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The Society of Jesus, founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola in 1540, is a clerical order renowned for education, missionary work, and intellectual apostolates. With 14,147 priests among 20,170 members, Jesuits run institutions like Fordham University and Georgetown, shaping global Catholic thought. Their Ignatian spirituality, rooted in spiritual exercises, drives missions in over 100 countries. Pope Francis, a Jesuit, exemplifies their charism of discernment and service, making them a dynamic force in modern Catholicism despite historical controversies.