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2 years ago by jawns

Just in case you're not familiar, a Jesuit is a member of a Catholic men's religious order known as the Society of Jesus. It was founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola almost 500 years ago.

Some Jesuits are priests (meaning they've been ordained and can do things like celebrate Mass and hear confessions), others are brothers, but all take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, along with a special vow of obedience to the Pope. (Pope Francis himself is a Jesuit -- the first pope to come from that religious order.)

2 years ago by throw0101a

> others are brothers

One of the more well-known ones is Guy Consolmagno, director of the Vatican Observatory ("the Pope's astronomer"):

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Consolmagno

Interview:

* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0DAKaR16cY

2 years ago by jhncls

It should be noted that many Jesuits played a very prominent role in science, including "hard" sciences. For example Georges Lemaître, father of the Big Bang theory.

2 years ago by andrepd

They were also active defenders of native's rights during the early period of colonization of South America. The so-called "Jesuit reductions" in Paraguay/Brasil are even an example of quasi-socialist/anarchist economies and governance on a small scale.

2 years ago by redis_mlc

Historically, Jesuit-operated schools were considered to be high-quality academically.

With the prevalence of Marxism/CRT in US public schools, a lot of non-religious parents are looking for either Jesuit schools, or failing that, even enrolling in Islamic schools.

2 years ago by jollybean

It's interesting because in the Anglosphere, having an antagonist relationship with the Catholic parts of Europe, we don't have 'Jesuit' embedded in our culture as agents of history. French Jesuits were definitely a thorn in the side of Anglo settlers in North America. So these things end up not being in the standard history books.

2 years ago by adolph

Sometimes the past hints of a future so far ahead it must have seemed mad at the time.

The Verbiest model was for a four-wheeled carriage, on which an aeolipile was mounted with a pan of burning coals beneath it. A jet of steam from the aeolipile impinged upon the vanes of a wheel on a vertical axle, the lower end of the spindle being geared to the front axle. An additional wheel, larger than the supporting wheels, was mounted on an adjustable arm in a manner to adapt the vehicle to moving in a circular path. Another orifice in the aeolipile was fitted with a reed, so that the steam going through it imitated the song of a bird.

2 years ago by buescher

And it wasn't Athanasius Kircher!

2 years ago by richardfey

Impressive story! We should have a game about being a Jesuit in those times

2 years ago by WastingMyTime89

It would certainly be an interesting game because if there is one thing the Jesuits are infamous for it’s their love for intrigues. They are often criticised for their use of casuistry. In english jesuitic can mean relating to the Jesuit order but also sophistic and contrived and even cunning and deceitful. François-Xavier d'Entrecolles, another Jesuit priest who went to China in the 18th century, is famous for stealing the secrets of porcelain production therefore becoming one of the first industrial spy.

2 years ago by richardfey

Fascinating! Now that I think of it Assassin's Creed (not a fan) could have drawn more from the Jesuits order in their plotlines

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