The Jesuits, 1534-1921: A History of the Society of Jesus from Its Foundation to the Present TimeCampbell, Thomas J. (Thomas Joseph)
History
The Jesuits, 1534-1921: A History of the Society of Jesus from Its Foundation to the Present Time
Campbell, Thomas J. (Thomas Joseph)
Jesuits -- History
In Scripture there are the illustrious names of Maldonado, Ribera,
Prado, Pereira, Sancio and Pineda. Of the saintly Cornelius a Lapide
(Vanden Steen) a Protestant critic, Goetzius, said in 1699: "He is the
most important of Catholic Scriptural writers." His "Commentary of the
Apocalypse" has been translated into Arabic. In ascetical theology, St.
Ignatius is a leader in modern times; and his "Spiritual Exercises" form
a complete system of asceticism. With him are a great number of his
sons, whose names are familiar in every religious house, such as
Bellarmine, Rodríguez, Alvarez de Paz, Gaudier, da Ponte, Lessius,
Lancicius, Surin, Saint-Jure, Neumayr, Dirckink, Scaramelli, Nieremberg
and many others. Finally, it can not be denied that the Society has
hearkened to the second rule of the Summary of its Constitutions, which
is read publicly and with an unfailing regularity every month of the
year, in every one of its houses throughout the world, namely: that "the
End of this Society is not only to attend to the salvation and
perfection of our own souls, with the divine grace, but with the same,
seriously to employ ourselves in procuring the salvation and perfection
of our neighbor."
The canonization of saints proceeds very slowly in the modern Church.
Years and years are spent in preliminary investigations of the life, the
holiness, the doctrines, and the miracles of the one who is to be
presented to the public recognition of the Church. Theologians and
canonists have to pass on all those points and those who testify speak
only under the most solemn oaths and the threat of dire censure if they
witness to what they know to be false. Infinite labor has been expended
before the question is presented to the Holy See. Very many of these
causes never reach even that stage, for everywhere, in its progress,
stands an official called the Promoter of the Faith, but popularly known
as the "Devil's Advocate," whose work consists in doing his utmost to
throw obstacles in the way of the canonization. Nevertheless, the
Society has a sufficient number on its roll of fame, in spite of its
comparatively brief and perpetually perturbed existence, to convince the
world that it is not the maleficent organization that it is credited
with being.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account