The Process of Application
The process of application is meant to be an experience of discernment through which the Society of Jesus and an applicant enter freely and honestly into an intense time of reflection, assessment and discovery. Through this process, the two strive with the help of the Holy Spirit to discover the will of God, and they commit themselves to a faith-filled response to it.
The entire process takes approximately three months. During that time, the applicant is interviewed by four Jesuits and a woman; he undergoes a thorough psychological assessment, a full medical examination including a complete blood scan, and a full dental exam; he completes and submits a variety of forms that include biographical data, references, financial data, and authorization for the Society to use the material gathered in the various examinations; he submits academic transcripts, a photo, the Certificates of Baptism and Confirmation and all other necessary canonical documents, and a police check. The reports of the five interviewers, the results of psychological testing, the medical and dental examination reports, and any official documents or transcripts are submitted directly to the Assistant for Vocations. The process will not reach its final stages until all materials have been submitted and the file is complete.
In addition, the applicant should maintain personal diligence in each of the following areas: daily prayer, spiritual direction, the sacramental life of the Church, contact with a Jesuit community, service to the poor, and an intentional living of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
The Spiritual Autobiography and Précis
The most important element of the application process is the candidate’s spiritual autobiography. The autobiography may be constructed in any appropriate way, but it should ultimately give the reader a sense of the personal and faith history that has brought the applicant to seek admission to the Society of Jesus at this point in his life. It should be between 15 and 40 pages, typed, paginated, double spaced. A reflection guide to assist the candidate to reflect on his life experience is included in the application materials.
The full autobiography must be accompanied by a five-page précis, which is shared with the people who will interview the candidate.
Making a Decision
Once the file is complete, the Assistant for Vocations shares it with the members of the Admission Board, which consists of the Assistant for Vocations and at least three other Jesuits. This board, having had the opportunity to reflect on each applicant’s materials, meets to discuss the applications, and to arrive at a recommendation concerning admission. The Assistant for Vocations communicates these recommendations to the Provincial and provides him with the full dossiers of the applicants. The Provincial makes the final decision about admission, and writes a formal letter to each applicant informing him of the decision.
There are three possibilities for the final decision:
- acceptance into the novitiate;
- non-acceptance; and
- deferral of the decision until the satisfactory completion of stated conditions.
The Assistant for Vocations also writes to each successful applicant and sends a full package of information related to his entrance to the novitiate. He also communicates with those who are deferred in order to arrange for the processes necessary for the candidate to satisfy the conditions laid down by the Provincial.
The application files of those admitted to the novitiate are sent both to the Director of Novices and to the Assistant for Formation to provide the background they need to guide the formation of the new entrant.