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With the election of Pope Francis as the Bishop of Rome, questions about Jesuits and Ignatian spirituality have surfaced in both religious and secular circles. In light of this, the contributors of Ibo et Non Redibo have decided to launch a blog series on Ignatian spirituality. In six blog entries, we will attempt to introduce some key principles by which Jesuits live, and how these insights may be useful to the Church and to the world. The previous two entries addressed the discernment of spirits and the idea of Magis; the following is the third entry.
Many of you who have studied at Jesuit institutions are familiar with the motto “Men and Women for Others”. This concept has been at the core of Jesuit identity since the beginning of the existence of the Society of Jesus, and is consequently at the core of one formed in the Ignatian tradition. The motto is nevertheless a simple one: we are to be at the service of our brothers and sisters. This service is multifaceted: there is the service of faith and the Gospel, service of the poor, service of justice, and service of education, which involves teaching others the first three “services” that are mentioned.
