Latest news with #Jesuits'
Epoch Times
25-05-2025
- General
- Epoch Times
Church of St. Charles Borromeo: Antwerp's Treasure
This Belgian church was called the 'Eighth Wonder of the World' at the time of its construction. Saint Charles Borromeo church is among the most magnificent churches of the early Baroque era, and among the first built in that style in northwestern Europe. It cost so much that the builders, the Jesuits of Antwerp, were reduced to austerity measures. Begun in 1615, the church was inspired by the Jesuits' headquarters in Rome. The Church of the Gesu is considered the first Baroque church and was completed just 30 years earlier. Baroque painting and sculpture, as well as architecture, used the Renaissance's technical advances to depict religious scenes in a realistic way. Church buildings in the Baroque style were meant to give a glimpse of heaven on earth, and to express God's greatness and love. The classical tradition provided a foundation. This is seen in a building's symmetry and proportions which include fluted columns and domes. Baroque architecture introduced fluidity, exemplified by the style's frequent use of curved rather than straight lines. This gave early- to high-Baroque architecture a more ornate appearance while avoiding severity and coldness. Architects Pieter Huyssens and François d'Aguilon handled the engineering aspects and many of the church's aesthetic features. Broadly guiding them and fine-tuning important details was one of the greatest artists of the Baroque era—Peter Paul Rubens. While he didn't not work extensively in architecture, Rubens studied it, designed his own home in Antwerp, and contributed his expertise, as well as numerous paintings, to this church in his home city. Related Stories 1/7/2025 11/2/2024 The elaborately decorated black and gold sanctuary contrasts with the relative simplicity of the white trimmed with gold arches and columns along the nave, which dominates the nave and strengthens the visual emphasis on the former. While Baroque churches were designed to direct attention forward toward the altar, the effect is heightened by the destruction of Rubens's original elaborate ceilings in a lightning storm. KerrysWorld/Shutterstock Hans van Mildert carved the high altar from a design by Peter Paul Rubens, who also created the painting of the Virgin Mary and infant Jesus above it. On the left are Carrara marble sculptures of Saint Ignatius Loyola (in the bottom niche) and Saint Francis Borgia above. lindasky76/Shutterstock The large main dome was designed in collaboration with Rubens. The oculus is set against a white background, surrounded by golden decorative features including sculpted angels. Light from the oculus is reflected by the surrounding ceiling; it illuminates and draws attention to the sanctuary directly underneath. Julija Ogrodowski/Shutterstock Above the altar of the Lady Chapel is a copy of a Rubens 'Assumption,' which was originally set amid marble and gilded stucco decorations. The original is now in Vienna's Museum of Fine Arts. Erik AJV/Shutterstock On either side of the nave are confessionals by sculptors Jan Pieter van Baurscheit and Michiel van der Voort the Elder. Placed in front of the carved woodwork along the wall are sculptures of angels; in the center of each section are scenes from the lives of Saint Ignatius and Saint Francis Xavier. lindasky76/Shutterstock Galleries above the northern and southern sides of the nave (central aisle) have their own simpler side chapels. This chapel has an altar and wooden altar rail reminiscent of Gothic churches. The painting above the altar depicts the conversion of Saint Hubert. KerrysWorld/Shutterstock What arts and culture topics would you like us to cover? Please email ideas or feedback to
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Pope Francis was the first Jesuit pope of the Catholic Church. What is a Jesuit?
