The Society Of Jesus The Jesuits Religion Essay

The Society Of Jesus The Jesuits Religion Essay The Society of Jesus is unlike any other Catholic order in existence. From the day of its inception in the basement of a Paris church of Saint Denis till today the Jesuits have always been more progressive than the rest of the Catholic Church. The Jesuits were created by an ex-soldier and nobleman by the name Ignatius of Loyola. They went out into the world and worked hands on with the communities that they were helping. The Jesuits spread out through the world building schools, hospitals and instilled a sense of solidarity in millions over the years. At any given point in history they were considered either the most valuable order of the Catholic Church or its scourge. They pledged an oath to the Pope and yet they question many of the Catholic Doctrines. The Jesuits are a very flexible, progressive order in a theocracy known for its resistance to change and a strict set of rules. Since their beginning the Jesuits have seemed to always be involved in some controversy with the Church. St. Ignatius was born Inigo Lopez de Loyola in 1491 and was the youngest son of a Spanish nobleman in the Basque country. In 1509 he entered the military and fought for twelve years without ever being seriously injured, until the Battle of Pamploma. At the Battle of Pamploma in 1521 while defending the Spanish border from the French he was hit by a cannonball that shattered his right leg. This injury ended his prosperous military career and even though he did not yet know it, started what would become a legacy lasting half a century. After Ignatius injury he returned to his fathers castle and underwent multiple surgeries in an effort to regain the use of his leg. While recuperating he came across a book entitled De Vita Christi written by Ludolph Saxony that chronicled and commented on the life of Jesus Christ. The message Ignatius discerned from these books altered his entire way of life. He also began to see visions that he could not accurately describe except for a sense of calm and peace that accompanied them. After he had fully recovered Ignatius began a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When he returned to Spain he chose to abandon his life of privilege and live in poverty, doing works of charity, fasting and learning Latin. He began to preach the gospels to groups of men and women. Large crowds would gather entranced by his oratory. Gradually he began to attract the attention of the Spanish Inquisition and was imprisoned twice, presumably because he was seen as a possible threat to the papacy. After a period of tim e living on the streets and searching for his spirituality he had an epiphany, or a mystical experience that began his spiritual journey. This understanding led him to the University of Paris and his future. In 1534 Ignatius entered the University of Paris to continue his education. While attending the University he met six men whom all became as close as brothers. After the seven men had completed their studies they all took a vow of chastity and poverty and began working in hospitals and teaching religion. Eventually Ignatius and two friends went to Rome and placed themselves at the disposal of the Pope. In 1539 Ignatius asked his old companions from the University to meet him in Rome. They presented themselves to the Pope and petitioned to form the new order The Society of Jesus. In 1540 Pope Paul III officially gave permission to form the new order. Ignatius was then elected as the first Superior General 1541 and served until his death fifteen years later in 1556. Ignatius military past and new spirituality establishes the structure and rules of The Society of Jesus, setting them apart from the rest of the Catholic Church. Since the day Ignatius and his friends took their vows the Jesuits were already different from the other orders within the church. They took the same first three vows as all other Catholic priests; poverty, chastity and obedience. However they also took a vow of obedience to the Pope himself. A very important difference that visibly sets Jesuits apart from other priests is that they are not required to where a habit. This allows them to move more freely through foreign lands and to assimilate with the native people. Also they were not required to congregate in order to hold prayer which allows more individuality than other orders. A Jesuit can pray anywhere they wish so long as God is in their heart. These seemingly insignificant differences are what allow the Jesuits to move relatively free throughout the World. Having this un-fettered rein of what they can do and when is what permits them to tangibly help the people in their communities and missions. The Jesuits began spreading out all over the globe, wherever the Pope sent them they went, and because of the different approach the Jesuits took towards their missions they were able to succeed where others had failed. For example, China had a long history of attempted conversion by various Christian religions. Because of this, China closed its boarders to foreigners. In 1583 the Jesuit priest, Father Matteo Ricci, was able to gain a foothold in the Chinese Empire. Ricci accomplished this by adapting to Chinese customs, learning the language and dressing like a Chinese literati which was an educated native in China. Through