In the English Caribbean, Jesuits are present in Jamaica, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Jamaica
The expulsion of the Jesuits from Colombia in 1850 led a group to Kingston, Jamaica, where they established St. George's College. Just two years later, English Jesuits replaced them, and since 1894, American Jesuits have been present.
The Jesuits led much of the reorganization of the small Catholic Church in Jamaica. Eleven of the sixteen apostolic vicars, bishops, and archbishops of Kingston were Jesuits, and in times past Jesuits were present in most of the country's parishes.
To this day, the Jesuits continue to direct St. George’s College. They run the parish of San Benito el Moro in Kingston, collaborate at the Major Seminary, and are involved in other apostolates.
Guyana
In 1856, the apostolic vicariate of the then-British colony of Guyana was entrusted to the Society of Jesus. Consequently, English Jesuits took over the care of the country's small Catholic population. Initially, only the capital, Georgetown, and settlements along the Atlantic coast were served; but in the early 20th century, the first Jesuits arrived in the interior of the country, and in 1909, they established St. Ignatius Mission in Rupununi as a center for bringing the message of Christ to the various ethnic groups living in this part of the country.
St. Stanislaus College was founded in 1866 and operated for 110 years as a Jesuit college (since 1976, it has been a public school). One of the college's professors was Fr. Bernard Drake, S.J., who was murdered in 1979. The reason for his tragic death was the desire to silence the critical voice of the Catholic newspaper “Catholic Standard,” the only publication at that time not controlled by the state.
Today, the Jesuits serve parishes along the eastern bank of the Demerara River and those on the eastern coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Concurrently, they are dedicated to migrant pastoral care and serve Catholic indigenous communities in Rupununi and the Pakaraimas. In recent years, their work in bilingual education for four Wapichan communities has been significant.
Trinidad and Tobago
While the Jesuit presence in Jamaica and Guyana has been very continuous, the presence in Trinidad was occasional until recently. At various times, Jesuits have directed or collaborated in the Major Seminary, as well as in different activities.
Since 2023, there has been a small Jesuit community in Tacarica. The Jesuits present are in charge of the Caribbean Institute of Spirituality (CARIS) and the Catholic Center for Trauma Care. From Trinidad, they visit the different islands of the Lesser Antilles to offer retreats and courses on discernment and formation.
