The Society of Jesus is a Roman Catholic order of priests and brothers founded half a millennium ago by the soldier-turned-mystic Ignatius Loyola. But most people call us “the Jesuits.”

In the vision of our founder, we seek to “find God in all things.” We dedicate ourselves to the “greater glory of God” and the good of all humanity. And we do so gratefully in collaboration with others who share our values, including laypersons. They have become part of the “we,” the extended Jesuit family.

With 16,000-plus priests, brothers, scholastics, and novices worldwide, we are the largest male religious order in the Catholic Church. We are pastors, teachers, and chaplains. We are also doctors, lawyers, and astronomers, among many other roles in Church and society. In our varied ministries, we care for the whole person: body, mind, and soul. And especially in our education ministries, we seek to nurture “men and women for others.”

Jesuits draw on the rich tradition of Ignatian spirituality and reflection. In our retreat centers, parishes, campus ministries, and other settings, we offer these resources to all who want to discern God’s presence in their lives. At the same time, we also aim to be “contemplatives in action,” people who bring this spirituality into the wide world. That includes our work on behalf of global justice, peace, and dialogue.

St. Ignatius came from a family of minor nobility in Spain’s northern Basque region and, in his early years, had dreams of personal honor and fame.

All that began to change one day in the spring of 1521. Ignatius was 30 years old at the time, a Knight at the Spanish Royal Court. Leading his fellow fighters into a battle against the French that they were sure to lose, he was struck by a cannonball in the leg. During a difficult recovery, in his family’s house, Ignatius asked for books about chivalry, his favorite reading. But nothing was available. He had to settle for a book about the life of Christ and biographies of the saints and he found these unexpectedly riveting.

St. Ignatius had always dreamed of imitating heroic deeds, but now, the heroes had names like Francis of Assisi and Catherine of Siena. Ignatius also noticed something extraordinary happening to him. God, he realized, was working within him — prompting, guiding, inviting. In later years, as he traveled far and wide, he realized too that God was similarly at work in the lives of all people, in the everyday events of the world.

During the 1530s, St. Ignatius Loyola began writing about the emotions that he experienced in everyday life — feelings of gratitude or anguish, consolation or sadness. Those meditations eventually became the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola, first published in 1548.

The Spiritual Exercises is a compilation of meditations, prayers, and other contemplative practices. The Spiritual Exercises is a handbook, especially for use by spiritual directors who accompany and guide people through this dynamic process of reflection. The goal of the Spiritual Exercises is to help people develop their attentiveness, openness, and responsiveness to God.

Ignatian prayer and spirituality inform all that we do at St. Thomas More. This spiritual tradition draws from the life and ministry of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). We discover God in all things, are drawn into a personal relationship with Jesus, and are freed for active service to our neighbor. While we encourage all forms of prayer, we have a particular commitment to the teaching, promotion, and practice of Ignatian prayer.

Our first priority is to facilitate an encounter and relationship with Jesus that we live out both individually and as a parish community. We believe that our prayer should lead us to action in the world, especially in the communities we find ourselves within.

To learn more about Ignatian Spirituality: what it is, where it comes from, and how to practice it, visit Ignatian.Info

St. Thomas More, in collaboration with Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center, offers annual programming, series, and retreats drawn from the Ignatian and Jesuit traditions. Below are some resources to get you started on your journey with Ignatian spirituality.

Ignatian Retreats 
The Full Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius

The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius
The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius reflect his personal experience of his conversion, and they are the foundation of Ignatian spirituality.  Read a brief description of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius and how they work.

Daily Ignatian Prayer
The prayer form that is most central to the life of one practicing Ignatian prayer is the daily Examen prayer.  St. Ignatius used to tell his Jesuit brothers that if they were able to do only one, brief prayer in the course of a busy day, they should pray the Examen prayer.
 
Online Prayer Resources
 

• Sacred Space – Guided contemplative prayer with the daily scriptures

• Jesuit Prayer – Reflection on the daily readings

• Pray-As-You-Go – A podcast of daily guided prayer using one of the daily readings

• 3-Minute Retreat – An online “retreat” for a moment in your day

• Reimagining the Ignatian Examen – A book and app with variations of the Examen prayer

• IgnatianSpirituality.com – A blog and other resources on Ignatian spirituality from Loyola Press

• GodInAllThings.com – Reflections, audio meditations, and other Ignatian resources

• Jesuits.org – Spirituality resources from the Society of Jesus in the USA

• Ignatian.Info - Learn more about Ignatian Spirituality: what it is, where it comes from, and how to practice it

There are three Jesuit apostolates in Atlanta:

• St. Thomas More Catholic Church
• Ignatius House
• Cristo Rey High School

Ignatius House 

Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center, a welcoming Catholic non-profit located in Atlanta, provides a sacred place of peace and quiet to facilitate an encounter with God. Our offerings include silent retreats, non-profit meeting space, and spiritual direction for individuals and groups. Rooted in the rich Catholic Jesuit tradition, our spirituality is inclusive and suitable for individuals of various faiths. Spiritual retreats at Ignatius House give you the space and solitude to focus on who your Creator made you to be – not just your best self, but your truest self. 
View the 2024 Retreat Schedule  Attend a Retreat at Ignatius House



Cristo Rey High School

Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School is a Catholic learning community that educates young people of limited economic means, of any faith or creed, to become men and women for and with others. Through a rigorous college preparatory curriculum, integrated with a relevant work study experience, students graduate prepared
for college and life.
Click here for Cristo Rey High School