Jesuits are the largest male religious order of the Roman Catholic Church with 19,216 members ( 13,491 priests , 3,049 scholastic students , 1,810 brothers and 866 novices ) . As of 1 January 2007 , Jesuits numbered 19,216 : 13,491 clerks regular ( priests ) , 3,049 scholastics ( students to become priests ) , 1,810 brothers ( not priests ) and 866 novices , serving in 112 nations on six continents with the largest number in India and USA .