Jesuit Missionaries

The Society of Jesus, born from Ignatius of Loyola's vision, was founded in 1540. Founded in France, it had firmly rooted itself in North America by the 18th century, having celebrated "the first Mass on American soil" in 1611.

These Black Robes ventured alongside French fur traders, spreading their faith and establishing missions. In the dense forests of Southern Indiana, they sought to convert and educate the Delaware (Lenape) people, blending European and Native cultures. Their presence marked a significant chapter in the spiritual and cultural tapestry of the early American frontier.

Public Agenda

Our Mission

To work for reconciliation every day — with God, with human beings and with the environment.

— Society of Jesus (jesuits.org)

History

In the early 1700s, the settlement of Sanctus Michael Ignatius was established as a bustling trading post, named in honor of two revered Jesuit figures: the Archangel, St. Michael, and St. Ignatius of Loyola. In it's early days, it attracted a diverse mix of French traders, Delaware, Shawnee, European settlers, and free Blacks. However, the surrounding forest was home to Puckwudgies, mischievous creatures whose antics led to mysterious disappearances and other strange happenings.

As the settlement grew, so did the sightings and disturbances caused by these cryptids. So much so that the Jesuit missionaries took a much more...animist view of their new forest home, more in line with the native peoples of the area, rather than the other way around. The culmination of these eerie events was the complete vanishing of Sanctus Michael Ignatius from all records. Subsequent attempts to resettle the area were thwarted by the persistent presence of Puckwudgies and other forest cryptids.

Over time, the land was abandoned and eventually transformed into what is now Brown County State Park. The legend of Sanctus Michael Ignatius faded into obscurity.

Find God In All Things

Founding Date

1540

Alternative Names

The Society of Jesus, the Order of Jesuit Missionaries

Demonym

Jesuits

Controlled Territories

• The Catacomb Caves