The Society of Jesus, or Jesuits, was established in 1540 by Ignatius of Loyola and six companions and was approved by Pope Paul III.

They grew rapidly, operating 74 colleges by 1556 and establishing missions globally, including in Paraguay, Japan, Peru, Mexico, and China.

Their educational efforts, guided by the Ratio Studiorum, covered Latin, philosophy, and sciences. However, they faced opposition, leading to expulsions from many countries starting in 1759 and suppression by Pope Clement XIV in 1773, though they continued to operate in Prussia and Russia.

Restored in 1814 by Pope Pius VII, they focused on education and social justice into the 20th century, with numbers peaking in the 1950s before declining.

The Jesuits are led by a Superior General, currently Arturo Sosa, and have a hierarchical structure that includes provinces and conferences.

Their preparation for the priesthood takes 8-14 years and involves vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and a special vow to the Pope.

They run 168 tertiary institutions and 324 secondary schools, emphasising holistic development like Eloquentia Perfecta. Their work extends to missionary activities, social services in over 500 centres, and ecumenical dialogue, adapting to societal needs.

Claims of Jesuits planning world domination are conspiracy theories, dating back to the 16th century, with accusations of political manipulation and assassinations, like Lincoln's death and the sinking of the Titanic!

These lack credible evidence and are dismissed by the Church and historians; however, such theories often reflect historical anti-Catholic sentiments rather than facts.

The Society of Jesus, commonly known as the Jesuits, is a religious order within the Catholic Church.

It was founded in 1540 by Ignatius of Loyola and six companions with approval from Pope Paul III.

This article examines Jesuit history and operating methods and addresses conspiracy theories regarding alleged plans for world domination.

The presented conclusions are based on reputable historical records and sources.

The Jesuits' foundation on 27 September 1540 marked the beginning of a significant religious order. The papal bull Regimini militants ecclesiae (1540) initially limited the order to 60 members, a restriction removed in 1550 by Exposcit debitum.

Ignatius, a former Spanish soldier turned priest, and his companions, including Francis Xavier and Peter Faber, aimed to serve the Church through education and missionary work.

Peter Canisius established the first Jesuit college in Messina, Sicily 1543. By Ignatius's death in 1556, the order operated 74 colleges across three continents.

Francis Xavier, who led the first Christian mission to Japan in 1541.

Matteo Ricci in China (1607), and José de Anchieta and Manuel da Nóbrega, founders of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

The Jesuits standardised their educational approach with the Ratio Studiorum in 1599, teaching Latin, Greek, classical literature, poetry, philosophy, sciences, and arts.

However, their influence led to tensions, resulting in expulsions from many European countries and colonies from 1759, culminating in their suppression by Pope Clement XIV in 1773 via Dominus ac Redemptor.

Thanks to Catherine the Great, they survived in Prussia and Russia and were restored universally on 7 August 1814 by Pope Pius VII via Sollicitudo omnium ecclesiarum, with Tadeusz Brzozowski as superior.

Post-restoration, 22 of 28 U.S. universities were founded or taken over in the 19th century.

Jesuit numbers peaked in the 1950s, and they have been in steady decline since. The focus has been on inner-city secondary schools and lay groups inspired by the Spiritual Exercises.

In 2013, Jorge Bergoglio became Pope Francis - the first Jesuit pope, stressing discernment and service.

Under Sosa, the 36th General Congregation, in 2016, the Jesuits established four key priorities for 10 years, known as the Universal Apostolic Preferences.

These priorities were aligned with Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), approved by Pope Francis, and were designed to guide the Jesuit mission and respond to contemporary challenges. The Universal Apostolic Preferences are:

The Evangelii Gaudium is Pope Francis's document on the joy and mission of the Church in today's world. It covers 1. Evangelisation, 2. Social Justice, 3. *Ecumenism, 4. Dialogue, and 5. Spirituality.

(Note: *Ecumenism – also called interdenominationalism, or ecumenicalism – is the principle that Christians from different Christian denominations should work together to develop closer relationships among their churches and promote Christian unity.)

The Jesuits operate under a hierarchical governance structure, headed by the Superior General, currently Arturo Sosa, elected in October 2016, with absolute authority assisted by assistants, a vicar general, and a secretary.

They are divided into provinces, each led by a Provincial Superior, grouped into six Jesuit Conferences worldwide:

The General Congregation meets irregularly, typically to elect a new Superior General or address major policy issues.

The Jesuit formation for the priesthood is extensive, taking 8–14 years. Final vows are taken several years later, making it one of the longest among religious orders.

Jesuits take three vows: Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience, and a fourth vow of Obedience specifically regarding their Worldwide Mission, reflecting dedication to the universal Church and the greater good of all people.

Education is central to the Jesuits, with 168 tertiary institutions in 40 countries and 324 secondary schools in 55 countries.

Post-Second Vatican Council (1962 to 1965), the Jesuit curriculum shifted from traditional (Latin, Baltimore Catechism) to modern theologians like Karl Rahner and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, focusing on Eloquentia Perfecta for holistic development.

