FFRZ continues the centuries-old tradition of Jesuit university teaching of philosophy around the world and in Croatia. The Jesuits are members of the Society of Jesus, an international Catholic order founded by Ignatius of Loyola in the 16th century, who then quickly came to the Croatian regions by founding grammar schools: in Zagreb (1607), Rijeka (1627), Varaždin (1636), Dubrovnik (1658) and in Požega (1698). As is well known, the Jesuit College in Zagreb grew into the Academy, which is considered the cradle of the University of Zagreb. After the restoration of the order, the Jesuits ran colleges and seminaries in Dubrovnik (1854), Travnik (1882), Sarajevo (1893), Zagreb (1937), Osijek (1998), and Prizren (2002). Among the famous Croatian Jesuits are Ruđer Bošković, Bartol Kašić, Juraj Habdelić, Antun Kanižlić, Ivan Ratkaj, Nikola Plantić, Ferdinand Konšćak, Ante Gabrić, Mijo Škvorc, Marijan Gajšak and others.
The figures show how dedicated the Society of Jesus is to education: Jesuits today run 168 higher education institutions (universities and colleges) in 40 states and 324 high schools in 55 states. Today, the educational activities of the Croatian Province of the Society of Jesus include the Faculty of Philosophy of the Society of Jesus, the Philosophical and Theological Institute of the Society of Jesus in Zagreb, the Jesuit Classical Program High School in Osijek and the Loyola General Program High School in Prizren.
As a higher education institution, FFRZ strives mainly for excellence in teaching and scientific research in the field of philosophy and religious sciences, while encouraging students to be creative and critical of thinking. Jesuit pedagogy is based on the personal and professional relationship between teacher and student, and cares not only about the acquisition of cognitive content or knowledge, but also about the acquisition of life wisdom. With such an approach, students can gain a complete formation, which develops their personality, leading them to greater inner freedom and insight into the necessity of accepting responsibility. Jesuit spirituality is guided by the motto “Seek and find God in all things,” which encourages care for others, for a community in which to build peace, truthfulness and justice, promoting dialogue with the world of science, culture and worldviews, building church community, dialogue among religions, and finally the value and dignity of each person, as well as the preservation of nature.
The list of Jesuit students includes, to name a few, philosophers (René Descartes, David Hume, Jacques Lacan), naturalists (Marin Getaldić, Georges Lemaître, Anthony James Leggett, Xu Guangqi), writers (Ivan Gundulić, Tituš Brezovački, Miguel de Cervantes James Joyce, Arthur Conan Doyle, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Gabriel García Márquez), directors (Alfred Hitchcock, Luis Buñuel, Alejandro González Iñárritu), actors (Salma Hayek, Bill Murray, Denzel Washington), artists (Luka Sorkočević, Peter Paul Rubens, Freddie Mercury), politicians (Charles de Gaulle, Bill Clinton, Herman van Rompuy), saints (Marko Križevčanin, Alojzije Stepinac, Franjo Saleški), popes (Pius XI, Pius XII, Paul VI, John Paul I, Francis), and many others…
Hrvatska pokrajina Družbe Isusove (Croatian Province of the Society of Jesus)
Filozofsko-teološki institut Družbe Isusove u Zagrebu
Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (USA)
Pontificia Università Gregoriana (Pontifical Gregorian University)
Hochschule für Philosophie München (Munich School of Philosophy)
Campion Hall (University of Oxford)
Comillas Pontifical University (Madrid)
Ateneo de Manila University (Manila)