The Institute Fe y Secularidad and the dialogue of the Spanish Jesuits on Marxism and Secularization (1967-1987): 'Europe as a space of peace'

Since the 1950s, the Society of Jesus has been not only present at European level but has contributed to the discourses on Europe as a historical, cultural and political space. In the case of Spain, Jesuits pushed the reopening towards Europe, especially through the institute Fey Secularidad, founded in response to the Second Vatican Council in 1967. A new generation of intellectuals was formed in the institute, seeking for a renewal of Spanish society and the Catholic Church through a process of Europeanization of the cultural and academic world in Spain. One of the most important focuses of Fe y Secularidad referred to the idea of peace in Europe. The analysis of this study focusses on the ideas of peace of the two founding Jesuits and directors of Fe y Secularidad Alfonso Alvarez Bolado Sj (1928-2013) and Jose Gomez Caffarena Sj (1923-2013), contextualizing their contributions in the discourse of the Jesuits on Europe.