Interview with the missionary : frequently asked questions for Jesuit petitioners for the Indies / Frei, Elisa and Nebgen Christoph

Published by Institute of Jesuit Sources 

The Roman archives of the Society of Jesus hold over twenty thousand letters—litterae indipetae—in which young Jesuits petitioned their superiors for missions abroad. While these letters are currently well-studied, there is limited insight into the broader social, religious, and political contexts that shaped missionary appointments. This book fills that gap by presenting, translating, and analyzing three early modern documents that offer invaluable perspectives on mission readiness and application.

The first document is a Latin collection by Franz Xaver Amrhyn, S.J. (1655–1731), containing meditative and ascetic texts to help aspiring missionaries discern their vocation. The second is a manuscript formerly held at Ingolstadt, featuring practical advice on qualities required for Eastern missions and a Q&A section on petitioning Rome. The third, Misión a las Indias, is a 1620 Spanish handbook by Girolamo Pallas, S.J. (1594–1670), who upon arriving in Peru detailed his experiences and outlined strategies for navigating the application process.

Together, these documents shed light on the blend of spiritual, practical, and political considerations that informed missionary applications in the Jesuit order during the early modern period.