In Mexico, as in other parts of the world, human rights violations have deep historical roots. In the forty years before this study, these violations had been increasing, especially with respect to excluded populations and vulnerable groups, such as women, indigenous peoples, migrants, and victims of repression (Center Prodh, 2013). To reverse or at least decrease these conditions, disenfranchised people needed to become aware of their rights within civil society. Toward that end, diverse non-governmental organizations (NGOs) had taken on the task of providing education and strategic practices to disenfranchised people and communities. The Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) had contributed to this work. The defense of human rights was a fundamental task in any country that sought democracy. Recognized by international law, academics, and civil society, the growing field of human rights combined the ideas of liberal democracy with other traditions. This case study utilized a critical analysis to examine the outcome of the work of one NGO dedicated to the defense and promotion of human rights in Mexico: the Center of Human Rights Miguel Agustin Prodh Juarez (Center Prodh). Center Prodh was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1988 and has maintained a political presence within the field of human rights organizations in the region. The study utilized the characteristics of the social apostolate of the Society of Jesus and provided a critical conceptual framework for cultural democracy formulated by Darder (2003) to investigate the importance of a Jesuit social institution in theory and practice within the field of human rights. Apart from this critical process of analysis, an important objective of the study was to develop greater understanding of the Jesuit orientation to social action work in Mexico. A key aspect of this study was to examine the successes and limitations of the human rights approach utilized by Center Prodh in assisting individuals and communities to consolidate their collective agency toward a more just and participatory political process of social change.

The issue of ecclesiastical ministries, services and offices has always attracted attention of theological scholars and church ministers. The early Christian Church shows a great variability of its organizational models. The suitable starting point for their explanation is the charismatic phenomena in the earliest Church. In the Epistle to the Ephesians, prophets stand alongside the apostles as those who form the fundaments of Church teaching. According to Luke's Acts, the imposition of hands accompanies the mediation of the Spirit during the process of being entrusted with various services in the Church. There are numerous specifications of charismata in St Paul's letters; at the same time, some of these gifts can transform into permanent offices, like those of leadership or teaching. Early Christians especially revered martyrdom, particularly that of their pastors. Itinerant prophets also enjoyed high esteem. Their pronouncements in ecstatic moments were considered inspired by the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, itinerant missionaries potentially also presented a grave danger of heresies that could spread among the faithful. However, the constitutive role in the Church belonged undoubtedly to the apostles, the only ministry established by the Lord himself. According to Luke's writings, the concept of apostles is reduced only to the Twelve. Nevertheless, Paul in his letters appeals to his personal apostolate. Besides that, a clearer concept of apostolate in the early Church there can be found also, namely that of the missionaries. In the Jewish Christian milieu, the early Church followed in the exercise of the presbyter's ministry, known from the synagogue life. In the Pastoral Epistles, presbyters operate together with deacons and bishops as leaders of the various Churches. In the epistles of Ignatius of Antiochia, dated to the beginning of the second Christian century, the three grades of Church hierarchy, i.e. the deacons, the presbyters and the sole bishop, are mentioned as already existing. This type of monarchic episcopacy soon became the prevalent leadership model of Church organization, known throughout its history.

Consecrated life or religious life as it is sometimes called within the Catholic Church is almost as old as Christianity. All baptised persons are consecrated persons by virtue of their baptism, but the consecrated life to which some people feel called, is a special and fruitful deepening of the consecration received in baptism and confirmation.. This dissertation explores Christian spirituality as it is manifested in consecrated life with relation to inculturation and religious life. The scope has been limited to a study of one congregation, the Companions of St Angela as a case study. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th. (Christian Spirituality)

Consecrated life or religious life as it is sometimes called within the Catholic Church is almost as old as Christianity. All baptised persons are consecrated persons by virtue of their baptism, but the consecrated life to which some people feel called, is a special and fruitful deepening of the consecration received in baptism and confirmation.. This dissertation explores Christian spirituality as it is manifested in consecrated life with relation to inculturation and religious life. The scope has been limited to a study of one congregation, the Companions of St Angela as a case study. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th. (Christian Spirituality)

