European Tertianship
The European Tertianship in Dublin lasts eight months, from September to May. The group is made up of twelve Jesuits, mostly from European provinces, with some Jesuits joining them from further afield.
The school of the heart
It will be helpful for those who had been sent to studies, upon finishing the work and effort of intellectual formation, to apply themselves during the period of final probation to the school of the heart, exercising themselves in spiritual and corporal pursuits which can engender in them greater humility, abnegation of all sensual love and will and judgement of their own, and also greater knowledge and love of God our Lord; so that when they themselves have made progress, they can better help others to progress for the glory of God our Lord.
From the Jesuit Constitutions [516]
Our Vision
The programme is based on our understanding of Tertianship as above all a school of the heart. It is divided into four modules:
Autobiography is mostly concerned with having a good look at the tertian’s life, in the light of the Ignatian experience, and in the context of the life of the contemporary Church and Society.
Spiritual Exercises consists of the experience of the individually guided Spiritual Exercises, which are concluded just before Christmas.
Experiment deals with Jesuit identity and mission. The bulk of this module is a ten-week pastoral experiment, doing something different from the tertian’s previous work, and mostly in a different culture.
Integration, the last, is focussed on integration, both on the personal level and in preparation for the definitive incorporation into the Society through final vows.
Our Daily Life
Up to twelve Jesuits from various parts of the world come to Dublin each year for Tertianship. One of them undertakes to describe their experience – see what new
Our Community

2020-2021 Tertian Community
This year the tertianship group in Dublin consists of 6 members. We gathered for the first time on 21 September 2020. We will be together until the end of May 2021. During this time we will share with each other our experiences of our jesuit vocations through the spiritual exercises, reflecting upon our foundation texts, sharing our stories of ministry, and through different ministries.