Historical Jesuit scientific contributions include cosmology, seismology, experimental physics (17th century), and advancements like pendulum clocks, pantographs, barometers, reflecting telescopes, microscopes, and theories on blood circulation, flight, lunar tides, and light waves, based on Aristotle's 1599 Ratio Studiorum.

The Jesuit China missions introduced Western science, which was noted for astronomy, calendar-making, mathematics, hydraulics, and geography.

Missionary work is global, with over 500 social and economic development centres in 56 countries. These centres focus on research, training, advocacy, and direct services for the poor and marginalised.

They also conduct retreats, ministers in hospitals and parishes, and promote ecumenical dialogue, adapting to societal needs as "contemplatives in action."

Due to their intellectual and political influence, conspiracy theories about the Jesuits planning World Domination have persisted since 1550, ten years after their founding.

Early theories, like George Browne's 1551 warning of deception and the 1612 Monita secreta (allegedly by Claudio Acquaviva, viewed as a forgery by the Catholic Encyclopaedia), accused Jesuits of "power-seeking."

During the Protestant Reformation (which began in 1517), the English Reformation (a 16th-century movement during which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Catholic Church), and the Age of Enlightenment (from the late 17th century to the early 19th century), they were accused of Ultramontanism (placing strong emphasis on the prerogatives and powers of the Pope), infiltrating politics, and non-Catholic churches. Jesuit membership was forbidden in England, and penalties included death.

The 1689 forgery "Foxes and Firebrands" claimed a secret Jesuit oath against Heretics, Protestants, and Masons.

In the 18th century, Enlightenment theories posited rivalry with Freemasons. These theories persisted into 19th-century French anti-clericalism, popularised by Jules Michelet, Edgar Quinet ("la guerre aux Jesuits"), and Eugène Sue's "Le Juif errant," which depicted Jesuits as a "secret society for world domination."

In Imperial Germany, Jesuits were seen as "sinister," leading to Otto von Bismarck's 1872 Jesuit Law, which dissolved houses, restricted functions, and allowed residency denial. This law was repealed in 1917.

Nazis, in the 1930s used propaganda to reduce Jesuit influence, calling them "public vermin," and condoned persecution and murder. Hubert Hermanns' pamphlet "The Jesuit: The Obscurantist without a Homeland" was typical of the disinformation against Jesuits.

In the U.S., Samuel B. Morse's 1835 "Foreign Conspiracy Against the Liberties of the United States" accused Jesuits of destabilising democracy as Austrian agents. In 851, "The Female Jesuit, or The Spy in the Family," claimed Jesuit spying via Catholic girls in Protestant families.

Mitchell Haney Wilcoxon in 1928 alleged that Jesuits were behind Lincoln's assassination, and modern claims link them to John F. Kennedy's assassination.

One theory claims that Jesuits sank the Titanic in 1912 to eliminate wealthy men like Benjamin Guggenheim, John Jacob Astor IV, and Isidor Straus, with Captain Edward Smith being a secret Jesuit.

The Titanic theory cites Father Francis Browne's telegram "GET OFF THAT SHIP—PROVINCIAL" as evidence, followed by the Federal Reserve's establishment in December 1913 and World War I eight months later - all, supposedly, organised by the Jesuits.

However, all these theories lack any credible evidence and are deemed absurd by historians and the Catholic Church. The article "The uncomfortable truths behind crazy Jesuit conspiracy theories" suggests addressing underlying societal fears, like vaccine development or election integrity, rather than the theories themselves.

Historical tensions, such as ownership of over 20,000 slaves in 1760 (mainly in the Americas, and involvement in Atlantic slave trade, sold 272 slaves in 1838 for Georgetown University, justified by evangelisation), and controversies like the 1593 Decree de genere (which excluded Jewish/Muslim ancestry, and was repealed in 1946), fuel conspiratorial perceptions, but do not support domination plans.

As of 01 January 2022, there were 14,439 Jesuits in the world.

They were divided into 583 novices, 2,587 scholastics, 837 brothers, and 10,432 priests.

The geographical distribution of Jesuits can be summarised as follows:

The Secretary mentioned that during the year 2021, several changes had taken place in the configuration of the Provinces and Regions, namely:

The Jesuits are currently spread over:

As of 01 January 2021, there were 14,818 Jesuits, and as of 01 January 2022, 14,439.

Slavery - Jesuits owned >20,000 slaves worldwide in 1760, mainly in the Americas. They sold 272 in 1838 to finance Georgetown University, justified by evangelisation.

"Monita Secreta" - A 1612 document alleged power-seeking methods, but the Catholic Encyclopaedia deemed it a forgery.

French Ban - In 1594, Jesuits were banished from France after Jean Châtel attempted to assassinate Henri IV. The banishment was lifted soon after.

Gunpowder Plot - Henry Garnet was hanged in 1605, having been accused of involvement.

"Decree de genere" - In 1593, this decree excluded any Jewish/Muslim ancestry, but was repealed in 1946, contrary to Ignatius’ wishes.

Tensions with the Holy See over issues like abortion, birth control, women deacons, homosexuality, and liberation theology.