title: The American Jesuits: A History
author:  Raymond A. Schroth 
description: Schroth, a Jesuit priest and professor of humanities at St. Peter's College in Jersey City, N.J., tells the story of the Society of Jesus' presence in North America in this account that begins with a martyrdom on the coast of Florida in 1566. From humble beginnings as missionaries bent on converting Native Americans, the society grew over nearly five centuries on this continent into an organization best known today for its work in education and social activism. In between, members have served as war chaplains and antiwar protesters, high school and college educators, and writers and editors addressing church and societal issues through the community's influential magazine <i>America</i>. Blending history and analysis, Schroth chronicles the society's weaknesses and failures, too, including its foot-dragging on racial issues, ranging from its involvement in slavery in the 19th century to slowness in integrating its schools in the 20th. Schroth also discusses the community's decline in numbers, but he ends on a hopeful note, quoting the late Karl Rahner: There will always be men who... pass by all the idols of this world and dare to give themselves unconditionally to the incomprehensibility of God, seen as love and mercy. This is absorbing reading for those with an interest in the Jesuits. <i>(Oct.)</i> <br />Copyright  Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
zlib_text: The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Jesuits in North America in the Seventeenth
  Century, by Francis Parkman #2 in the series France and England in North
  America.
  
  
  This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no
  restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the
  terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at
  www.gutenberg.org
  
  
  Title: The Jesuits in North America in the Seventeenth Century  
  
  
  Volume 2 of the France and England in North America series  
  
  
  Author: Francis Parkman  
  
  
  Release Date: November, 2004 [EBook #6933]  
  
  
  Updated: September 8, 2016.  
  
  
  Character set encoding: Windows Code Page 1252  
  
  
  This etext was produced by Ken Reeder.  
  
  
  Thanks to Cyrille Héloir for French proofreading.  
  
  
  Transcription notes are included as an appendix.  
  
  
  Text corrections, formatting modifications, and index by Robert Homa.
  
  
  *** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE JESUITS IN NORTH AMERICA ***
  
  
  
  