Stages of Formation for a Jesuit Priest
The Jesuit priest’s formation starts with a two-year novitiate done mostly in Benin City , Nigeria . During the novitiate, one is expected to make a thirty-day retreat in the spirit of the Ignatian tradition. This retreat is based on the Spiritual Exercises. After the novitiate, the approved men will pronounce perpetual vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience. Then comes the period called the ‘First Studies’, which are usually done in philosophy and humanities. These studies are done mostly in Zimbabwe and in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The First Studies lead to a period of Regency when the scholastic is immersed into one of the apostolate of the Society. This period is 2 -3 years. After the regency, then comes the period of theological studies. The theological studies are done mostly in Nairobi , Kenya , and in Abidjan , Côte d’Ivoire . After some years of labour as priest, the Jesuit is then sent back to another kind of novitiate called ‘tertianship’. During this period, he revisits the Constitutions and does another 30-day retreat. At the end of the tertianship, the tertian may be called to final vows. It is after final vows that the Jesuit technically becomes a fully incorporated member of the Society.
The Training of a Jesuit Brother
The training begins with two years of Novitiate in Benin City , Nigeria . This period of training and formation includes a 30-day retreat. At the end of the training, if the novice is approved, he pronounces his first perpetual vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
This is followed by 2-3 years of professional and academic training, according to the talents and academic/professional background of the Brother. Then there will be 2-3 years of apostolic work, based in a community. This might take place in a parish, school or house of formation, and might include teaching catechism or some other subjects.
After that, the Brother is assigned to at least one year of theological and pastoral studies. After some years in the active apostolate, the Brother will do a year of spiritual renewal called Tertianship, which includes another 30-day retreat. At the end of the tertianship, the Brother is called to become a fully incorporated member of the Society.
While the years of forming a Jesuit may seem long, it is important to note that what Jesuits cherish most is the fact that they are members of a Society that bears the name of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus. After taking the first simple and perpetual vows, the Jesuit sees himself as belonging to a new family where he will be treated as a brother who has been blessed with talents and other gifts that will help in building God's kingdom on earth. With the way Jesuits are formed, an outsider could hardly tell who is a novice, who a priest, who a scholastic, or who has pronounced his final vows and who has not. The spirit of fraternal love and equal treatment permeates the air. It is only in cases where the ministerial priest's office is required, such as in hearing confessions, celebrating Mass, and so on, that one can actually distinguish between one Jesuit and another. Nevertheless, in the words of St. Augustine of Hippo, which holds true for Jesuits, the experience in this Society is "over all love."