1547-1631.
THE FEMALE JESUITS.
Before proceeding further, we think it proper to make a few observations
on the Female Jesuitical Institution which was established at this
period, especially as the order still exists, though under a different
name.
When Ignatius was living at Barcelona, he received many kindnesses and
favours at the hand of a lady called Rosello. But after he had left this
place, his mind was so absorbed in devising so many and lofty projects,
that he entirely forgot her. She did not, however, forget Ignatius.
Hearing of his increasing sanctity, of his having become the founder
and general of a new order, and “being then a widow, she resolved to
abandon the world, and live in accordance with his evangelical councils,
and under the authority of the Society. With this pious resolution, and
being joined in her holy enterprise by two virtuous and noble Roman
ladies, she asked and received from Paul permission to embrace this
kind of life.”[63] Ignatius had the perception to see that these ladies
would be an incumbrance to him and his order, “yet the gratitude which
he owed to his kind benefactress weighed so much upon his heart, that
he consented to receive them under his protection.” But he soon had
reason to repent of this act of condescension; the annoyance was so
great, that he confessed himself that they gave him more trouble than
the whole community, because he could never get done with them. At every
moment he was obliged to resolve their strange questions, to allay their
scruples, to hear their complaints, or settle their differences;[64] and
as, notwithstanding all his sagacity, Ignatius did not foresee of what
advantage women could one day be to the order, he applied to the Pope
to be relieved of this charge, writing, at the same time, the following
letter to Rosello:—
“VENERABLE DAME ISABELLA ROSELLO—my Mother and my Sister in Jesus
Christ,—In truth I would wish, for the greater glory of God, to satisfy
your good desires, and procure your spiritual progress by keeping
you under my obedience, as you have been for some time past; but the
continual ailments to which I am subject, and all my occupations which
concern the service of our Lord, or his vicar on earth, permit me to do
so no longer. Moreover, being persuaded, according to the light of my
conscience, that this little Society ought not to take upon itself, in
particular, the direction of any woman who may be engaged to us by vows
of obedience, as I have fully declared to our Holy Father the Pope, it
has seemed to me for the greater glory of God, that I ought no longer to
look upon you as my spiritual daughter, and only as my godmother, as you
have been for many years, to the greater glory of God. Consequently, for
the greater service, and the greater honour of the everlasting Goodness,
I give you as much as I can into the hands of the sovereign Pontiff, in
order that, taking his judgment and will as a rule, you may find rest and
consolation for the greater glory of the Divine Majesty.—At Rome, the
first of October 1549.”
The Pope complied with the request, and exempted the order from the
superintendence of women; and Ignatius enacted in the Constitutions,
“that no member of the Society should undertake the care of souls,
nor of Religious, or of any other women whatever” [Loyola’s disciples
thought proper to differ from him], “so as frequently to hear their
confessions, or give them directions, although there is no objection to
their receiving the confession of a monastery once, and for a special
reason.”[65]
Dame Rosello and her two companions, being deprived of their spiritual
father, not wishing to change him for another—so faithful were
they—desisted at once from their pious undertaking, and for a time
nothing more was heard of female Jesuits; but, about the year 1622, some
females, more meddling than devoted, took upon themselves the task of
reviving the institution, although they were not authorised to do so.
Nevertheless, they united into different communities, established houses
for noviciates and colleges, chose a general under the name of Proposta,
and made vows into her hands of perpetual chastity, poverty, and
obedience. Not being restrained by any law of seclusion, they went from
place to place, bustling with gossip, and causing confusion and scandal
throughout the Catholic camp. The community soon spread over a great part
of lower Germany, France, Spain, and was especially numerous in Italy,
where it originated.
Urban VIII., after vainly endeavouring to impose upon them some rules of
discipline, by a brief of the 21st May 1631, suppressed them.[66]
Thus ended the Society of Female Jesuits under this name and form. But
another afterwards sprung up in its place, under the appellation of
_Religieuse du Sacre Cœur_, having special rules very like those of the
Jesuits, under whose absolute directions they now are.
In Catholic countries—above all, in France, and, we are sorry to say,
in Piedmont also—very many of the highest rank in society send their
daughters to be educated in these monasteries. Had Ignatius known
what powerful auxiliaries these _worthy_ nuns were likely to prove to
his order, he would, in all likelihood, have borne with those petty
annoyances caused to him by good Dame Rosello. Ladies educated by these
nuns bring into their homes all those dissensions and cause all those
evils which are so ably described by the French professor, Michelet, who
lost his chair the other day for daring to attack these all-powerful
auxiliaries of Napoleon—the Jesuits.