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Did you know that as the Society of Jesus approaches its 500th anniversary, the Jesuits make up the largest unified religious order of men in the Catholic Church? How did these "Soldiers of Christ" grow from thier humble beginnings to becoming an order deeply engaged in ministries, learning and society in 112 nations on all six inhabited continents?

Whether you are a Jesuit, you were educated by Jesuits, or you’ve simply been touched by Jesuit ministries, retreats or writings, you will love these talks.

Fr. O’Malley, one of the world’s leading Catholic historians, is at his best in these talks.  His talks are meant to give you a broad and insightful overview of early Jesuit history with a special focus on the first generation of Jesuits, whose traits have been continually manifested ever since their inception.

The roots of the Society can be found in the tumults of the 16th century, the dramatic age of the Renaissance and the Reformation, as well as in the remarkable life and vision of one special man. This man is Ignatius of Loyola, a Spanish Basque aristocrat and wounded ex-soldier, who, in 1540, led fellow students from the University of Paris to seek and win papal approval for their new religious order. By the time Ignatius died in 1556, his Jesuits were one thousand members strong and growing. They were all guided by his extraordinary Spiritual Exercises, a book drawn from his own life journey of prayer and reflection in search of God's will and blessing.

Discover the roots of one of the modern world's most colorful, controversial and still-vibrant institutions.

With this order you will receive, free of charge, a detailed Electronic Study Guide. With your confirmation email, you will receive a link that will take you to this Electronic Study Guide, which includes outlines for each topic, review questions and suggested readings for further study. The link to access this Electronic Study Guide will also be included on the case of your CDs or DVDs. You are allowed to print up to 7 copies of your guide. Simply click on the link, or type it into your browser, to access the file.

About Your Presenter

John W. O'Malley, S.J., is currently University Professor at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Father O'Malley received his doctorate in history from Harvard University and has taught and lectured at a number of institutions, including Harvard and Oxford.

One of the most respected and widely recognized church historians in North America, he has held a number of prestigious fellowships including ones from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities. He is past president of the American Catholic Historical Association and of the Renaissance Society of America.

John O'Malley was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1995 and to the American Philosophical Society in 1997. He holds the Johannes Quasten Medal from The Catholic University of America for distinguished achievement in Religious Studies. In addition, he has won the life-time achievement awards from the Society for Italian Historical Studies and the Renaissance Society of America.

His books have won major prizes, and his best known work, The First Jesuits, has been translated into ten languages. John O'Malley has been writing on the councils of the Christian church for many years, with special attention to the Council of Trent and the Second Vatican Council. His latest book, What Happened at Vatican II, was published in 2008 by Harvard University Press.

Topic Titles

• The Jesuits: Who Are They?
• Saint Ignatius Loyola: The Pilgrim's Story
• Founding the Society of Jesus
• The Jesuits and 'The Help of Souls'
• Ignatius: Governing the New Religious Order
• The Schools: An Unexpected Defining Moment
• Jesuit Spirituality: Up-Front and Deep-Down
• Jesuits and 'The Other': Protestants, Muslims, and Jews
• Jesuits: Catholic Friends and Enemies
• Saint Francis Xavier: The Most Famous of Them All
• After Ignatius
• 'Our Way of Proceeding'