Profession of Final Vows (for the professed of four vows):
“I, [Name], make my profession and promise to Almighty God, before the Blessed Virgin Mary, before all the heavenly court, and to you, Reverend Father [Name], representative of the Superior General of the Society of Jesus, and to your successors, perpetual poverty, chastity, and obedience; and according to it, I promise special care in the education of boys, according to the form of living contained in the Apostolic Letters of the Society of Jesus and in its Constitutions.
Moreover, I promise special obedience to the Sovereign Pontiff in regard to the missions, as well as to the present Superior General of the Society of Jesus and to his successors, and to those who, according to the said Constitutions, may be appointed over me, promising, under the same oath, to never strive for or ambition any prelacy or dignity outside the Society, and to immediately inform the Society should I be promoted to such by the Church.”
Fourth Vow (special obedience to the Pope):
“I furthermore promise a special obedience to the Sovereign Pontiff concerning the missions, according to the same Apostolic Letters and the Constitutions of the Society.”
This oath is typically made during a solemn ceremony, after many years of formation and discernment. The specific wording may vary slightly depending on translations and local traditions, but the core commitments of poverty, chastity, obedience, and special obedience to the Pope are consistent.
Here are the links to access the full texts of the Apostolic Letters and the Constitutions of the Society of Jesus:
- Apostolic Letters:
- The Vatican’s official website provides a comprehensive collection of Apostolic Letters issued by Pope Francis and other Popes. You can find these documents in multiple languages, and they cover a wide range of topics pertinent to the Church’s mission and governance.
- Apostolic Letters | Vatican
- Constitutions of the Society of Jesus:
- The Constitutions of the Society of Jesus, written by St. Ignatius of Loyola, outline the rules and guidelines for Jesuit life and governance. These documents are foundational to understanding the organization and mission of the Jesuits.
- While the complete text of the Constitutions may not be readily available in a single online source, you can find significant excerpts and related documents on various Jesuit websites and archives.
- Jesuit Constitutions | Jesuits.org