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Ad Majórem Dei Glóriam For the Greater Glory of God
AMDG

OUR MISSION

We are a Catholic school in the Jesuit tradition dedicated to academic excellence, forming students to become Men for Others
with Jesus as the model, and guiding them to create a hope-filled
future, all for the greater glory of God.

OUR VISION

To be the leading school in southeast Michigan of young men and families seeking a community committed to academic excellence and the formation of the whole person (cura personalis).

Ignatian Spirituality is what defines
U of D Jesuit High School and Academy .

St. Ignatius of Loyola, born Íñigo López de Loyola in 1491, was a Spanish Basque Catholic priest and theologian. He is best known as the founder of the Society of Jesus in 1540, also known as the Jesuits, it is the largest religious order within the Catholic Church. He is renowned for his spiritual writings, particularly his work "Spiritual Exercises," which outlines a structured method of prayer, meditation, and contemplation.

St. Ignatius underwent a profound spiritual conversion after being wounded in battle in 1521. During his recovery, he experienced a deep spiritual awakening and dedicated his life to serving God. He founded the Society of Jesus in 1540, with the approval of Pope Paul III, with the aim of promoting education, missionary work, and service to the Church.   

The Jesuits became known for their missionary zeal, intellectual rigor, and commitment to education, establishing numerous schools, colleges, and universities worldwide. St. Ignatius served as the first Superior General of the Jesuits until his death in 1556. 

St. Ignatius of Loyola was canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church, and his feast day is celebrated on July 31st. He is considered one of the most influential figures in the Catholic Counter-Reformation and has left a lasting impact on Christian spirituality and education.

“Men for Others,” Pedro Arrupe (1973)

On July 31, 1973, Pedro Arrupe, the superior general of the Society of Jesus, spoke to the 10th International Congress of Jesuit Alumni of Europe gathered in Valencia, Spain. Because of the “new awareness in the Church,” Arrupe concedes in these remarks that a graduate from Jesuit schools and colleges had not been properly educated to participate “in the promotion of justice and the liberation of the oppressed.” Nevertheless, he remains hopeful that, with proper adjustments, “the paramount objective of Jesuit education” could be reached, namely the formation of its graduate as “man for others,” a man who would “give himself to others in love—love, which is his definitive and all-embracing dimension, that which gives meaning to all his other dimensions.”

Graduate at Graduation

The Jesuit Secondary Education Association, now known as the Jesuit Schools Network, developed the term "Graduate at Graduation" (aka "Grad at Grad") in 1980 to represent five key characteristics of a Jesuit high school graduate. This initiative aimed to articulate the core qualities that Jesuit high schools strive to instill in their students by the time they graduate. The "Grad at Grad" has become a foundational document in Jesuit education, guiding curricula, student formation, and assessment across Jesuit high schools worldwide.

Our Values

 

Open to Growth
Open to Growth

We invest in the holistic development of ourselves and others. While keeping with our Catholic tradition, we grow through engaging different and opposing ideas and viewpoints.

Religious
Religious

We are a Catholic, Jesuit community seeking to find God in all things. We welcome and support other faiths.

Loving
Loving

We care for the whole person. We treat one another and the world with compassion and empathy.

Intellectually Competent
Intellectually Competent

We are rooted in a nearly 500-year history of unsurpassed educational excellence. We foster curiosity and critical thinking to drive life-long learning. 

Committed to Doing Justice
Committed to Doing Justice

Inspired by the Gospel, we walk with others; serve the greater good; and lead within local, national, and global communities.

Midwest Province

Midwest Jesuits are known for innovation and for their care for those at the margins. As we maintain our traditional Apostolates, we continue to read the signs of the times and look for new ways to serve and venture to new frontiers.

About the MidwestJesuit  Province

DetroiTJesuit Ministries

Detroit Jesuit Ministries collaborates to serve the needs of metropolitan Detroit through education, pastoral care, charitable outreach, and spiritual support. Together, they strive to bring others closer to Christ, reach the marginalized, walk with youth toward a hope-filled future, and encourage care for our common home — all for the greater glory of God.


Visit the Detroit Jesuit Ministries

Jesuit Schools Network

Jesuit Schools Network provides programming and support to 91 secondary and pre-secondary member schools in the U.S. and Canada. As a member of the Jesuit Global Network of Schools, the JSN collaborates with Jesuit schools across the globe. 

explore the jesuit SChools Network

Jesuit Schools Worldwide

Founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola in 1540, the Society of Jesus opened its first school in Messina, Sicily in 1548. Today, Jesuits educate more than 2 million students in over 2,300 schools across more than 100 countries. 

Discover Jesuit Schools Worldwide

U of D Jesuit High School and Academy, Jesuits in Residence 
Back Row (l-r): Benard Omondi, S.J., Brennan Dour, S.J., Bob Ytsen, S.J., Nate Cortas, S.J., Steve Hurd, S.J., Edwin Wesonga, S.J. 
Front (l-r): Daniel Kennedy, S.J., Trevor Rainwater, S.J., Sean Teets, S.J., Jim Boynton, S.J.

 

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