Jesuit adage - but which Jesuit?

Posted by: Deane F on 16 October 2006

"Give me the boy till he is seven and I will give you the man."

I understand that the above is an old Jesuit saying - but I cannot find if it is attributed to any one Jesuit in particular.

Does anybody know who said it originally - or is it lost to obscurity?
Posted on: 16 October 2006 by SteveGa
quote:
"Give me the boy till he is seven and I will give you the man."


Posted on: 16 October 2006 by SteveGa
Oops that did not quite work - ah well. The picture above is (allegedly) of Saint Ignatius Of Loyola - the quotation "give me the boy and I'll give you the man." is often attributed to him.
That's the best I can do, unless someone else knows better....
Steve
Posted on: 16 October 2006 by JWM
I have not yet found the precise reference. It has certainly been used by Jesuits, though I am not sure of the author.

"Give me the child until he is seven, and I will show you the man."

In other words, the first seven years of a person's life are the crucial formative years for the adult person they are to become.
Posted on: 16 October 2006 by Deane F
For some reason I forgot that my mother's current husband was in the seminary when a young man. (He lost his faith after three years of it - still knows his Latin pretty well though.)

Anyway, I emailed him and he thinks the saying is based on a quotation of Francis Xavier but has been unable to find an authoritative confirmation of this.
Posted on: 16 October 2006 by SteveGa
quote:
Originally posted by Deane F:
For some reason I forgot that my mother's current husband was in the seminary when a young man. (He lost his faith after three years of it - still knows his Latin pretty well though.)

Anyway, I emailed him and he thinks the saying is based on a quotation of Francis Xavier but has been unable to find an authoritative confirmation of this.


Good call!

"Give me the children until they are seven and anyone may have them afterwards."
St. Francis Xavier - Spanish Basque religious leader, saint, & apostle to India (1506 - 1552)
Posted on: 18 October 2006 by joe90
A quote from the OTHER side of the Christian coin:

'Cold is God's way of telling us to burn more Catholics'

10 points to who said that! Big Grin
Posted on: 19 October 2006 by SteveGa
quote:
Originally posted by joe90:
A quote from the OTHER side of the Christian coin:

'Cold is God's way of telling us to burn more Catholics'

10 points to who said that! Big Grin


Lady Whiteadder - Blackadder II - Beer
Posted on: 21 October 2006 by joe90
Well done.

How many spikes do they have and why?