The Necessary General Reforms

  • A renewal of the foundational Mission of the Order by a commitment to the Formula of the Institute, as originally laid out by Saint Ignatius and his Companions.
  • Emphasizing the highest importance of Spiritual Work over Corporeal Work in all endeavors pursued by Jesuits.
  • Emphasizing the Virtues and their ordering: Holy Charity, Hope, Faith, Justice, Prudence, Temperance, and Fortitude. All things founded and rooted in Holy Charity, that is , love of God.
  • Renewing an unwavering commitment to the Catholic Faith as understood in all official Church Catechisms.
  • Studying and taking serious the Writings of the Jesuit Saints and Jesuit Doctors of the Church; not re-writing what they say or selectively choosing only what is pleasing to modern ears.
  • Actively working within and outside the Order to find those men whom the Holy Spirit is calling to be part of the Order and its Reform.
  • Focus on spiritually serving Catholics first, so that they grow and are nourished in their faith; treat them as you would family, and then serve the rest of the world.
  • A general focus on the spirituality, faith, and education of Catholics and Christians; and all other apostolates flowing out of these priorities.
  • A general focus on studying and intellectual training; no matter which particular apostolate is taken.
  • Maintaining continuity with the Past and Present in the Order’s foundational principles.
  • Reforming the Course Requirements for all Jesuits; making sure their education is at least as good as a typical Seminary, covering a wide scope of the Catholic Faith; increasing general requirements for all Jesuits in this regard.
  • Renewing Catholic Studies programs at Jesuit Colleges and Catholic formation programs at Jesuit High Schools. Guarantee that any Catholic whosoever desires to grow in the Faith at a Jesuit college has the opportunity to live among Catholics and/or Christians (perhaps part of a dorm or Living Community), be part of an active Catholic community, and courses offered that provide a wide scope of topics in the Catholic Faith (such as Scripture, Grace and Original Sin, History of the Church, Sacraments, Moral Theology, Spirituality, and Social Teachings).
  • Restructuring the Order: Re-group Jesuits who are able and willing towards fewer Colleges, so they collectively can support each other and also have a greater impact in their apostolates. Reduce the number of novitiates and houses of study so that novices and scholastics can come to know each other better and have a greater impact on those they serve and witness to.
  • Allow any Jesuit scholastic or priest or brother to wear their clerical garb if they so wish, without penalty or mockery; let it be personal choice.
  • Strive to imitate at least the basics of a typical Catholic Seminary, so that Jesuits are seen as always carrying out the fundamentals first, then the additional charisms they bring to the table.
  • Strive to recognize and allow disagreements among Jesuits regarding topics that the Church allows personal opinion and discretion for, provided they do not contradict Church teaching; such as: preferred mode of worship in the Sacraments, varying personalities, varying spiritualities, varying political and economic views, priestly attire, varying apostolates, varying particular areas of specialty or study, varying applications of the Gospel and teaching of the Church, and varying approaches to the New Evangelization.