Hug a Jesuit
Today being the Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola I thought I would engage in some Jesuit hugging vice bashing today. To be reminded that we shouldn't be surprised by the negative attention Jesuits get in the Main Stream Media. We should expect that the media would prop up and constantly write about those Jesuits that are less than faithful to the Magisterium. They get more than their 15 minutes of fame precisely for their willingness to go along with the culture and not that there are exceptionally eloquent speakers for the faith. The media is not about to go looking for faithful Jesuits to get their opinions, but are sure to have on speed-dial those that will bolster their own opinions.
I would like to highlight one Jesuit today that I know. At my parish there use to be Jesuit by the name of Richard J. Powers who is helping out parishes in my diocese. He later moved on to help out another parish in my diocese. I came to somewhat know him while going through RCIA since he was involved in it. He is the type of priest who would get his dander up when he would see a article in the diocesan that was less than orthodox. Once when seeing an article suggesting that Satan could repent he was quite upset about it for not only its heterodox view, but that it would lead people into a theological error. He is a Jesuit who would find the term "creative orthodoxy" offensive and was not wishy-washy in any way when it comes to the faith. He is also quite a character and very fun to listen to. You always knew his opinion on a subject and it was not obscured by layers and layers on nuance that would render it incomprehensible.
I remember a story my pastor Fr. Leon told me about him when he first came to the parish that I found pretty funny. Before that time Fr. Powers had never been in a situation where he would need to go out shopping for food and that he had lived in a community where this was done for them. Fr. Leon took him to a grocery store to do some shopping and when told he could pick anything he wanted he was surprised at this novelty. The way Fr. Leon tells it is sounds like he became like a kid in a candy store. "You mean we can get this" He would repeat his amazement as they went down the aisles.
No doubt there are plenty of hidden old school Jesuits like Fr. Powers who get no attention whatsoever. Their works and joy are hidden from the world at large, but not to those who know them.
Known as 
Yes. I'll bet the old-schoolers like this Father find the left-wing wingnuts (the Jebbies here in Milwaukee, for example) quite disheartening.
More power to those who stay to the straight and narrow.
god Bless him.
Great post. I know more than a few good Jesuits. GOD BLESS THEM!
Question from a layman - why is it impossible (as opposed to exraordinarily unlikely) for Satan to repent. I'm not arguing about it! Just want to know the answer.
Waffling Anglican -
It's a little something called Pride and intransigence. He is rebellious and vindictive by nature.
Why is it "impossible"? Hmmmm. One supposes (and I am not sure I am right about this from a Catechism standpoint) that it has something to do with sinning against the Holy Ghost. The only item the Lord tells us is not forgivable. Otherwise, in theory, Satan could reconcile with God if he was truly contrite in his "heart". It's a good question. I am just taking stabs at it...
What a wonderful story... I found myself driving along and smiling at it hours after first reading it.
I was partly educated by Jesuits and there are some wonderful Jesuits. It is a shame that some loud and heterodox priests have become the modern definition of Jesuits.
We just have to pray that the order remembers it's tradition and history as protectors of orthodoxy...
I don't know him personally, but I nominate Fr. Joseph Fessio, the founder of Ignatius Press. Its books have done me a world of good in diving deeper into the faith.
Hi Waffling Anglican,
I think it has to do with the fact that the angels were in beautitude when they were created (they could see God in his essence, the Beatific Vision), whereas man was not. Therefore the angel's choice to rebel against God and become demons which was much graver from the point of view of consequence. This seems to be Aquinas's position in any case:
http://www.newadvent.org/summa/106402.htm
Compare this to man's lack of perception of God's essence:
http://www.newadvent.org/summa/109401.htm
Aquinas would also argue that once a person is in beautitude he or she can never leave it (in Heaven all human desires are fulfilled and it would be impossible for the will to be directed to anything else other than God). Therefore it seems that there is a certain freedom that the angels had, and which they used to rebel against God, that man would not had he been given access to the same beautitude.
I come from a Jesuit elementary school-educated background, and how I miss the orthodoxy of the late Fr. John Hardon. How I wish the conservative Jesuits out there would make themselves known.
Perhaps someone should compile a database of Jesuits who are faithful to the magisterium. :)
As for the questions on why angels could not repent: well, actually, what I heard was an explanation on why there was no more "second chance" for them after they fell, unlike for Adam. It's because of their more perfect faculties. They grasp the consequences of things in just one "glance", unlike men who have to go through a discursive reasoning step and who need to process things from their senses. So when Lucifer et. al. decided to turn away from God, it was with full knowledge of the consequences of that decision.
The answer is somewhat simple. Angels have a perfect and powerful nature. When they opted to revolt or remain neutral, they sinned against God and broke radically, with all their nature. And their nature, as I said is VERY powerful.
To sum it, the least of the angels could destroy the whole universe and put it back together in one night. Ofcourse, if allowed by God. So when the Devil broke with God, that decision carries all that power. And there is no turning back. See its not that God won't accept him, or God can't accept him, its just he won't ever be capable to return from that decision and repent.
But once the Devil appeared to a Saint, I think, and said "Give me an instant that you humans waste and don't value and give me Mary, and I would cease to be a devil." That also comes to show the power of intercesion Our Lady has.
And how the Devil doesn't have that time which we waste in our mundane life. But that doesn't mean to have pity. He deserves our hate, despise and if we could destroy him, we must.
"Ininimicias Ponem...Ipsa Contret!"
Um, interesting comments on the devil.
The devil is in Hell. No one gets out of Hell, unless by the saving power of Christ righteously applied to the just on the first Holy Saturday.
The devil made his decision. The scary part is that, by the gift of free will, we can, too. The good part is that God in His infinite mercy and goodness is always ready to help us through his grace-filled Church Militant, Suffering, and Triumphant. Kyrie, eleison.
Returning to the thread: As have probably others who comment here, I have met Father Fessio, and he is a personable and intelligent conversationalist, besides the public virtues that he possesses. We ought to pray for the Jesuits.
Believe it or else, the old-school, archorthodox to the marrow, Marines-of-the-Church Jesuits are still out there, getting buried under the ton of press the Other Guys get. ("Amen, I say to you, they've already had their reward.")
Not just Fr. Fessio, but Fr. Buckley, Fr. Schall, Avery Cardinal Dulles, Jorge Mario Cardinal Bergoglio, Fr. Pacwa, etc., etc. are out there fighting the good fight.
Furthermore, a LOT of the young Jesuits in formation hold fast to the Magisterium of the Church. I know several personally and they bite their tongue so as not to wash out...but they are out there, and they are aware of the issues facing the Society.
Be hopeful and remember that St. Ignatius said that "despair is not from God."
AMDG,
-J.