American Jesuits : A History Of Jesuitism In The United States

Overview

The documentary presents a strongly anti-Catholic, Protestant critique of the Jesuit order. Its central argument is that Jesuit influence has shaped American politics and intelligence, and that the order has historically worked to expand papal power and weaken Protestantism and national sovereignty. The film supports this thesis with historical quotations, interviews, and claims about political and religious connections.

Many of its more serious allegations are disputed or unsubstantiated. The video generally presents them from its own polemical perspective rather than weighing competing interpretations.

Historical Background and Early American Suspicion

The documentary traces the Society of Jesus to Ignatius of Loyola and the Counter-Reformation. It portrays the order’s spiritual exercises and its role at the Council of Trent as tools for opposing Protestant teachings, particularly salvation by faith alone.

It also recounts early American suspicion of Jesuits, including Massachusetts’s 1647 ban, and quotes figures such as John Adams and the Marquis de Lafayette as evidence of longstanding Protestant fears.

Claims About the Civil War and Lincoln’s Assassination

A substantial section advances allegations about the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. Drawing heavily on former priest Charles Chiniquy and other writers, the film claims that Jesuits and the Vatican supported the Confederacy and were behind Booth’s murder of Lincoln.

It also links the conflict to alleged European and Vatican plans to establish a Catholic-backed empire in Mexico. These claims are presented as suppressed history, though the documentary does not establish them as settled historical fact.

Jesuit Education, Intelligence, and Politics

The film connects Jesuit education and Georgetown University to the CIA, the national-security establishment, and a broader “deep state.” It cites Professor Michael Glennon’s account of a behind-the-scenes national-security network and points to the education or associations of political and intelligence figures as evidence of Jesuit influence.

It also alleges that Jesuit networks affected Hollywood, U.S. politics, and the response to COVID-19, including through the backgrounds of public-health officials. These links are largely presented as circumstantial or as claims made by interviewees.

Claims About Europe and Fascism

In its discussion of Europe, the documentary argues that the Vatican and Jesuits helped enable fascist regimes and later aided Nazi escape networks. It highlights the Croatian Ustaše regime’s persecution and mass killing of Serbs, Jews, and Roma, and describes alleged Catholic and Vatican connections to the regime.

The film also repeats claims that Jesuit models influenced Hitler, the SS, or Nazi political organization, and that the Vatican supported Hitler’s rise. These sweeping assertions are presented as part of the film’s argument and should not be treated as uncontested history.

Communism, Social Issues, and Immigration

The final sections connect Jesuit thought to communism, socialism, “social justice,” liberation theology, and immigration. The film argues that Catholic social teaching and the idea of the “universal destination of goods” support redistribution and state control. It also portrays migration and interfaith dialogue as strategies for expanding Roman Catholic influence.

The documentary concludes that the only remedy for political and social problems is the Protestant Gospel as it understands it.

Presenters and Contributors

Identified in the subtitles:

• Dr. Ronald Cook
• Canadian author Paul Serup
• Former federal officer Doug Thoron
• Dr. Brian Artis
• Professor Michael J. Glennon

The documentary also includes an unnamed narrator and other unidentified speakers.