Tertianship

Last updated

Tertianship is the final period of formation for members of the Society of Jesus. Upon invitation of the Provincial, it usually begins three to five years after completion of graduate studies. [1] It is a time when the candidate for final vows steps back to assess his experience of living and working in the Society of Jesus and to discern whether this is the life to which he is being called by Christ. The Constitutions of the Society indicate that

after completing his studies (which were concerned with the cultivation of the intellect), the scholastic should apply himself to the schola affectus (which deals with matters of the heart), by turning now to "spiritual and corporal" works, which will help him to make progress in humility and in the denial of selfishness and self-will or self-opinionatedness. [2]

Tertianship characteristically takes place either through the course of an academic year or through two consecutive summers. [1] During this time, the Jesuit in formation, called a "tertian", will undertake an apostolic placement of teaching or service. The tertian will also return to study the history and foundational documents of the Society and undergo a thirty-day silent retreat based on the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola. [3]

Related Research Articles

Society of Jesus Male religious congregation of the Catholic Church

The Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, is a religious order of the Catholic Church headquartered in Rome. It was founded by Ignatius of Loyola and six companions with the approval of Pope Paul III in 1540. The society is engaged in evangelization and apostolic ministry in 112 nations. Jesuits work in education, research, and cultural pursuits. Jesuits also give retreats, minister in hospitals and parishes, sponsor direct social ministries, and promote ecumenical dialogue.

Karl Rahner German Catholic theologian

Karl Rahner, was a German Jesuit priest and theologian who, alongside Henri de Lubac, Hans Urs von Balthasar, and Yves Congar, is considered to be one of the most influential Roman Catholic theologians of the 20th century. He was the brother of Hugo Rahner, also a Jesuit scholar.

Peter Faber Jesuit priest and evangelist

Peter Faber was the first Jesuit priest and theologian, who was also a co-founder of the Society of Jesus, along with Ignatius of Loyola and Francis Xavier. Pope Francis announced his canonization on 17 December 2013.

<i>Regimini militantis Ecclesiae</i>

Regimini militantis Ecclesiae was the papal bull promulgated by Pope Paul III on September 27, 1540, which gave a first approval to the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, but limited the number of its members to sixty.

Pedro Arrupe Spanish Jesuit priest and 28th Superior General of the Society of Jesus

Fr. Pedro Arrupe,S.J. was a Spanish Basque Jesuit priest who served as the 28th Superior General of the Society of Jesus from 1965 to 1983. He has been called a second founder of the Society as he led the Jesuits in the implementation of the Second Vatican Council, especially with regard to faith that does justice and preferential option for the poor.

Jan Roothaan

Jan Philipp Roothaan was a Dutch Jesuit, elected twenty-first Superior-General of the Society of Jesus.

Anton Anderledy

Anton Maria Anderledy was a Swiss Jesuit, elected the twenty-third Superior General of the Society of Jesus.

<i>Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola</i>

The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola, composed 1522–1524, are a set of Christian meditations, contemplations, and prayers written by Ignatius of Loyola, a 16th-century Spanish priest, theologian, and founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). Divided into four thematic "weeks" of variable length, they are designed to be carried out over a period of 28 to 30 days. They were composed with the intention of helping participants in religious retreats to discern the will of God in their lives, leading to a personal commitment to follow Jesus whatever the cost. Their underlying theology has been found agreeable to other Christian denominations who make use of them and also for addressing problems facing society in the 21st century.

John Hardon American Catholic priest and theologian

John Anthony Hardon was an American Jesuit priest, writer, and theologian. He is recognized by the Catholic Church as a Servant of God.

The General Congregation is an assembly of the Jesuit representatives from all parts of the world, and serves as the highest authority in the Society of Jesus. A General Congregation (GC) is always summoned on the death or resignation of the administrative head of the order, called the Superior General or Father General, to choose his successor, and it may be called at other times if circumstances warrant. A smaller congregation of worldwide representatives meets every three years to discuss internal business and to decide the need for a general congregation.

