Protestants did. This allowed Protestant critics to make much of the argument that the Jesuits must be up to no good as even other Catholics didn’t like them.
Two other factors influenced Protestants perceptions. Ignatius of Loyola was a Spaniard and the Order was seen as being pro-Spanish at a time when most Protestants regarded Philip II as being their principal enemy. A century later the equivalent threat was seen as Louis XIV, who was thought (with a certain amount of justification) to be taking advice from his Jesuit confessors. Indeed, many Protestants believed that Louis, the ultimate anti-Protestant bogeyman, actually was a Jesuit.