Pope Francis, the Catholic Church's 266th pontiff, was the first Jesuit to lead the church in its nearly 2,000-year history. Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, died April 21 at age 88. He was the first pope to come from the Americas, a distinction he touted during his opening address upon becoming the leader of the church and its billion-plus followers. More than 200,000 people gathered in St. Peter's Square April 26 to honor the late pope at a funeral service and procession, according to Vatican News. Fr. Arturo Sosa, S.J., Jesuit Superior General, said Francis consistently aimed to turn God's will into action in order to promote "the transformation of humanity to make this world a worthy home for all human beings,' Vatican News reported. Are Jesuits Catholic? The Society of Jesus, known as the Jesuits, is a Roman Catholic order founded in 1540 by Saint Ignatius of Loyola. According to the Jesuits' website, the Jesuits consist of 14,000-plus priests, brothers, scholastics and novices worldwide, making it one of the church's largest male religious orders, though the number of Jesuits globally has steadily decreased since the 1960s, when there were more than 36,000. Ignatius was a Spanish soldier whose leg was shattered by a cannonball as he fought to defend a castle in Pamplona against a French siege, as recounted by Jesuit-founded Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. During his recovery, Ignatius experienced a spiritual conversion after reading about the lives of Jesus Christ and the saints, the only books available in the castle library. Inspired to serve the poor, he began to compile his thoughts and methods in a document that would ultimately become the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius. The handbook sets guidelines for meditation, self-awareness and prayer. Pope Francis speaks during the presentation of the writings of his late spiritual father, Jesuit prelate Miguel Angel Fiorito, on December 13, 2019 in Rome. According to the university, Ignatius embraced education "as one of the most important ways of promoting 'the betterment of souls.'" Even before Georgetown's founding in 1789, the Jesuits ran more than 800 universities, seminaries and secondary schools worldwide, serving many students who otherwise lacked access to a formal education. What does it mean to be Jesuit today? That mission continues today. Men entering the Society of Jesus "pursue a decade-long course of studies and spiritual formation before being ordained to the priesthood." The Jesuit Schools Network of North America works with 91 secondary and pre-secondary schools throughout the U.S., Canada, Belize and Micronesia. While the schools are principally Catholic institutions, they aren't meant to ready young people for the clergy as much as they are for lives of service beyond the church. Jesuits strive to be 'contemplatives in action,' turning their spirituality into action, and are known for their efforts to promote global justice, peace and dialogue. The Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities lists 27 member schools in the U.S., including Georgetown, Gonzaga University, Boston College, Saint Louis University, Fordham University and the College of the Holy Cross. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is a Jesuit? Francis was the first Jesuit pope.
USA Today
26-04-2025
- General
- USA Today
Pope Francis was the first Jesuit pope of the Catholic Church. What is a Jesuit?
Pope Francis was the first Jesuit pope of the Catholic Church. What is a Jesuit? The Society of Jesus is a Roman Catholic order founded in 1540 by Saint Ignatius of Loyola committed to spirituality and social action. Show Caption Hide Caption Crowds line up to see Pope Francis on last day of public viewing On the last day of public viewing ahead of Pope Francis's funeral, tens of thousands of people lined up to see him. Pope Francis, the Catholic Church's 266th pontiff, was the first Jesuit to lead the church in its nearly 2,000-year history. Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, died April 21 at age 88. He was the first pope to come from the Americas, a distinction he touted during his opening address upon becoming the leader of the church and its billion-plus followers. More than 200,000 people gathered in St. Peter's Square April 26 to honor the late pope at a funeral service and procession, according to Vatican News. Fr. Arturo Sosa, S.J., Jesuit Superior General, said Francis consistently aimed to turn God's will into action in order to promote "the transformation of humanity to make this world a worthy home for all human beings,' Vatican News reported. What is a Jesuit? The Society of Jesus, known as the Jesuits, is a Roman Catholic order founded in 1540 by Saint Ignatius of Loyola. According to the Jesuits' website, the Jesuits represent 14,000-plus priests, brothers, scholastics and novices worldwide, making it one of the church's largest male religious orders. The number of Jesuits globally has steadily decreased since the 1960s, when there were more than 36,000. Jesuits adhere to Ignatian spirituality as laid out a document called the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius, which sets guidelines for meditation, self-awareness and prayer. Jesuits strive to be 'contemplatives in action,' turning their spirituality into action, and are known for their efforts to promote global justice, peace and dialogue. The Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities lists 27 member schools in the U.S., including Georgetown University, Gonzaga University, Boston College, Saint Louis University, Fordham University and the College of the Holy Cross.