Research object of this thesis is Magnus the Apostle of the Allgäu area in Germany. Based on the historical background, this thesis analyses Magnus concerning the way and impact of his apostolic ministry to understand and compare it to the ministry of the biblical apostolic ministry and thus describe criteria of apostolic ministry and consequences until today. The originality of this thesis lies, due to a limites written sources concerning the vita of Magnus, in firstly an investigation into historical developments of his context in the Allgäu, secondly evaluates his Iro-Scottish backround and thirdly describes the historical impact. The resulting insights are compared between the apostolic-missionary work of Magnus and the New Testament. The conclusion summarizes the ministry of the apostle into a number of statements Which are in harmony with the life of Magnus and the context of the New Testament. / Forschungsgegenstand dieser Arbeit ist Magnus (699-772 n. Chr.), der Apostel des Allgaus. Aufgabe der Untersuchung ist es, basierend auf dem literarhistorischen Hintergrund des Magnus seine Biographie zu untersuchen, um eine Vorstellung liber die Art und Weise seiner apostolischen Wirksamkeit zu gewinnen. Die Besonderheit dieser Arbeit besteht darin, dass auf Grund des eingeschrankten schriftlichen Quellenbefundes der Magnusvita zum Einen die Erfassung des geschichtlichen Werdens seines Wirkungsfeldes im Allgau, zum Zweiten die Untersuchung seines iroschottischen Hintergrundes und zum Dritten die Darstellung seiner Wirkungsgeschichte unabdingbar sind. Die so gewonnenen Kenntnisse ermoglichen einen thesenhaften Vergleich zwischen dem apostolisch-missionarischen Wirken des Magnus und dem der Apostel des Neuen Testamentes. / Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

La tesi si apre con un capitolo introduttivo, che tiene presente l’arco cronologico compreso tra i secoli XII e XIX. L’ampiezza di questo periodo storico è giustificata dall’antichità delle istituzioni antecedenti al monastero cassinese di San Raimondo in Piacenza: una canonica agostiniana (secoli XII-XIV), dedicata a Santa Maria dei Dodici Apostoli, un ospedale di tipo medievale (secoli XII-XVI) e un monastero cistercense femminile (1414-1810). Si è cercato di mettere in luce che le vicende di queste istituzioni sono parte integrante della storia dell’attuale monastero. Dopo un accenno alle soppressioni napoleoniche e alle loro conseguenze per le religiose, la parte centrale della ricerca (comprendente gli altri tre capitoli) riguarda il monastero di San Raimondo in Piacenza nel suo periodo benedettino cassinese. L’erezione canonica è avvenuta nel 1835, in seguito all’iniziativa della fondatrice Teresa Maruffi (1780-1855), monaca piacentina. Nel lavoro si è cercato di mettere in luce l’influsso dell’istituzione anche in campo sociale ed educativo. Il monastero di San Raimondo, infatti, tenendo fermo il carattere contemplativo-claustrale della comunità che vi risiede, ha svolto e svolge tuttora un importante ruolo dal punto di vista scolastico-educativo ed apostolico in campo pastorale e sociale. / The thesis opens with an introductory chapter that considers the chronological period between XII and XIX centuries. The wideness of this historical period is justified by the antiquity of the institutions prior to the “cassinese” monastery of San Raimondo in Piacenza: an Augustinian presbytery (XII-XIV centuries), dedicated to Saint Mary of the Twelve Apostles, a medieval hospital (XII-XVI centuries) and a Cistercian convent (1414-1810). They have tried to point out that the events of these institutions are an integral part of the history of the present-day monastery. After a reference to the Napoleonic dissolution and to its consequences for the nuns, the central part of the research (including the other three chapters) concerns the monastery of San Raimondo in Piacenza during the Benedictine “cassinese” period. The monastery was founded in 1835 on the initiative of Teresa Maruffi (1780-1855), a nun from Piacenza. In the research they have tried to point out the influence of the institution in social and educational field. Actually, the monastery of San Raimondo, preserving the cloister-contemplative character of the community that resides there, has played and still plays an important role both from an educational point of view and an apostolic point of view in pastoral and social field.

