Jesuit Education: A Comparative Study of the Collegio Romano and the First Jesuit College at MessinaJoseph WitzkeDr. David RutherfordDr. Carrie EulerCentral Michigan University

Introduction

•Ignatius Loyola▫Military injury leads

to new passion▫Aspirations of

spending life in Jerusalem preaching

▫Founded the Society of Jesus in September of 1540

Born 1491Died 1556

The Bigger Picture• Protestant Reformation

▫1517-Martin Luther writes Ninety-Five Theses on the Power of Indulgences

• Counter Reformation▫Also known as the

Catholic Reformation▫Creation of religious

orders such as the Society of Jesus (also known as the Jesuits)

Born 1483Died 1546

Historiography: Analyzing the Secondary Sources• Providing a Background

▫ Michael Foss and James Brodrick provide information on the origins of the Jesuits

• Modus Parisiensis▫ John W. O’Malley offers insight into the basic

foundation of Jesuit education• Humanist/Catholic education

▫ Robert Black’s work on humanist education • Schooling in Renaissance Italy

▫ Paul F. Grendler provides information on schooling in Renaissance Italy with a focus on literacy and learning

• Problems faced by the Jesuits▫ Christopher Carlsmith identifies problems for Jesuit

schools in Italy

A Comparative StudyMessina Collegio Romano

The first official Jesuit college founded in 1548 at Messina in Sicily

The Collegio Romano, also a Jesuit college, founded in 1551 in Rome

A Comparative Study

•Research Questions1. What were the problems faced by these two

Jesuit institutions? 2. What were the solutions to these problems?3. Were the problems they faced similar, and

if so, did the Collegio Romano rely on the earlier school at Messina for solutions?

4. Were the problems encountered unique to each institution?

Methodology

•Analysis of primary and secondary sources▫The Constitutions of the Society of Jesus▫Idea of a Jesuit University▫Jesuit Writings of the Early Modern Period:

1540-1640▫Counsels for Jesuits▫Letters of St. Ignatius of Loyola▫St. Ignatius of Loyola: Personal Writings▫The Ratio Studiorum

Problems

•In addition to the problems that were typical of the majority of 16th century Italian schools

1.Problems in university towns2.Hostilities from suspicious town members3.Lack of qualified instructors due to

overexpansion4.Discipline of students5.Disagreement on what to be taught6.Financial instability

Conclusion

•The Collegio Romano was able to anticipate problems based on the experiences of the school at Messina

•Geographic location played a role in the various problems faced by Jesuit schools

Jesuit Education: A Comparative Study of the Collegio Romano and the First Jesuit College at Messina

Questions?