arjcoarocks asked the following:
My question is how do the Jesuits differ from say the Dominicans? I know the history, or at least a little of it regarding how they came to be, but I never quite understood how each is different. It seems that the Jesuits have a great deal to do with teaching. I have many questions- so I'll list them:
The main charism of the Jesuit Order is teaching. I can not compare us to the Dominicans or go into great detail on the similarities or differences because I honestly do not know that much about the Dominican order, I know they are quite well known for their preaching and pursuit of knowledge.
1. Are "brothers" kind of like "deacons"? 2. If not, why do they exists- what is their function? 3. Do all "orders" (until I know the proper word) have brothers and are they different from monks?
No, the deaconate is either permanent or transitional for those becoming priests. A Jesuit brother has a special and specific vocation to be a Jesuit brother, more information can be found here about Jesuit brothers. The term Monk is used in the western world to often describe men religious, however, in some orders Monks can be priests (I am thinking Cistercians, etc.). Brother is a common term for those who are in a religious order but are not on the path, necessarily, to ordination.
In particular to the Jesuits (since that is what you are):
1. What does S.J. stand for? Society of Jesus
2. Why does the other contributor here have the same suffix if he is yet a priest? All members of the Society have the suffix regardless if they are a Priest, Brother or Scholastics (one in formation who is studying) a novice will use the suffix nS.J. until he moves on to further studies
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3. If you are not in service to a parish, can a Jesuit priest perform all the same duties as another priest- like the ones who serve my parish? All Jesuit priests can perform the same duties as any other validly ordained priest in good standing. A Jesuit priest would have to have permission of the pastor to perform weddings etc, as would any visiting priest.
4. Do Jesuits go to the same seminaries as everyone else or are there specific seminaries for those "orders"? Jesuits have a separate formation process that lasts on average 10 years.
5. Tony- why aren't you addressed as Father by the others here? Anyone is free to address me as Father, some here have known me since high school and are my good friends. Many Jesuits allow their friends to address them by their first names, it allows for personal connections and removes the ‘thin black line’ that separates clergy from laity. Beyond that, Tony is my name, Father is a title.
6. Again, Tony- what do you do? What I mean is how/where do you act in service to the church? Is there a particular church or area with which you are affiliated? I currently work in service to the larger order. I am not stationed in a particular parish.
7. Does one have a calling to be a Jesuit or a priest- is there a distinction one makes? Yes, the calling to be a Jesuit priest is different then the calling to be a priest of another order or even to be a diocesan priest. The calling to be a Jesuit is sometimes separate from being a priest.
8. Do the Jesuits operate outside of the archdiocese where they are working? Jesuits operate in a diocese with the permission of the local bishop, sometimes this includes working in parishes and sometimes this means in separate Apostolate.
Also, I've heard the term, for example, "Dominican Laity" (don't know if I spelled correctly) and wondered what that means? Priests and Deacons are ordained, and I thought all the rest of us were laypeople, so what is the distinction to what I above referenced? Dominican Laity, someone correct me if I am wrong, is a distinction for 3rd order or Lay Dominicans. Those lay people who follow to some degree the rule and chrism of the Dominican order.
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