Tertianship
Encyclopedia
Tertianship is the final formal period of formation in the Society of Jesus
. The Provincial
usually invites men to begin Tertianship three to five years after finishing Formation or Graduate Studies. It is intended to be a time in which an individual steps back to critically assess his experience of living and working in the Society of Jesus
and whether this is, in fact, the life to which he is being called by Christ
.
After two years in the novitiate
, the Society will usually invite a novice to make a commitment through a profession of three vows – poverty
, chastity
and obedience
. While this profession of three vows serves to bind a man to the Society of Jesus
, the Society does not make its formal commitment to an individual Jesuit until that person has been with them for more than 15 years.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
. The Provincial
Provincial superior
A Provincial Superior is a major superior of a religious order acting under the order's Superior General and exercising a general supervision over all the members of that order in a territorial division of the order called a province--similar to but not to be confused with an ecclesiastical...
usually invites men to begin Tertianship three to five years after finishing Formation or Graduate Studies. It is intended to be a time in which an individual steps back to critically assess his experience of living and working in the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
and whether this is, in fact, the life to which he is being called by Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
.
After two years in the novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
, the Society will usually invite a novice to make a commitment through a profession of three vows – poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
, chastity
Chastity
Chastity refers to the sexual behavior of a man or woman acceptable to the moral standards and guidelines of a culture, civilization, or religion....
and obedience
Obedience
The term obedience can refer to:* Obedience ** The educational film Obedience about the Milgram experiment on obedience to authority figures* Vow of obedience as an evangelical counsel* Obedience training for dogs...
. While this profession of three vows serves to bind a man to the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
, the Society does not make its formal commitment to an individual Jesuit until that person has been with them for more than 15 years.