academics Ricci was able to gain trust, respect and eventually was became a consultant to the Emperor. Ricci and the other Jesuits that came later were valued for their extensive knowledge of Western science, which at the time China was severely lacking. Relationships between the Jesuits and the Chinese were strained at times but a lot of that tension stemmed fro m the Popes rigid stance on the old Chinese customs and refusal to modify Catholic Doctrine. The Jesuits had begun to spread all over the World. In 1859 the second attempt at entering Indonesia succeeded with the work of Francis Van Lith S.J. He followed the same path that Ricci had set forth three centuries before. He adopted the culture, helped build schools, churches and medical centers. Lith was able to do this because had the foresight to reach out to the village leaders and teach them first. Once he baptized the four village leaders the rest of the villagers slowly followed, Lith also was shrewd enough to not try and destroy the customs of the converts. Not all efforts by the Jesuits succeeded however. Initially they had huge success and were able to convert three hundred thousand Japanese. However the Japanese government saw the influx of Western ideas as a threat and effectively exterminated the Jesuits efforts. On the other side of the World the Jesuits were fighting a different battle in Latin America. The Jesuits had built missions all over Latin America, which many European colonial powers felt threatened by their presence. They were not worried about the Jesuits themselves, they were worried that the indigenous people would be protected and therefore not available for slavery. Europe was correct in their fears. The Jesuits began converting the natives and building cities to keep them safe from slavery. Two of these cities are Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro which are now flourishing as major metropolitans. In todays world the Jesuits are still just as active as they were during colonialism times, their goals have shifted but they retain the Ignatian values and ideals. Currently there are nineteen thousand Jesuits worldwide making them the largest male order in the world. The Society of Jesus has become something like a bureaucracy with multiple levels of leadership, and an internal system of rules similar to our judicial system. The Society of Jesus has spread across the entire globe boasting a Jesuit presence in almost every country. There is one Superior General who is in charge of appointing a Jesuit to govern each of the 91 geographical regions which are referred to as Provinces. The Jesuit in charge of a Province is called a Father Superior. The Father Superior in turn appoints a Jesuit to preside over one of the ten assistances that each Province is split into. The current Superior General is Father Adolfo Nicolas S.J.; he was elected in 2008. Since St. Ignatius started the Jesuits one of his fundamental goals was education. The first Jesuit school was built in Italy in 1548. They have continued their mission of education and there are now three thousand seven hundred and thirty Jesuit schools. There are over four thousand Jesuits and one hundred twenty five thousand Lay persons working in an educational capacity. Not only are Jesuit institutions located all over the World but they are highly regarded as some of the best educational institutions as well. In India for example there are dozens of educational institutions and they are regarded as the best schools in the country. Japan has one of the top Jesuit Universities worldwide. These educators are helping to shape the minds of over two and a half million students. Not only do these schools teach the standard subjects, they also teach solidarity, social justice and how to be Men and women for others. Building schools and educating people is one aspect of the Jesuits goal of building solidarity and social awareness they have created a number of different organizations to combat the injustices occurring around the world. The African Jesuit AIDS Network (AJAN) works in AIDS ravaged areas of Africa and has been doing so since 2002. The Jesuits are helping in all kinds of facets on the ground level. They are organizing communities and creating solidarity and understanding of the epidemic and compassion for those afflicted with AIDS, helping the older child families that have lost both parents to AIDS. AJAN is working with the orphanages full of children, who have lost their families to the virus, and educating communities in the prevention of AIDs. In addition, an important part of the education process in Africa is helping to dispel the stigma attached to a person infected with HIV/AIDS. As always, the Jesuits try to keep with the traditional Ignatian ideals of respecting the culture s, customs and beliefs of the native people they are there to help. The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is another social justice organization that is working towards a world of solidarity and understanding. The mission of the JRS is to give a voice to displaced persons who have been removed from their homes. Some of the main issues they focus on are; improving the detention stations at the border, many atrocities occur in these refugee holding areas and the refugees are basically turned into prisoners. They are also a big advocate for the rights of refugee