Jesuit Development Office
The Jesuit Family
Jesuits in Formation
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The formation of a Jesuit is divided into five stages, four of which are supported by the generosity of benefactors.
- Novitiate: This is a two-year introduction to Jesuit life, highlighting spiritual formation. Novices of the English Canada Province join those of the French Canada Province in Montreal, QC. Average annual cost per novice: $33,000.
- Philosophy: Philosophy studies extend over 2 or 3 years and take place in Toronto and Ottawa, Canada. Average annual cost per student: $24,000.
- Regency: During this phase of formation the men work in a Jesuit apostolate and are supported by the local community where they live. This phase usually lasts 2 years.
- Theology: This is a four-year program culminating in Ordination to the priesthood. Students attend Regis College in Toronto, ON. Average annual cost per student: $25,000.
- Tertianship: This is the final year of Jesuit formation and occurs about five years after Ordination, just prior to Final Vows. The central element of the program is the 30-day Spiritual Exercises. Average annual cost for one Tertian: $25,000.
How the numbers work:
Average cost per year per man: $26,300
Average cost for the basic formation of a single Jesuit: $263,000
Novitiate Community
2008 - 2009
The Jesuit Novices in French and English Canada, from left: John O’Brien, Ivon Bellavance, Edmund Kwok-Fai Lo, Pier-Yves Larouche, Erik Oland, s.j. (Novice Director), Santiago Rodriguez and Artur Suski.
Ivon Bellavance
Born in Mauricie, Québec in 1965, Ivon studied theatre production and textile art. With a fellowship from the Canadian Council for the Arts and the Québec Council for Arts and Letters, he taught textile art at the CEGEP de Limoilou in Québec City, and for the past five years was responsible for visual art exhibits at the Gesu in Montréal. Since 2004, he has also been studying theology.
Pier-Yves Larouche
Pier-Yves was born in 1979 in the Saguenay region of Québec. His studies include theology, industrial and commercial safety, and social services. Over many years in the labour force, he has gained a variety of experiences as a truck farmer and industrial worker. He has wide academic interests, including multicultural studies. He enjoys physical exercise, outdoor activities and extreme sports.
Edmund Kwok-Fai Lo
Edmund was born in Hong Kong in 1982 and immigrated to Canada with his family in 1995. He graduated from the University of British Columbia (U.B.C.) in 2008 with a master's degree in neuroscience. After completing his degree, he worked as a research intern at the National Core for Neuroethics at U.B.C. Edmund is particularly interested in bioethical issues and moral theology.
John O`Brien
John was born in northern British Columbia in 1976, and is the eldest of six children. After completing a degree in communications from the Franciscan University of Steubenville and the University of Ottawa, he was principal of a private Catholic school in Peterborough, ON for five years. He has also edited and written for numerous Catholic publications. In 2008, he finished a degree in philosophy at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
José Santiago Rodriguez
Santiago was born in Colombia in 1982 and is the eldest of four boys. He left Colombia at the age of 16 due to social and political issues. He lived in Miami, Florida from 1999 to 2004, where he attended the diocesan seminary of St. John Vianney. There he completed studies in philosophy and theology. Santiago moved to Canada with his family in 2004, making the city of Hamilton, Ontario their new home.
Artur Suski
Artur was born in Warsaw, Poland in 1985. He came to Toronto in November 1989. He has lived in Whitby, ON, for over 18 years, having attended All Saints Catholic High School and subsequently McMaster University where he completed an honours degree in Molecular Biology. Artur was involved in Catholic student groups at McMaster, as well as youth ministry with the Militia Immaculatae movement. His interests include tennis, soccer, playing piano, guitar, ancient and modern languages and hiking.