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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, a Roman Catholic priest and member of the Society of Jesus, is currently University Professor in the Theology Department of Georgetown University, Washington, DC. He holds a Ph.D. in history from Harvard University. His specialty is the religious culture of early modern Europe. Father O’Malley has written and edited a number of books, several of which have won best-book awards. For instance, The First Jesuits, perhaps his best known work, received both the Jacques Barzun Prize for Cultural History from the American Philosophical Society and the Philip Schaff Prize from the American Society for Church History. It has been translated into ten languages. In 2008, he published with Harvard University Press What Happened at Vatican II, which is a companion to his book from the same press, Trent: What Happened at the Council (2012).

Father O’Malley has lectured widely in Europe and North America to both professional and general audiences. He is past-president of the Renaissance Society of America and the American Catholic Historical Association. He holds the Johannes Quasten Medal from The Catholic University of America for distinguished service in religious studies. In 1995 he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, in 1997 to the American Philosophical Society, and in 2001 to the Accademia di san Carlo, Ambrosian Library, Milan. He holds lifetime achievement awards from the Society for Italian Historical Studies, the Renaissance Society of America, and the American Catholic Historical Association.

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'