The Jesuits in Britain join with the country in sadness at the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II, and remember her and her family in their prayers.

They also pay tribute to the life of the Queen, her dedication to duty, and her strong Christian faith, which sustained her during her many decades of service to the UK and the Commonwealth.

The Provincial Superior of the Jesuits in Britain, Father Damian Howard said:

“No-one could fail to be impressed by Her Majesty’s faithful and selfless dedication to public service. Her Christian faith, about which she spoke so eloquently in the latter years of her reign, was central to her understanding of her role as Head of State. The strength she found in Christ helped to hold the people of this country together in a surprisingly humble way. The Jesuits pray for her in death as they did during her life. May she rest in peace.”  

During her long reign, the Queen met British Jesuits on several occasions, in particular visiting Jesuit schools where HM heard more about the Ignatian ethos that inspires teachers and pupils. Those school communities remember the Queen’s visits fondly, and join with the rest of the country in praying for her, and her family.

Photo: The Queen visiting Beaumont College in 1961