The Jesuit Archives & Research Center is a repository of documents and artifacts that provide insight into the origins, development, spirit, and charism of the Society of Jesus, a religious order within the Catholic Church. The Jesuit Archives and Research Center was founded on the mandate of the Society of Jesus, the archive relocated to a new facility in Saint Louis, Missouri, in November 2017, expanding its geographic coverage and renaming itself to reflect its broader mission. It serves as the collective memory of seventeen administrative provinces of the Society in the United States, housing records from past and present provinces as well as the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States.
The mission of the Jesuit Archives & Research Center is rooted in honoring the wisdom of Superior General Pedro Arrupe. It aims to preserve the patrimony of documents and artifacts, providing a secure repository for the history of provinces, communities, apostolic works, and the lives of members. By understanding the past, the Society of Jesus can inform its present and future endeavors. Additionally, the archive supports the administration of provinces and their apostolic missions, while making historical and spiritual resources available for cultivating Jesuit identity and evangelizing cultures. Ultimately, the archive seeks to preserve the patrimony of the Society of Jesus to transmit it to future generations, enabling Jesuits to serve as emissaries to society.
Additionally, stakeholders such as academic institutions, religious organizations, and individuals interested in Catholic history may have a stake in the archive’s contents.