Pope Francis: Jesuit (1958–2013)

Image: Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepción, en José Cubas 3599, Villa Devoto. – By Cambalachero – Own work, CC0, (Wikipedia)

Early Religious Life of Pope Francis

While on his way to celebrate Spring Day, Jorge Mario Bergoglio—later Pope Francis—experienced a profound spiritual awakening. Passing by a church, he decided to go to confession and was deeply inspired by the priest he encountered. This event marked a pivotal moment in his spiritual journey and led him to begin formal religious studies.

Seminary and Jesuit Formation

Following his calling, Bergoglio entered the archdiocesan seminary, the Inmaculada Concepción Seminary, located in Villa Devoto, Buenos Aires. After three years of formation there, he joined the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) as a novice on 11 March 1958. During his early years of seminary life, Bergoglio later admitted to having briefly doubted his vocation after developing romantic feelings for a girl, which he said tested his commitment to the priesthood.

As part of his Jesuit novitiate, Bergoglio studied humanities in Santiago, Chile. After completing his novitiate, he officially became a Jesuit on 12 March 1960, making his initial religious profession. These vows included the Jesuit commitments to poverty, chastity, and obedience.

Academic and Teaching Career

In 1960, Bergoglio earned a licentiate in philosophy from the Colegio Máximo de San José. He subsequently dedicated himself to teaching. Between 1964 and 1965, he taught literature and psychology at the Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepción, a secondary school in Santa Fe, Argentina. In 1966, he continued teaching these subjects at the Colegio del Salvador in Buenos Aires.

This early period in his religious life laid the intellectual and spiritual foundation for his later leadership as Archbishop, Cardinal, and eventually Pope. His formative years were marked by a commitment to education, Jesuit discipline, and pastoral sensitivity that would define his later papacy.

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References

1. Vatican News. “Biography of Pope Francis.” Vatican.va

2. Allen, John L. Jr. (2013). Francis: A New Pope, A New World.

3. Rubin, Sergio & Ambrogetti, Francesca (2010). El Jesuita: Conversaciones con el cardenal Jorge Bergoglio.

4. Ivereigh, Austen. (2014). The Great Reformer: Francis and the Making of a Radical Pope.

5. “Society of Jesus: Vows and Formation.” Jesuits Global

6. “Education and Early Teaching of Pope Francis.” Catholic Education Resource Center

7. “Pope Francis’ Jesuit Formation.” BBC News, March 2013

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