Communities and Apostolic Works
in Rome

Besides the houses and activities of the Italian Jesuits, there are in Rome several large institutions and communities at the service of the Church universal. They depend directly on the Superior General of the Society of Jesus and are governed in his name by a Delegate who is a Major Superior. Currently Father General’s Delegate for these apostolates is Father Joseph Daoust.

The recent 35th General Congregation (2008) declared that the interprovincial institutions in Rome are among the five global apostolic preferences of the Society of Jesus requiring ‘special or privileged attention’ as ‘a special mission received directly from the Holy Father’.

The following are the Houses and Works that form together what are commonly known as the ‘INTER PROVINCIAL ROMAN HOUSES’. In latin ’Domus Interprovinciales Romanae’ [DIR] :

The ‘Curia Generalizia’
The Central Offices of the Society of Jesus

The Pontifical Gregorian University
A university born out of the free classes given at a 'Collegio Romano' started by Saint Ignatius of Loyola in 1551. It offers degrees in ecclesiastical, religious and human sciences: Theology, Canon Law, Church History, Philosophy, Psychology, Social Sciences, etc

The Pontificial Biblical Institute (with a branch in Jerusalem)
A university institute for higher studies in Sacred Scriptures and related disciplines (founded in 1909), with a Research and Studies Centre in Jerusalem.

The Pontificial Oriental Institute
A university institute for higher studies in Theology and Canon Law of the Oriental Catholic and Orthodox Churches (founded in 1917).

The "Collegio S. Roberto Bellarmino"
A house of studies for Jesuit priests and brothers preparing for advanced academic degrees.

The "Collegio Internationale del Gesù"
A house of studies for young Jesuits preparing for the priesthood (first cycle)

The "S. Pietro Canisio Residence"
A residence for Jesuits working at Vatican Radio, with an infirmary for the elderly and the sick.

The Vatican Observatory ('Specola Vaticana')
A centre of astronomical observation and research, with two sites, one at Castel Gandolfo (Italy) and the other at Tucson, AZ (USA).

The "Centro Aletti"
An ecumenical centre of art and theology devoted to bridging Eastern and Western Christian traditions.

‘Collegios’ entrusted to the Society

Among the ‘Roman Houses’ are also listed several ‘COLLEGIOS’ entrusted to the Society. Those are Houses of Studies providing accommodation to diocesan priests and seminarians of various countries of the world who are engaged in studies in Rome. They are:
The Pontificio Collegio Germanico e Ungarico
The Pontificio Collegio Pio Brasiliano
The Pontificio Collegio Pio Latino Americano
The Pontificio Collegio Russo (‘Russicum’)