About Us

The origins of the name 'Congregatio Jesu' and the Jesuit Constitutions of C.J: Following the enlightenment of 1611 to 'take the same of the Society (of Jesus), Mary Ward never doubted that the name of her Institute must be that of 'Jesus'. However, she could not give her new foundation an official name because the Church never gave it the recognition she sought. Among the sisters they spoke about themselves as 'the companions' and 'ours'. Within half a century of Mary Ward's death the sisters had adopted the Marian title: 'The Institute of Mary'. Shortly later this was changed to the 'Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary'. It was under this title Pope Pius IX approved the Institute in 1877. From the middle of the 18th century to the end of the 19th century for the sake of the survival, the name of Mary Ward could not be associated with the Institute. However, in 1909, she received official recognition as its Foundress. In 1978, with the approval of the Society of Jesus, Mary Ward's Company were granted the Jesuit Constitutions, for which she had pleaded in 1621. The decision to adopt the name 'Congregatio Jesu' was taken at the General Congregation of 2002 when the Ignatian Constitutions 'ad maximum' were adopted following the original vision of Mary Ward that the name was part of the revelation she received in 1611, Take the same of the Society (of Jesus).