Saint Ignatius of Loyola and his first companions made a courageous decision in 1540.
They offered their lives to Jesus and took vows to serve wherever the Church needed them most. Their lives were grounded in faith and deepened through prayer. From that beginning, the Society of Jesus grew into a worldwide mission.
Wherever people are searching for meaning and where lives can be transformed by grace, that is where the Jesuits hope to be.
Jesuits today serve in schools and universities, in remote communities, in retreat houses and parishes, in hospitals, prisons, and on city streets.
Two principles shape the Jesuit mission — justice and reconciliation.
These are not slogans or aspirations — they reflect the life of Jesus. He fed the hungry and welcomed the stranger. He forgave sins and restored dignity. He healed what was wounded and brought people back to the Father. Jesuits continue that same work. We live in communities with other Jesuits, but our focus remains directed outward.
We look to the world and ask where the need is deepest and where love can be made real.
Jesus remained near those the world abandoned. He comforted the sick and welcomed the poor. His mercy restored dignity and reminded people that their lives mattered. Jesuits follow that path, placing ourselves where burdens are heavy.
Justice grows from presence. It takes shape through the works of mercy. We feed the hungry, teach the overlooked, visit the sick, and console those who mourn. These actions do not resolve every injustice, but they bear witness to something enduring. They show that love is trustworthy and that the Gospel can reach every wound.
Social injustice often hides in silence. It grows where people are excluded or forgotten. Jesuits remain in those places — not to speak over others, but to stand beside them until they are heard. We accompany those who suffer quietly, listening closely and acting when we can.
Such efforts may seem small, but they carry the weight of hope.
The mission of reconciliation flows from the life of Jesus. He restored broken relationships and invited people into communion. He welcomed the sinner and drew the outsider near. Jesuits are sent to continue that mission wherever trust needs rebuilding and wounds remain unhealed.
This is slow work, but it endures through fidelity and friendship.
Reconciliation is not a single act. It takes many forms. Some long to draw near to God. Others seek peace with those they have hurt or who have hurt them. Some struggle to accept themselves. Others feel estranged from the created world.
Jesuits respond to each of these with patience and presence.
This work often begins quietly. It may take root through a moment of prayer or an honest conversation. It grows in retreat houses, in halfway homes, in universities, and in places where hearts have grown weary. Jesuits offer accompaniment so that grace might do its work. We trust that healing can happen, even where sorrow has lasted long.
The mission of reconciliation unfolds in many ways, but it always begins with Jesus. The four expressions that follow — reconciliation with God, with others, with oneself, and with creation — reflect how Jesuits live that mission today.
Reconciliation with God Reconciliation with God begins when someone realizes they are not forgotten. Jesus forgave sins, lifted burdens, and reminded people they were already loved. His words and actions brought people back into a relationship with the one who created them.
Jesuits strive to offer the same invitation. Through retreats, spiritual direction, preaching, and the sacraments, we help people draw near to God in ways that feel genuine. These encounters are often quiet yet life-changing.
This kind of reconciliation does not depend on a holy place, but it often begins in one. A jail cell or a school corridor can become the doorway to healing. Jesuits try to create spaces where people feel safe enough to believe again.
The Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius help people notice grace in their daily lives. In prayer and silence, they come to know Jesus more closely and walk with greater freedom.
Reconciliation with OthersReconciliation with others means helping people come back to one another. Jesus made this possible when he visited the house of Zacchaeus. That visit restored more than one life — it restored trust in a broken community.
Jesuits follow that example by walking with people whose relationships have fractured. This work begins with listening. It happens at kitchen tables, in church basements, and on city streets— wherever people are ready to speak honestly.
We do not pretend conflict disappears, but we believe peace can grow. Jesuits try to stay long enough to understand people’s stories and help them hear each other again.
When those who have been estranged take the first step toward one another, something begins to change. Jesuits stay close as that hope deepens and a new future becomes possible.
Reconciliation with OneselfReconciliation with oneself begins when someone remembers they matter. Jesus reminded people of this often. He looked at the woman caught in sin and did not condemn her. Instead, he treated her with dignity and offered her a fresh beginning.
Jesuits try to offer that same kind of presence. Some people carry deep wounds — hidden from others, but heavy to bear. We walk with those who feel unworthy, ashamed, or alone, offering quiet companionship rather than quick solutions.
Healing does not happen all at once. It grows through patient listening, shared silence, and the steady reassurance that someone cares. Jesuits offer retreats, direction, and friendship to help people reconnect with their sense of worth.
When someone accepts their dignity, something changes. They begin to live with greater freedom — more at ease in themselves and more open to the world around them.
Reconciliation with CreationReconciliation with creation begins with reverence. Jesus often taught with images from nature — seeds, birds, vines, and rain. He pointed to the earth not as something to use, but as something to notice and love.
Jesuits try to follow his lead. We promote ecological awareness, stand with communities harmed by environmental destruction, and teach people to live with greater care.
This work happens in many places. In crowded cities or remote valleys, we support simple living and sustainable practices. People often begin to reconnect with the land they call home.
Where the land is hurting, people often suffer too. Jesuits stay close to both, hoping that care for the earth will help healing take root in hearts as well.
The companions of Saint Ignatius offered their lives to Jesus and vowed to serve wherever the Church had need. This total offering still defines the Society of Jesus.
Grounded in faith and shaped by prayer, Jesuits seek out the places where healing is needed and where the Gospel can take root.
Justice and reconciliation guide our steps — not as slogans, but as the way Jesus lived.
This mission continues because the Lord still calls. Once someone encounters him in mercy and truth, their life is changed forever.
As such, our desire is to make Jesus known where his presence is needed most — loving without limits and serving without fear.
Join a community of thousands who receive weekly updates on spirituality, events and other transformative insights from the Jesuits of Canada.