women. Many of whom are the victims of abuse and are being exploited, either in the refugee camps or by men taking advantage of a person who has just lost everything. This is a very noble part of their mission, unfortunately a necessary one. Keeping with the Jesuit mentality JRS is working to educate refugees. Not just with standard reading and writing but also how to acclimate to their new environment. The JRS has been actively involved in Haiti since 1990 and were one of the first groups to respond after the earthquake. They were instrumental in securing clean drinking water and providing temporary shelter immediately after the disaster. Typical of the Jesuits, they see that the physical needs of individuals must be helped before the religious education can begin. The Jesuit Conferences Secretariat for Social and International Ministry (JSIM) seems to be a monitoring system for the other social justice organizations under the Jesuits. Not just monitoring however because the Jesuits have always encouraged open dialogue between groups and the JSIM facilitates that. They also allow a forum for people in the community to talk about the Jesuit work that is being done in their area. JSIM works with all different types of community outreach programs that focus on solidarity for all. Some of the groups they work with include Jesuit Volunteer Corps, Ignatian Solidarity Network, the JRS and many more. They are also trying to raise the publics awareness on important social justice issues throughout the world. There are four main focal points right now. One is Africa with its AIDS pandemic and the constant state of warfare on the continent. Another is domestic poverty; they are trying to raise the minimum wage to a livable wage. Third is migration reform in which they are working very closely with the JRS. Lastly JSIM is calling for a peaceful end to the violence in Colombia and Iraq. They believe that through education and understanding that peace can be reached instead of through the use of force and violence They are also calling for an end to all forms of torture; it is cruel, inhumane and dehumanizing and has no place in modern society. JSIM is the Jesuits voice in congress. The Jesuits are a very wealthy and therefore a powerful order of the Catholic Church and because of this they can sometimes persuade the government. As they did in 1989 after the Jesuits in El Salvador were murdered. The U.S. government was trying to protect the El. Salvadorian Government, yet the Jesuits had enough political clout to force the U.S. to investigate and eventually convict some of the people responsible for the death of their Jesuit brothers. The Jesuit order has had a long history of controversy and debate with the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. The leaders of the Vatican have been calling for a return to the traditional teachings of the Catholic Church. Consecration to service to Christ cannot be separated from consecration to service to the Church. Ignatius and his first companions considered it thus when they wrote the formula of your Institute in which the essence of your charisma is spelled out: To serve the Lord and his Spouse the Church under the Roman Pontiff. It is with sorrow and anxiety that I see that the sentire cum ecclesia of which your founder frequently spoke is diminishing even in some members of religious families. The Church is waiting for a light from you to restore the sensus Ecclesiae.- Cardinal Franc Rode, 35th General Congregation of the Jesuits, Jan 8, 2008 Over time the Jesuits have become increasingly progressive and liberal which is where the disagreements and controversy originate. One of the major points of contention is currently the Churchs traditional teachings about Humanae Vitae which is Latin for Of Human Life. The church prohibits the use of any device that prohibits the transfer of human life, namely any form of contraceptive. Always looking at the issues from an academic standpoint the Jesuits contend that because of the AIDS epidemic condoms should be allowed to be used, not as contraception but as a preventative medical necessity to combat HIV/AIDS. Conservative Catholics have been critical for decades about the liberal atmosphere of Jesuit educational institutions. They feel that the Jesuits have moved to far from the ideals of the Catholic Church and are teaching ideas contrary to the strict doctrine of the Church. The controversy probably stems from the progressive nature of the Jesuits and their beliefs of acceptance and open mindedness. The Jesuits have always been an adaptable order adjusting to whatever situation they are sent into, whether it is an AIDS ravaged region of Africa, poverty and earthquake decimated Haiti or the new times we are entering with sexual liberation. The Jesuits recognize that changing times necessitate changes in the strict laws of the Vatican regarding homosexuality and contraception. Once again the Jesuits take a stance on the issue that doesnt directly conflict with that of the Vatican but does call for some changes. While they agree with the Vatican that the sanctity of marriage should be pres erved, they believe that just because a person is homosexual does not make them a sinner and that they should be allowed to receive Communion. The Jesuits are known for their shrewd tactics at addressing sensitive issues in the Church but at the same time they do hold firm to their progressive beliefs. We no longer exist to pat the conservative Christian on the back.