Even if the Vatican was called to “crack down” and crack down HARD?
Oddly, the Jesuits not only swear the usual three oaths of religious orders—poverty, chastity, and obedience—but a fourth oath to directly support the Pope. So their dissidence has been especially distressing.
Anything is possible. I have known some wonderful Jesuits, and as I said, there are still some good ones in the order. But when the last dissident General stepped down, they elected another of the same ilk to take his place.
I forget the exact details or the time, but the Pope did try to straighten out the Jesuit order, a number of decades ago. He appointed a special leader to do the job. But the Jesuits resisted and refused, and eventually the Pope gave in and let them elect another dissident General of the order.
I speculate that they may be through because over the millennia, history has usually suggested that when religious orders go bad or corrupt, they are replaced by new, reformed religious orders, while the old ones dies. So you get the Reformed Franciscans, or the Discalced Carmelites, replacing their corrupt predecessors. I don’t know if that is what will happen, but it seems to be generally the case on the scene today. New reformed orders (under the Major Religious Superiors) are replacing their predecessors.
Of course, there’s no telling what might happen. But I wouldn’t be surprised to see an order of reformed Jesuits replacing the current order. Unfortunately the Jesuit colleges and property would probably go with them, if that happens.