Xavier High School’s Jesuit Legacy
Over 460 years ago, St. Ignatius of Loyola founded the Society of Jesus, or Jesuits, an order of priests that dedicated its works to one purpose: Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam—for the greater glory of God. Prior to founding the Society of Jesus in 1540, Ignatius of Loyola was a secular nobleman. After suffering leg wounds in battle, he faced a long and tedious healing process; to pass the time he read the only books on hand: one on the life of Christ, and another on the life of the saints. These books changed his life and Ignatius became “a soldier for Christ.” After much prayer, service, journeying, and education, he assembled a group of companions who devoted themselves to service to God through action and reflection. This small group of devoted men, known as the Society of Jesus, was formally recognized by Pope Paul II in 1539 and approved in 1540.
During Ignatius of Loyola’s pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1522, he sojourned at a famous shrine and monastery in Montserrat—near Barcelona, Spain—to confess and relinquish his nobleman’s garments. Before arriving in Jerusalem, alone and impoverished, he intended to rest in Manresa, a small town north of Barcelona, for a brief respite, but wound up staying for one year to fast, confess, and spiritually immerse himself in God. Here, he began to write what eventually became known as the Spiritual Exercises, to this day, one of the most well-known and widely used documents to aid all Christians on their spiritual path.
Ignatius Loyola, with the help of one of his companions in the 1540s, produced the Constitution of the Society, and later accepted a thousand new men into the Society of Jesus. Ignatius Loyola established residences at universities throughout Europe, and eventually formed the first Jesuit college in Messina, now the University of Messina. Soon after, he sanctioned about two new colleges per year in Europe and abroad, and codified a Jesuit system of education in the Ratio Studiorum. Almost immediately, Jesuit schools around the world were highly regarded for their academic excellence, especially in their instruction of writing, theology, philosophy, and Latin. Some of the more distinguished Jesuit universities in the United States are Georgetown, Boston College, College of the Holy Cross, Loyola, St. Joseph’s, Fordham, Gonzaga, Marquette, St. Louis, the University of San Francisco, and Xavier.
St. Francis Xavier was one of Ignatius’ first and closest companions. His primary role in the new Society of Jesus was to be a foreign missionary. He sailed to the Indies, Japan, and China where he cared for the sick and wounded; instructed and ministered to the children; baptized thousands; and created Christian communities. Denied entry into China, he died in 1552 after his arrangements failed.
Xavier High School prides itself on its Jesuit legacy and its long and cherished history in New York City. For 160 years, Xavier High School has been instructing young men under the guiding principle of Cura Personalis—educating the whole person. The Xavier student is instructed not only intellectually and physically, but emotionally, spiritually, and religiously as well. He is ultimately instructed to be a “Man for Others,” to reflect on the tremendous education he has received and dedicate his life to the service of the world. Students, faculty, and alumni often speak of these two principles with tremendous pride and spirit.
The Jesuit commitment to good teaching through education of the whole person is what distinguishes Xavier from other high schools. At Xavier, you will develop intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, and physically, not merely for your own benefit, but for the greater glory of God and the world.
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