Cette thèse analyse les conditions qui ont conduit à l'émergence d'un groupe qui diffusent la doctrine et la pensée de l'Église catholique au XXe siècle dans l'État de Rio Grande do Sul. L'hypothèse générale qui a guidé la recherche est que les Jésuites la promotion d'un processus entre les groupes formant, de un cotê d'uniformiser scolaire par leurs gymnases catholiques, et surtout de l'identité religieuse et intellectuelle à travers les activités dans leurs congrégations Mariannes. Il est démontré, sur la base de plusieurs sources, que le facteur d'homogénéisation du groupe n'est pas dans leur profil social, mais en uniforme scolaire a reçu, et en particulier dans la formation religieuse et intellectuelle résultat de l'action éducative des Jésuites étrangers dans les congrégations mariales. Se déroule cette constatation, le fait que dans un environnement culturel marqué par l'absence d'espaces universitaires, á formation philosophique fournies par ces jésuites, basées sur des interprétations du thomisme, déterminer le substrat idéologique et l’identité intellectuelle du groupe. Cette formation intellectuelle internationalisé déterminé que, parmi les membres du groupe, étant donné la tendance de la réception de la pensée catholique, ne créent pas un système philosophiques original. Avec ce type de formation l’action collective du groupe catholique a été orientée pour les espaces sociaux ils peuvent imposer leur identité intelectuelle, et la doctrine sociale de l'Eglise, comme l'articulation du mouvement catholique en l'état, la conquête des chaires de philosophie et des lois du travail, par exemple, l'Université, et la construction de l'ordre politique à travers l'insertion des postulats catholiques dans las constituants fédéral. / Esta tese analisa as condições que possibilitaram o surgimento de um grupo que difundiu a doutrina e o pensamento da Igreja Católica durante o século XX no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. A hipótese geral que norteou a pesquisa é de que os Jesuítas promoveram um processo, entre os grupos que formaram, por um lado, de uniformização escolar, via seus Ginásios Católicos, e, sobretudo, de identificação religiosa e intelectual através das atividades nas suas Congregações Marianas. Demonstra-se, com base em fontes variadas, que o fator homogeneizador do grupo não se encontra em seu perfil social, mas sim na uniformização escolar recebida, e, sobretudo, na formação religiosa e intelectual decorrente da ação educativa dos jesuítas estrangeiros nas Congregações Marianas. Desdobra-se desta constatação, o fato de que, num ambiente cultural marcado pela ausência de espaços acadêmicos, a formação filosófica proporcionada por estes jesuítas alemães baseada nas reinterpretações do Tomismo, pautou o substrato ideológico e a identidade intelectual do grupo. Esta formação intelectual internacionalizada determinou que, entre os membros do grupo, dado o padrão de recepção de pensamento católico, não se produzisse um sistema filosófico original. Com este tipo de formação a ação coletiva do grupo católico direcionouse para os espaços sociais os quais pudessem impor sua identidade intelectual e a doutrina social da Igreja, como a articulação do movimento católico no Estado, a conquista das cátedras de Filosofia e de legislação trabalhista, por exemplo, na Universidade, e a construção da ordem política através inserção dos postulados católicos nas Constituintes. / This thesis analyzes the conditions that allowed the emergence of a group who diffused the doctrine and thinking of the Catholic Church during the twentieth century in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The general hypothesis that guided the research is that the Jesuits promoted a process between the groups that formed on the one hand, standardization of scholar via their gymnasiums Catholics, and especially of religious and intellectual identity through the activities in their Marian Congregations. It is demonstrated, based on various sources, that the group factor homogenizing is not in their social profile, but in standardization scholar received, and especially in religious and intellectual formation resulting from activities educational of the Jesuits in the Marian Congregations. Unfolds this finding, the fact that in a cultural environment marked by the absence of academic spaces, the philosophical background provided by these Jesuits based on interpretations of Thomism, guided the substrate ideological and intellectual identity of the group. This training internationalized determined that, among the group members, given the pattern of reception of Catholic thought, did not produce an original philosophical system. With this type of formation the collective action of the Catholic group is moving on to the social spaces which could enforce its intellectual identity and the social doctrine of the Church as the articulation of the Catholic movement in the state, the conquest of the chairs of philosophy and labor laws, for example, at university, and the construction of political order through the insertion of the postulates Catholics in federal constituencies.

