Ignatian Spirituality
Notes on Jesuit Biographies
Francis Xavier, SJ (Periods 1, 2, 7, 9)
1. Basque, Co-Founder of Jesuits, BFF of Ign.
2. Missionary to India and the Far East (almost made it
to China)
3. Similar Background to Ign.
Christopher Clavius, SJ (Periods 1, 2, 7, 9)
1. Reformed calendar to make Gregorian Cal.
2. Taught Math and Astronomy for 50 years.
3. “Discovered” or wrote on Algebra.
Edmund Campion, SJ (Periods 1, 2, 7, 9)
1. English Martyr
2. Worked in England under disguise
Robert Bellarmine, SJ (Period 7)
1. Wrote the “Disputations” dealing with heresy during
the Protestant Reformation
2. Part of the Inquisition against Galileo (although they
were friends)
3. Heavy hitter at the Council of Trent
4. Wrote on the separation of Church and State (was in
favor of it)
Mateo Ricci, SJ (Periods 1, 2, 7, 9)
1. Missionary to China
2. Drew the first Western style map of China
3. Created dictionaries for Chinese
3. Paralleled Ancestor worship and the Communion of
Saints and, thus, started the Chinese Rites Controversy.
Andrew White, SJ (Periods 1, 2, 7)
1. Said the first Mass in North America on St. Clement’s
Island on March 25th (Maryland Day!) and founded St.
Mary’s City.
2. Worked with Native Americans in Southern Maryland.
Also wrote an early dictionary.
3. Accused in the Gunpowder Plot (although innocent that’s why he goes to North America)
Isaac Jogues, SJ (Periods 1, 2, 7)
1. French Missionary to Native Americans in Upstate
New York.
2. Tortured and martyr.
Jacques Marquette, SJ (Periods 1, 2, 7, 9)
1. French Missionary to the Great Lakes Region.
2. Explorer of the Upper Mississippi.
3. Learned 6 Native American Languages!
Pierre DeSmet, SJ (Periods 2, 7, 9)
1. Missionary to the American West.
2. Arbiter between Native Americans and settlers (very
trusted by the Native Americans)
3. Traveled many times between the American West
and Europe.
Andrea Pozzo, SJ (Periods 1, 2, 7, 9)
1. Brother
2. Baroque artist, particularly a painter of many
Churches including the ceiling of St. Ignatius Church,
Rome.
3. Perfected the technique of false perspective whereby
he could make a flat ceiling look domed.
Joseph Pignatelli, SJ (Periods 2, 7)
1. Restorer of the Society after the 40 year suppression.
John Carroll, ~SJ (Periods 1, 2, 7, 9)
1. First Provincial in the Americas
2. First Bishop in the Colonies (right here in B-More)
3. Founded Georgetown University
4. Travels to Quebec with Benjamin Franklin to try and
persuade the French to join in the Amer. Rev.
Gerard Manley Hopkins, SJ (Periods 1, 2, 7)
1. English Poet, developed sprung rhythm.
2. Burned his poetry upon entering Jesuits
3. Wanted his poetry destroyed upon his death, but
someone saved it (good for us).
George Tyrell, SJ (Periods 2, 7, 9)
1. Philosopher and Theologian, he was silenced by the
Jesuits and the Church for his work in the field of
Modernism: helped, or tried to help, bridge the gap
between a Medieval Church and the Modern World.
2. Expelled by the Jesuits and excommunicated by the
Church.
Rupert Mayer, SJ (Periods 1, 2, 7, 9)
1. Served in the German Army during WWI and received
the Iron Cross due to an injury.
2. During WWII he protested the Nazi party and was
arrested and sent to a concentration camp. So that he
would not die and become a martyr, the Nazi’s put him
under house-arrest at a monastery where he survived
the war.
Pierre Teihard de Chardin, SJ (Periods 1, 2, 7, 9)
1. 20th Century Paleontologist, Philosopher, Theologian,
priest who work on a theory of Christian evolution.
2. Exiled from Europe, he died in the U.S.
Miguel Pro, SJ (Periods 1, 2, 7, 9)
1. 20th Century Mexican Jesuit who worked for
oppressed Catholics in Mexico.
2. Assassinated by firing squad after being falsely
accused of a presidential assassination plot.
Horace McKenna, SJ (Periods 1, 2, 9)
1. Worked to desegregate the Jesuit Parishes in
Southern, MD in the early 1950’s.
2. Founded S.O.M.E. in the basement of St. Al’s Church
on the campus of Gonzaga HS in Wash, DC.
3. Was named Washingtonian of the year and
considered the Saint of Wash, DC.
John Courtney Murray, SJ (Periods 2, 7)
1. Important 20th C. Theologian
2. Wrote on the separation of church and state
3. Was influential at VII in this regard.
Pedro Arrupe, SJ (Periods 1, 2, 7, 9)
1. Was the 2nd Basque to become Superior General of
the Jesuits.
2. Led the Jesuits in their post-VII reform (all Religious
Orders were to go back to their roots!)
3. Was Novice Dir in Japan and survived the atomic blast
in Hiroshima and, in its wake, turned the community
into a make-shift hospital.
Avery Dulles, SJ (Periods 1, 2, 9)
1. 20th C. American Theologian and prolific writer.
2. Raised Presbyterian, went through a period of
Agnosticism, but had a powerful conversion experience
after looking at blooming trees along the Charles River
in Boston.
3. Pope JPII made him a Cardinal when he was about 80.
Since he was past the voting age for a Cardinal, it was
more an honorary position.
Dan Berrigan, SJ (Periods 1, 2, 9)
1. Famous peace activist since the 1960s.
2. His actions, with the members of the Catonsville 9,
may have spared Mr. Maggio from being drafted into
the military and having to go to Vietnam!
3. His is now the Poet in Residence at Fordham
University.
Rick Curry, SJ (Periods 1, 2, 7)
1. Brother, now Father, was born without his right
forearm, entered the Jesuits as a Brother and was
trained as a baker.
2. He founded the National Theater Workshop for the
Handicapped and, later, the Wounded Warriors Writing
Workshop to help returning vets deal with injuries, loss,
PTSD, etc… by writing.
3. He was ordained just a few years ago!
Guy Consolmagno, SJ (Periods 2, 7, 9)
1. Also known as Brother Astronomer, he works at the
Vatican Observatory as the curator of Meteorites.
2. Wrote The Heaven’s Proclaim and God Mechanic’s in
his attempt to bridge Religion and Science in the 20/21st
Century.