Service and justice are key priorities of Jesuit education. Fr. Pedro Arrupe, S.J., a beloved Superior General of the Jesuits (from 1965 to 1983), said the principle objective of Jesuit education is to form “men and women for others, men and women who will not live for themselves but for God men and women who cannot even conceive of love of God which does not include love for the least of their neighbors; men and women completely convinced that love of God which does not issue in justice for others is a farce.” Hence we educate our students as persons who are “open to growth, intellectually competent, religious, loving, and committed to doing justice,” persons who are for and with others in building a nation and shaping our worldthat is inclusive, just, prosperous, eco-sensitive and humane at its core.
Jesuits are the members of the Society of Jesus, founded by Saint Ignatius and his companions. With 16,000-plus priests, brothers, scholastics and novices worldwide, we are the largest male religious order in the Catholic Church. We are pastors, teachers, and chaplains. We are also doctors, lawyers, scientists and astronomers, among many other roles in Church and society. In our varied ministries, we care for the whole person: body, mind, and soul. And especially in our education ministries, we seek to nurture “persons for and with others.”
In the vision of our founder St. Ignatius of Loyola, we seek to “find God in all things.” We dedicate ourselves to the “greater glory of God” and the good of all humanity. We do so gratefully in collaboration with others who share our values. They have become part of the “we,” the extended Jesuit family ‘Parivar’. With our friends and partners, we also reach out to a broadly diverse world because that’s where God is. From experience and reflection, we know that meaning, value, and divine purpose can be discovered “in all things.”
We are companions of Jesus responding to His call to foster a humane, inclusive society based on reconciliation and justice, and to care for Mother Earth.
Holistic development, Excellence in academic, research and service learning, Integrity, Hard Work, Equity, Honesty, Fairness and Tolerance.
A Xavirite is a “person for and with others”. As students and collaborators of the school, it is appropriate that we have the information about the school, the management, its charism and its vision and mission.
In a spirit of discernment, collaboration and networking we, the Jesuits of Gujarat, commit ourselves
1. To make constant efforts in the spirit of Magis to promote and deepen our Jesuit identity.
2. To protect children and vulnerable adults against abuse.
3. To accompany and inspire youth, and to promote vocations.
4. To equip ourselves in the rapidly changing contexts and accompany the excluded (Dalits, Adivasis, women, children, minorities, etc.) in responding creatively to challenges such as migration, displacement and marginalization.
5. To share the Good News of Jesus Christ while keeping open to enriched by other cultures and traditions.
6. To promote the values enshrined in the Preamble of the Constitution of India.
7. To promote collective responsibility in caring for, nurturing and sustaining Mother Earth, and in safeguarding the rights of the marginalized who are the most affected by its over-exploitation and by environment degradation.
The Society of Jesus began, appropriately enough, with a bunch of college students living far from home. During the 1530s, Ignatius of Loyola gathered up a small band of fellow students at the University of Paris. They called themselves “amigos in el Senor,” Friends in the Lord. The companions took vows of poverty and pledged to stay together and keep serving Jesus and the world, after earning their degrees.
A little over a decade later, the first Jesuit school opened, in Messina, Sicily, in 1548. Today, with 470 plus years of shared experience in the field of education, about 3,730 schools carry on this tradition all around the world, caring for 2.5 million students across our one beautiful world. One distinctive aspect of Jesuit education at all levels is the emphasis on teaching “the whole person” — mind, body, and spirit. The schools foster not only intellectual development, but also moral and spiritual growth.
St. Ignatius of Loyola was the founder of the Society of Jesus whose members are called Jesuits. The life of Saint Ignatius is a testament to the power of transformation, the pursuit of education, and unwavering dedication to faith and service. Ignatius of Loyola, born the youngest of eleven children in the beautiful Basque country, began his life with dreams of knighthood and glory. In 1521, during a fierce battle at Pamplona, Ignatius was gravely wounded, leaving him with a lifelong limp. This injury turned out to be a pivotal moment in his life. During his long recovery, he found solace in reading about the life of Jesus and the saints. These stories ignited a new kind of heroism within him—a desire to serve God with the same fervour he had once reserved for the battlefield.
Ignatius pledged his loyalty to the Mother of God at Montserrat and immersed himself in a year of prayer and penance in a cave at Manresa. Here, he developed the Spiritual Exercises, a profound work that continues to guide spiritual seekers today. Realizing the need for education to further his mission, Ignatius, at the age of 30, began studying Latin alongside schoolboys, eventually earning a master’s degree from the University of Paris in 1534. While in Paris,
Ignatius attracted a group of devoted companions. Together, they took vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and in 1537, they travelled to Rome to seek recognition from the Pope. Thus, the Society of Jesus was born in 1540, with Ignatius as its reluctant but dedicated first General. Under his leadership, the Jesuits focused on educating the young. Despite chronic health issues, Ignatius’s spirit remained strong until his passing on July 31, 1556.