Charles Lallemant

Charles Lallemant, was a French Jesuit. He was born in Paris in 1587 and later became the first Superior of the Jesuit Missions amongst the Huron in Canada. His letter to his brother, dated 1 August 1626, inaugurated the series Relations des Jésuites de la Nouvelle-France about the missionary work in the North American colonies of New France.

Louis Lallemant was a French Jesuit.

Claude La Colombière French Jesuit priest and saint

Claude La Colombière was a Jesuit priest and the confessor of Margaret Mary Alacoque. He is formally venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church. His feast day is the day of his death, 15 February. He was a missionary and ascetical writer. Colombière left a large number of writings, including his principal works, Pious Reflections, Meditations on the Passion, and Retreat and Spiritual Letters.

Fr. Franz HunoltS.J. was a popular German Catholic priest and preacher.

Ignatius of Loyola 16th-century Roman Catholic priest, founder of the Society of Jesus, theologian, and saint

Ignatius of Loyola, S.J., venerated as Saint Ignatius of Loyola, was a Spanish Catholic priest and theologian, who, with Peter Faber and Francis Xavier, founded the religious order of the Society of Jesus, and became the first Superior General of the Society of Jesus, in Paris, in 1541. He envisioned the purpose of the Society of Jesus to be missionary work and teaching. Unlike members of other religious orders in the church who take the vows of chastity, obedience and poverty, members of the society, Jesuits, also take a fourth vow of obedience to the Pope, to engage in projects ordained by the pontiff. Jesuits were instrumental in leading the charge of the Counter-Reformation.

Ivan Mikhailovich Martinov SJ, was a Russian Jesuit priest. After his conversion to Catholicism and consequent exile, he placed his vast knowledge of Slavic culture at the service of a better understanding between the Russian Orthodox and Catholic Churches.

Jesuit formation

Jesuit formation, or the training of Jesuits, seeks to prepare candidates for the Roman Catholic Society of Jesus spiritually, academically and practically for the ministries they will be called to offer the Church and world.

Ignatian spirituality, also known as Jesuit spirituality, is a Catholic spirituality founded on the experiences of the sixteenth-century Spanish saint Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order. The main idea of this form of spirituality comes from Ignatius's Spiritual Exercises, the aim of which is to help one "conquer oneself and to regulate one's life in such a way that no decision is made under the influence of any inordinate attachment." The Exercises are intended to give the person undertaking them a greater degree of freedom from his or her own likes and dislikes, so that their choices are based solely on what they discern God's will is for them. Even in the composition of the exercises by Ignatius early in his career, one might find the apostolic thrust of his spirituality in his contemplation on "The Call of the Earthly King" and in his final contemplation with its focus on finding God in all things.

Manresa House, Dublin Jesuit retreat house, Clontarf, Dublin, Ireland

Manresa House is a retreat centre run by the Society of Jesus in the Dollymount area of Clontarf in Dublin, near Saint Anne's Park. In the 19th century it was home to Robert Warren and Arthur Guinness, and it is a protected structure.

Jerome Daugherty American Jesuit educator

Jerome Daugherty was an American Catholic priest and Jesuit who served in many different capacities at Jesuit institutions throughout the northeast United States, eventually becoming president of Georgetown University in 1901. Born in Baltimore, he was educated at Loyola College in Maryland, before entering the Society of Jesus and becoming a member of the first class at Woodstock College. He then taught various subjects, including mathematics, Latin, Ancient Greek, rhetoric, and the humanities in Massachusetts, New York City, and Washington, D.C., and served as minister at many of the institutions there.

References

  1. 1 2 "Tertianship". Jesuit Vocation Office. Archived from the original on 11 December 2012.
  2. Ruhan, Antony (1 November 1965). "The Origins of the Jesuit Tertianship". Jesuit Online Library. Archived from the original on 4 January 2022.
  3. "Tertianship". Jesuit Vocations. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020.