- Un-named Jesuit, Time Magazine, Mon Apr. 23, 1973 I firmly believe that the actions and philosophies of peace and solidarity as practiced by the Jesuits in the past as wells today are essential to the survival of the Catholic Church. The Jesuits are the face for the church with respect to social justice; they desire to help every type of person from the AIDS victim to the refugee. It does seem that they may be spread a little thin due to the extensive nature of their work. While their charitable activities and their schools are commendable. However, the resources of the Jesuits like other Catholic organizations may be diminishing partly due to the multitude of different projects they are participating and the increasing needs of the helpless. This lack of resources could result in a failure of the Jesuit goals allowing the very individuals that they are trying to help to slip through the cracks. I believe that focusing on select and high impact issues may be more effective than being involved in a multitude of causes. Unfortunately this problem does not have a simple solution, how would the Jesuits decide who they will help and who they wont when one of their mottos is to be men and women for others not men and women for a select few. The Jesuits could possibly be more effective by redistributing the number of Jesuits across the globe and among the selected activities they sponsor. Sixty percent of Jesuits worldwide are located in just a few regions, namely the United States, Europe and South East Asia. The focus in the United States and in Europe is the area of education. This seems to be a problem because areas that are in desperate need of assistance are Africa and Latin America. These under-served areas only receive less than eight percent of Jesuit manpower. When the Society of Jesus was founded its mission was to go out to the far reaches of the world to help people and spread the word of God. Today the majority of Jesuits are located in the select areas doing tremendous good; yet the noble goals of St. Ignatius may no longer be attainable without additional resources and vocations. While the Jesuits continue to do immense amounts of humanitarian works and fight for social change, equality and understanding they will always be hindered by the conservative Catholic Church. The Catholic Church does not change quickly, a bureaucracy never does. The Jesuits on the other hand have the ability to change with the times primarily because of the academic element they are able to look at issues with a more worldly and open minded view. While the Jesuits strive for change and progression the Vatican seems to desire stagnation in Catholic doctrine. This rigidity of the Vatican is in part what is causing the decline of the Catholic Church and the Jesuits see this. They have been calling for changes in the Vatican for years to help the dwindling number of Catholics such as; allowing priests to wed and for women to enter into some form of priesthood. The Jesuits are trying to move forward with the times and to connect with the new generation that has become increasingly jaded towards Catholicism. I believe that in order for the Jesuits to become an even more effective instrument for Social Justice it is necessary to distance themselves from Vatican Law.

Macbeth †Hunger & Humility Essay

Some say that when offered power, a man would do anything to get it. For example, when Hercules finds out he is a god he didn’t even know his own strength, and he used it in ways that other people didn’t believe were very helpful but soon proved them wrong when he grew up and became more mature and powerful. Hercules wanted to use his newfound power for the well-being of others; however, Macbeth had other plans for his use of power. In William Shakespeare’s tragic novel, Macbeth, a brilliant peacekeeper, Macbeth suffered from the same problem that befell many of the tragic Greek heroes like Oedipus. Despite his eager and insightful vision; he is unable to see himself or the future as clearly as he sees the battlefield before him. Macbeth proves in the story that he is a warrior model, ambitious, arrogant, and masculine all to a fault. Ambition, the hunger for the purpose-driven achievement, takes Macbeth to stunning extremes. At once intoxicated with his own slyness, he decides to stage a rebellion of his own, and to take the throne promised him by the Three Witches. Stoked by his wife’s ruthless passion, he reaches his high point – and melts down thereafter. â€Å"But screw your courage to the sticking-place, and we’ll not fail. When Duncan is asleep where to the rather shall his day’s hard journey soundly invite him his two chamberlains will I with wine and wassail so convince that memory, the warder of the brain† (I.VII. 60-65). Hunger turned ruthless, he finds he has little taste for absolute murder in cold blood, no matter how many he has slain in his path. Confused and pressed towards action, he must engage in dishonesty following the discovery of Duncan’s death, leaving him caught up in self-doubt shortly after. His character has ambition, but lacked the ability to understand the trace of what acting on that ambition may have meant. Others, knowing him as they did, took advantage of