▁may ▁spend ▁another ▁few ▁years ▁ear ning ▁a ▁gradu ate ▁degree ▁beyond ▁the ▁b ach elor ' s . ▁ ▁Reg ency ▁is ▁the ▁next ▁stage , ▁where in ▁the ▁sch ol astic ▁lives ▁and ▁works ▁in ▁a ▁typical ▁Jes uit ▁community ▁( as ▁opposed ▁to ▁the ▁" formation ▁communities " ▁he ▁has ▁lived ▁in ▁so ▁far ). ▁He ▁is ▁engaged ▁full - time ▁in ▁min istry ▁( an ▁Apost olate ), ▁which ▁is ▁tradition ally ▁teaching ▁in ▁a ▁secondary ▁school , ▁but ▁it ▁may ▁be ▁any ▁min istry ▁Jes uits ▁are ▁engaged ▁in . ▁Reg ency ▁last s ▁for ▁ 2 – 3 ▁years . ▁ ▁The ology ▁is ▁the ▁stage ▁for ▁Jes uits ▁immediately ▁preceding ▁ord ination . ▁By ▁universal ▁canon ▁law , ▁every ▁candidate ▁for ▁priest ly ▁ord ination ▁must ▁complete ▁four ▁years ▁in ▁the ▁study ▁of ▁the ology , ▁though ▁part ▁of ▁this ▁requirement ▁may ▁have ▁been ▁met ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁period ▁studies . ▁This ▁will ▁include ▁the ▁att ain ment ▁of ▁a ▁first ▁degree ▁in ▁the ology ▁( such ▁as ▁the ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Sac red ▁The ology ), ▁and ▁usually ▁a ▁second ▁( master s ▁level ) ▁degree ▁in ▁a ▁special ized ▁area ▁related ▁to ▁the ology . ▁( As ▁such , ▁it ▁is ▁not ▁un common ▁for ▁a ▁Jes uit ▁to ▁hold ▁a ▁master ' s ▁level ▁degree ▁in ▁The ology , ▁and , ▁as ▁mentioned ▁above , ▁a ▁second ▁master ' s ▁or ▁a ▁doctor ate ▁in ▁a ▁completely ▁different ▁field .) ▁At ▁the ▁end