New Indian Express
21-04-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Francis, a pope of many firsts—his roots, faith, leadership and legacy
Pope Francis, whose papacy blended tradition with pushes for inclusion and reform, Here we spotlight five stories from The Conversation's archive about his roots, faith, leadership and legacy. 1. A Jesuit pope Jorge Mario Bergoglio became a pope of many firsts: the Those Jesuit roots shed light on Pope Francis' approach to some of the world's most pressing problems, argues Gabrielli highlights the Jesuits' ' 2. LGBTQ+ issues Early on in his papacy, Francis famously Over the years, he has repeatedly called on Catholics to love LGBTQ+ people and spoken against laws that target them. But 'Francis' inclusiveness is not actually radical,' explains Rather, Francis' comments 'express what the Catholic Church says about human dignity,' 3. Asking forgiveness At times, Francis did something that was once unthinkable for a pope: He apologised. He was not the first pontiff to do so, however. Pope John Paul II declared a sweeping 'Day of Pardon' in 2000, asking forgiveness for the church's sins, and Pope Benedict XVI apologised to victims of sexual abuse. During Francis' papacy, he acknowledged the church's historic role in Canada's residential school system for Indigenous children and apologized for abuses in the system. But what does it mean for a pope to say, 'I'm sorry'? Often, she notes, statements skirt an actual admission of wrongdoing. Still, apologies 'do say something important,' Selak writes. A pope 'apologizes both to the church and on behalf of the church to the world. These apologies are necessary starting points on the path to forgiveness and healing.' 4. A church that listens Many popes convene meetings of the Synod of Bishops to advise the Vatican on church governance. But under Francis, these gatherings took on special meaning. The Synod on Synodality was a multiyear, worldwide conversation where Catholics could share concerns and challenges with local church leaders, informing the topics synod participants would eventually The process 'pictures the Catholic Church not as a top-down hierarchy but rather as an open conversation,' writes University of Dayton religious studies scholar 5. Global dance In 2024, University of Notre Dame professor Francis does love the dance – in 2014, thousands of Catholics tangoed in St. Peter's Square to honor his birthday. But Francis was 'less interested in ivory tower theology than the faith of people on the streets,' where Argentina's beloved dance was born. This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversation's archives. This article is republished from
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Francis, a pope of many firsts: 5 essential reads
Pope Francis, whose papacy blended tradition with pushes for inclusion and reform, died on April, 21, 2025 – Easter Monday – at the age of 88. Here we spotlight five stories from The Conversation's archive about his roots, faith, leadership and legacy. Jorge Mario Bergoglio became a pope of many firsts: the first modern pope from outside Europe, the first whose papal name honors St. Francis of Assisi, and the first Jesuit – a Catholic religious order founded in the 16th century. Those Jesuit roots shed light on Pope Francis' approach to some of the world's most pressing problems, argues Timothy Gabrielli, a theologian at the University of Dayton. Gabrielli highlights the Jesuits' 'Spiritual Exercises,' which prompt Catholics to deepen their relationship with God and carefully discern how to respond to problems. He argues that this spiritual pattern of looking beyond 'presenting problems' to the deeper roots comes through in Francis' writings, shaping the pope's response to everything from climate change and inequality to clerical sex abuse. Read more: Early on in his papacy, Francis famously told an interviewer, 'If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?' Over the years, he has repeatedly called on Catholics to love LGBTQ+ people and spoken against laws that target them. But 'Francis' inclusiveness is not actually radical,' explains Steven Millies, a scholar at the Catholic Theological Union. 'His remarks generally correspond to what the church teaches and calls on Catholics to do,' without changing doctrine – such as that marriage is only between a man and a woman. Rather, Francis' comments 'express what the Catholic Church says about human dignity,' Millies writes. 'Francis is calling on Catholics to take note that they should be concerned about justice for all people.' Read more: At times, Francis did something that was once unthinkable for a pope: He apologized. He was not the first pontiff to do so, however. Pope John Paul II declared a sweeping 'Day of Pardon' in 2000, asking forgiveness for the church's sins, and Pope Benedict XVI apologized to victims of sexual abuse. During Francis' papacy, he acknowledged the church's historic role in Canada's residential school system for Indigenous children and apologized for abuses in the system. But what does it mean for a pope to say, 'I'm sorry'? Annie Selak, a theologian at Georgetown University, unpacks the history and significance of papal apologies, which can speak for the entire church, past and present. Often, she notes, statements skirt an actual admission of wrongdoing. Still, apologies 'do say something important,' Selak writes. A pope 'apologizes both to the church and on behalf of the church to the world. These apologies are necessary starting points on the path to forgiveness and healing.' Read more: Many popes convene meetings of the Synod of Bishops to advise the Vatican on church governance. But under Francis, these gatherings took on special meaning. The Synod on Synodality was a multiyear, worldwide conversation where Catholics could share concerns and challenges with local church leaders, informing the topics synod participants would eventually discuss in Rome. What's more, the synod's voting members included not only bishops but lay Catholics – a first for the church. The process 'pictures the Catholic Church not as a top-down hierarchy but rather as an open conversation,' writes University of Dayton religious studies scholar Daniel Speed Thompson – one in which everyone in the church has a voice and listens to others' voices. Read more: In 2024, University of Notre Dame professor David Lantigua had a cup of maté tea with some 'porteños,' as people from Buenos Aires are known. They shared a surprising take on the Argentine pope: 'a theologian of the tango.' Francis does love the dance – in 2014, thousands of Catholics tangoed in St. Peter's Square to honor his birthday. But there's more to it, Lantigua explains. Francis' vision for the church was 'based on relationships of trust and solidarity,' like a pair of dance partners. And part of his task as pope was to 'tango' with all the world's Catholics, carefully navigating culture wars and an increasingly diverse church. Francis was 'less interested in ivory tower theology than the faith of people on the streets,' where Argentina's beloved dance was born. Read more: This story is a roundup of articles from The Conversation's archives.
