The Jesuits are an order. [link]

Different vestments aren't required. There are different types of priests: diocesan and those who belong to an order.

Contrary to popular belief, priests do not generally take a vow of poverty, unless they belong to an order that requires it.

The new Pope talk reminded me: my company has donated 2.8 petabytes of storage to help the Vatican Apostolic Library digitize the entire catalogue of manuscripts and incunabula. Yes, my first thought on reading the press release was, "As an EMC employee, do I get reading privileges? Please?"

So do you go to a Jesuit seminary? Or do you, forgive me, somehow major in Jesuit at whatever seminary?

You study with the Jesuits, I believe. They run schools and so forth, and for people who enter the order it's like an academic fraternity. So you can be a Jesuit and teach at a Jesuit school, or you can be a Jesuit and just be a regular parish priest who happens to be a member of that order.

I also found the "first Non-European Pope in 1000 years" thing confusing.

Is he the first non-European Pope ever or were there non-European popes 1000 years ago?

Cross-post with Amy on the fraternity analogy!

The Cardinal from Boston is a Capuchin and wanders around in monk's robes when he's not in full dress for mass. The Italians adore him.

were there non-European popes 1000 years ago

I don't know off the top of my head, but there might well have been Greek or Egyptian popes waay back before the Roman Empire split in two.

Contrary to popular belief, priests do not generally take a vow of poverty, unless they belong to an order that requires it.

But the Jesuits do, which is amusing in light of how well the Jesuits who educated my brother live.

help the Vatican Apostolic Library digitize the entire catalogue of manuscripts and incunabula.

Glurble.

I think there may have been Near Eastern popes.

Greeks aren't European?