How we live our vows
Every Jesuit, whether a priest or a brother, is called to live the three vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Three key elements for understanding our relationship with the world.
Obedience
With the vow of obedience, we place ourselves in the hands of the Society. Against any illusion of self-determination, it’s no longer up to me to choose what and where to serve, but I surrender to the will of others.
To do this, we need to grow in freedom and trust, recognizing that it is the Spirit who truly guides our actions and, through obedience, helps us discover who we are.
Chastity
With the vow of chastity, we strive to be freer in our relationships with those around us. It’s not just about physical sexual abstinence, but about a true inner freedom that allows us to help others find what is best for them, without falling into the temptation of control.
It is the foundation of the selflessness of our service, enabling us to care for others without possessing them, and helping those we are sent to feel loved as the Father loves.
Poverty
With the vow of poverty, we free ourselves from the possession of material things and become more capable of seeing, clearly, the people we are sent to as children of the Father, with whom we share who we are.
Not owning anything allows us not to be tied down or held back in our ministry. The simplicity of life that results from it enables us to remain brothers to all.
If I had to choose an image to introduce myself, I would choose that of the traveller, the pilgrim, the “caminante.” He who moves because he is searching, who is never satisfied, who knows that further than where he has arrived there is more.
La Compagnia di Gesù
Nel 1540 Ignazio di Loyola fondò la Compagnia di Gesù per aiutare gli altri a cercare e trovare Dio nella propria vita. Dai primi 10 compagni, oggi i gesuiti sono più di 16 mila in 100 paesi. Ogni gesuita è chiamato a vivere i voti di obbedienza, per il bene degli altri, castità, relazioni gratuite, e povertà, puntando all’essenziale.