Research object of this thesis is Magnus the Apostle of the Allgäu area in Germany. Based on the historical background, this thesis analyses Magnus concerning the way and impact of his apostolic ministry to understand and compare it to the ministry of the biblical apostolic ministry and thus describe criteria of apostolic ministry and consequences until today. The originality of this thesis lies, due to a limites written sources concerning the vita of Magnus, in firstly an investigation into historical developments of his context in the Allgäu, secondly evaluates his Iro-Scottish backround and thirdly describes the historical impact. The resulting insights are compared between the apostolic-missionary work of Magnus and the New Testament. The conclusion summarizes the ministry of the apostle into a number of statements Which are in harmony with the life of Magnus and the context of the New Testament. / Forschungsgegenstand dieser Arbeit ist Magnus (699-772 n. Chr.), der Apostel des Allgaus. Aufgabe der Untersuchung ist es, basierend auf dem literarhistorischen Hintergrund des Magnus seine Biographie zu untersuchen, um eine Vorstellung liber die Art und Weise seiner apostolischen Wirksamkeit zu gewinnen. Die Besonderheit dieser Arbeit besteht darin, dass auf Grund des eingeschrankten schriftlichen Quellenbefundes der Magnusvita zum Einen die Erfassung des geschichtlichen Werdens seines Wirkungsfeldes im Allgau, zum Zweiten die Untersuchung seines iroschottischen Hintergrundes und zum Dritten die Darstellung seiner Wirkungsgeschichte unabdingbar sind. Die so gewonnenen Kenntnisse ermoglichen einen thesenhaften Vergleich zwischen dem apostolisch-missionarischen Wirken des Magnus und dem der Apostel des Neuen Testamentes. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

Au XIXe siècle, les sœurs hospitalières sont au cœur du système de soin parisien. L’identité et les activités sociales de ces femmes qui partagent un engagement religieux et un apostolat soignant auprès des pauvres de la capitale sont analysées dans cette thèse. La vocation, fruit d’un choix entre les jeunes femmes et l’institution, est une voie d’émancipation dans l’espace public et le monde du travail, mais qui leur permet aussi de s’affirmer comme individu en sapant l’autorité paternelle et en légitimant l’expression d’un désir. Chevilles ouvrières du système de santé publique et figures de la charité privée, les sœurs en accompagnent la croissance. Le soin aux pauvres et leur dévouement justifient la reconnaissance de leur utilité sociale devant l’urgence d’une société confrontée à une pauvreté massive et aux effets contrastés du processus de déchristianisation. Paradoxalement, la laïcisation conforterait leur présence dans le dispositif charitable et soignant de la capitale. Les sœurs se forment à certaines exigences médicales et cherchent à maintenir un « écart chrétien » dans le monde. Le soin des sœurs participe ainsi à la médicalisation de la société mais reste une stratégie de reconquête religieuse. Leur apostolat révèlerait que la demande sociale de santé et de religion reposerait sur un souci de soi et un besoin plus vaste d’attention. Mais ce « souci de soi » est aussi, pour les sœurs, une voie fonctionnelle et harmonieuse de réconcilier les volets religieux et profane de leur mission. Dès lors, les sœurs peuvent s’adapter à la modernité en articulant les préoccupations du siècle avec une exigence spirituelle. / In the nineteenth century, sisters of charity were at the core of the Parisian health system. This thesis analyses the identity and the social activities of these women who shared a religious commitment and a caring apostolate towards the poor of Paris. Vocation, which resulted from a choice by young women and the religious institution, was a way for these women to find a place in public space and in the workplace. It enabled them to assert themselves as individuals, undermining paternal authority and legitimating the expression of a desire. Cornerstones of the public health system and figures of charity, the nuns accompanied the growth of both. Their care of the poor and their devotion justified their claim to be recognised as socially useful in a context where French society was confronted by the new problem of widespread poverty and by the countervailing effects of dechristianization. Paradoxically, republican secularization would confirm their presence in the capital’s caring and charitable system. The sisters undertook training to new medical standards at the same times as they tried to maintain a ‘Christian singularity’ in the world. The care that the sisters provided played a role in the medicalization of society but nonetheless remained part of a strategy of religious reconquest. Their apostolate would reveal that society’s health and religious needs rested on a ‘care of the self’ and a need for attention. This ’care of the self’ was also a way for the nuns to reconcile the lay and religious aspects of their mission. Thus, sisters of charity could adapt themselves to modernity by articulating worldly preoccupations with a spiritual imperative.