him, leading Macbeth to go on a rampage. Arrogance plays a large role in this play, driven by confidence and internal conspiracy. Also, defined as an offensive display of self-superiority, here we may take arrogance as a confidence absent the ability to self-affirm. This definition can be seen in many scenes throughout the play. As mentioned before, Macbeth had the courage to commit the deed that started it all, but only when traumatized by his wife. After her support edged away into a nervous craze, he himself falls into doubt, despair, and ultimately a reckless brand of destructiveness. It can be seen again, when the Three Witches play upon his ambition and arrogance, hidden promises slipping through the light armor of his doubt to play upon his heart’s desires. A time when the lack is most clearly seen is when Macbeth drives himself mad, unable to argue successfully with Banquo’s ghost. â€Å"Behold! Look! Lo! How say you? Why, what care I? If thou canst nod, speak too† (III. IV.70-71). Unable to con firm his feelings when none but he can see what infect him, he collapses. Seeking support, he finds that the best option is to return to his element and bring himself back to the battlefield, where he can die gloriously doing that which he was always best at. Maleness was Macbeth’s trademark as the standing alpha male. In this case, masculinity has a collection of traits and habits surrounding it. As the alpha, there are expectations to be met from others, a responsibility to those in his company, and dominance to be maintained for his own sake. Given his arrogance, ambition, and masculinity, he uses these traits to emphasize his character onto the world around him. Assertion, and almost never careful judgment, is his primary tool in the performance. Due to this, Macbeth is sadly unprepared to deal with the events happening around him after his wife dies, whose talent what he lacked. â€Å"She should have died hereafter; there would have been a time for such a word. Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow creeps in this petty pace from day to day, to the last syllable of recorded time; And all of our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death.† (V. V. 17-23). As his reliability dies, doubt is cast upon him both by oth ers and himself. The great lord remains unable to turn his once-sharp intellect inward to look at and create himself, or to moves desperately on, and it is almost too difficult to watch; none enjoy seeing great men fall to their death, especially Macbeth. Macbeth makes the tragic figure in that he embodies all that is typically asked for in a great hero. He has a sharp ambition that drives the action, pride for years on well-deserved honor, and the ability to force him with the strength needed to uphold the sensational shine around him. And then as the story progresses, because of the same things those we so admired him for, it all turns to dust in a flood of desperation. Unable to manage his emotions or regulate his actions, he is then incapable of dodging or deflecting the consequences that drove him into the ground and over the edge. Macbeth therefore shows that he is a warrior model, ambitious, arrogant, and masculine all to a fault. It is tragic, and it is also heroic, and this is what truly makes Macbeth the perfect example of a tragic hero.

Personal life Essay

Dance; a body of expression, a medium of communication, happiness and love. Dance is my passion. I am a trained Bharata Natyam dancer. I am proud to be an Indian because of its rich culture and heritage. In Bharata Natyam Bha i. e Bhaava (expression), Ra i. e Ragha (rhythm) and Ta i. e Taal (beat) are the basic components of a dance. There are seven different classical dance forms in india – Bharata Natyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali, Odissi, Mohiniattam, Manipuri and Kathak. I am blessed to be a part of this culture. It is my mother who developed this art in me. I have also learnt other dance forms such as Western and Folk. It is through dance that I find inner peace and true happiness. This art form gave me beautiful opportunities. I have represented my country in Dubai, France and Finland International festivals. Being a part of these festivals made me realize even if we have language barrier the language of dance bridged the gap between us. I’ve explored many cultures, their way of living, their way of life through this art. Dance needs no interpretation. Dance is also one of the strongest medium to pass a message. I believe one must use this art for a good cause. Famous dancers such as Hema Malini, Helen, Vayjantimala, Shri Gopal Krishna, Smt Rukhmani Devi, Shri Birju Maharaj are respected for their contribution. Dance taught me to correct myself. It has developed in me the ability of working towards excellence. I’ve acquired certain skills from this art which I believe are my competencies as a manger such as confidence, self-presentation, and an ability to cope with criticism and learn from it. As a performer I have an open mind and the ability to move beyond boundaries and experiment with different ideas. Every human being has a purpose for his existence. I believe my purpose is to spread love and happiness and do my bit for the society. I wish to make my parents proud. I wish to make this world a better place in my own little way. I wish to stay in your hearts forever!!

