The Society of Jesus in the New England Province

The Society of Jesus is a Roman Catholic religious order of priests and brothers popularly known as "The Jesuits." It was founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola in 1540 when Pope Paul III officially established the Jesuit Order. St. Ignatius was a Basque nobleman and soldier who found God in all things. Today the Jesuits, the largest religious order in the world, continue to serve the church through its diverse ministries. Close to 20,000 Jesuits serve the Church in 112 nations on six continents. Visit the Society of Jesus website.

Nine U. S. Jesuit provinces form the "American Assistancy." which is guided by national leadership called the Jesuit Conference, which is a national board made up of the nine U.S. provincial superiors and the Jesuit Conference president, who is appointed by the Superior General in Rome. Visit the Jesuit Conference website.

The New England Province is a regional division of the Jesuits. Our Province consists of the six New England states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. We also sponsor Jesuit works in Amman, Jordan and Jamaica.

Our Mission

We are a religious order of Roman Catholic priests and brothers who follow the spiritual tradition of Saint Ignatius Loyola. We are men who try to discern the promptings of the Spirit and read the signs of the times in order to better serve the church. Ours is a faith that works for justice. Therefore, we engage in various spiritual, pastoral, social, educational, and missionary ministries. We founded many educational institutions, from middle schools to universities, locally and overseas. We serve in parishes and are chaplains in hospitals, prisons, and the military. We provide spiritual ministries such as giving retreats and offering spiritual direction.