Cette thèse analyse les conditions qui ont conduit à l'émergence d'un groupe qui diffusent la doctrine et la pensée de l'Église catholique au XXe siècle dans l'État de Rio Grande do Sul. L'hypothèse générale qui a guidé la recherche est que les Jésuites la promotion d'un processus entre les groupes formant, de un cotê d'uniformiser scolaire par leurs gymnases catholiques, et surtout de l'identité religieuse et intellectuelle à travers les activités dans leurs congrégations Mariannes. Il est démontré, sur la base de plusieurs sources, que le facteur d'homogénéisation du groupe n'est pas dans leur profil social, mais en uniforme scolaire a reçu, et en particulier dans la formation religieuse et intellectuelle résultat de l'action éducative des Jésuites étrangers dans les congrégations mariales. Se déroule cette constatation, le fait que dans un environnement culturel marqué par l'absence d'espaces universitaires, á formation philosophique fournies par ces jésuites, basées sur des interprétations du thomisme, déterminer le substrat idéologique et l’identité intellectuelle du groupe. Cette formation intellectuelle internationalisé déterminé que, parmi les membres du groupe, étant donné la tendance de la réception de la pensée catholique, ne créent pas un système philosophiques original. Avec ce type de formation l’action collective du groupe catholique a été orientée pour les espaces sociaux ils peuvent imposer leur identité intelectuelle, et la doctrine sociale de l'Eglise, comme l'articulation du mouvement catholique en l'état, la conquête des chaires de philosophie et des lois du travail, par exemple, l'Université, et la construction de l'ordre politique à travers l'insertion des postulats catholiques dans las constituants fédéral. / Esta tese analisa as condições que possibilitaram o surgimento de um grupo que difundiu a doutrina e o pensamento da Igreja Católica durante o século XX no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. A hipótese geral que norteou a pesquisa é de que os Jesuítas promoveram um processo, entre os grupos que formaram, por um lado, de uniformização escolar, via seus Ginásios Católicos, e, sobretudo, de identificação religiosa e intelectual através das atividades nas suas Congregações Marianas. Demonstra-se, com base em fontes variadas, que o fator homogeneizador do grupo não se encontra em seu perfil social, mas sim na uniformização escolar recebida, e, sobretudo, na formação religiosa e intelectual decorrente da ação educativa dos jesuítas estrangeiros nas Congregações Marianas. Desdobra-se desta constatação, o fato de que, num ambiente cultural marcado pela ausência de espaços acadêmicos, a formação filosófica proporcionada por estes jesuítas alemães baseada nas reinterpretações do Tomismo, pautou o substrato ideológico e a identidade intelectual do grupo. Esta formação intelectual internacionalizada determinou que, entre os membros do grupo, dado o padrão de recepção de pensamento católico, não se produzisse um sistema filosófico original. Com este tipo de formação a ação coletiva do grupo católico direcionouse para os espaços sociais os quais pudessem impor sua identidade intelectual e a doutrina social da Igreja, como a articulação do movimento católico no Estado, a conquista das cátedras de Filosofia e de legislação trabalhista, por exemplo, na Universidade, e a construção da ordem política através inserção dos postulados católicos nas Constituintes. / This thesis analyzes the conditions that allowed the emergence of a group who diffused the doctrine and thinking of the Catholic Church during the twentieth century in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The general hypothesis that guided the research is that the Jesuits promoted a process between the groups that formed on the one hand, standardization of scholar via their gymnasiums Catholics, and especially of religious and intellectual identity through the activities in their Marian Congregations. It is demonstrated, based on various sources, that the group factor homogenizing is not in their social profile, but in standardization scholar received, and especially in religious and intellectual formation resulting from activities educational of the Jesuits in the Marian Congregations. Unfolds this finding, the fact that in a cultural environment marked by the absence of academic spaces, the philosophical background provided by these Jesuits based on interpretations of Thomism, guided the substrate ideological and intellectual identity of the group. This training internationalized determined that, among the group members, given the pattern of reception of Catholic thought, did not produce an original philosophical system. With this type of formation the collective action of the Catholic group is moving on to the social spaces which could enforce its intellectual identity and the social doctrine of the Church as the articulation of the Catholic movement in the state, the conquest of the chairs of philosophy and labor laws, for example, at university, and the construction of political order through the insertion of the postulates Catholics in federal constituencies.