How to pronounce Ma Ying-jeou (Ma Ying-jiu)

In this article, we will look at how to pronounce Ma Ying-jeou (traditional: é ¦ ¬Ã¨â€¹ ±Ã¤ ¹ , simplified: é © ¬Ã¨â€¹ ±Ã¤ ¹ ), which in Hanyu Pinyin would be MÇŽ YÄ «ng-jiÇ”. Since most students use Hanyu Pinyin for pronunciation, I will henceforth use that. Ma Ying-jiu was president of Taiwan (Republic of China) from 2008 to 2016. Below, I will first give you a quick and dirty way if you just want to have a rough idea how to pronounce the name. Then I’ll go through a more detailed description, including analysis of common learner errors. Pronouncing Names in Chinese Pronouncing Chinese names correctly can be very hard if you havent studied the language.  Ignoring or mispronouncing tones will just add to the confusion. These mistakes add up and often become so serious that a native speaker would fail to understand. Read more about how to pronounce Chinese names. How to Pronounce Ma Ying-jiu if Youve Never Studied Chinese Chinese names usually consist of three syllables, with the first being the family name and the last two the personal name. There are exceptions to this rule, but it holds true in a vast majority of cases. Thus, there are three syllables we need to deal with. Listen to the pronunciation here while reading the explanation. Repeat yourself! Ma - Pronounce as ma in markYing - Pronounce as Eng in EnglishJiu - Pronounce as Joe If you want want to have a go at the tones, they are low, high-flat and low (or dipping, see below). Note: This pronunciation is not correct pronunciation in Mandarin (though it is reasonably close). To really get it right, you need to learn some new sounds (see below). How to Actually Pronounce Ma Yingjiu If you study Mandarin, you should never ever rely on English approximations like those above. Those are meant for people who dont intend to learn the language! You have to understand the orthography, i.e. how the letters relate to the sounds. There are many traps and pitfalls in Pinyin you have to be familiar with. Now, lets look at the three syllables in more detail, including common learner errors: Ma  (third tone) - You are probably familiar with this sound if youve studied Mandarin since its often used to demonstrate tones and is very common. The m is easy to get right, but the a is harder. In general, the a in mark is too far back, but the a in man is too far forward. Somewhere in between. It is a very open sound, too.Ying  (first tone) - As you may have guessed already, this syllable was chosen to represent England and thereby English because they do sound quite similar. The i (which is spelt yi here) in Mandarin is pronounced with the tongue tip closer to the upper teeth than in English. Its as far up and forward ou can go, basically. It can almost sound like a soft j at times. The final can have an optional short schwa (as in English the). To get the right -ng, let your jaw drop and your tongue withdraw.Jiu (third tone) -This sound is tricky to get right. First, j is one of the hardest sounds to get right for native speakers of English. Its a voiceless unaspriated aff ricate, which means that there should be a soft t followed by a hissing sound. This should be pronounced in the same place as x, which means tongue tip touching the lower teeth ridge. iu is an abbreviation of iou. The i tends to overlap with the initial. The remaining part is somewhere in between jaw and joe, but note that the English j is quite different from Pinyin j.. The are some variations for these sounds, but Ma Ying-jiu (é © ¬Ã¨â€¹ ±Ã¤ ¹ ) can be written like this in IPA: ma jəŋ tÉ•ju Conclusion Now you know how to pronounce Ma Ying -jiu (é © ¬Ã¨â€¹ ±Ã¤ ¹ ). Did you find it hard? If you’re learning Mandarin, dont worry; there arent that many sounds. Once you’ve learnt the most common ones, learning to pronounce words (and names) will become much easier!