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Also known as
Inigo Lopez de Loyola
Profile
Spanish nobility. Youngest of twelve children. Court page. Military
education. Soldier. Wounded in the leg by a cannonball at the siege of
Pampeluna on 20 May 1521, an injury that left him partially crippled for
life. During his recuperation the only books he had access to were The
Golden Legend, a collection of lives of the saints, and the Life of Christ
by Ludolph the Carthusian. These books, and the time spent in
contemplation, changed him.
On his recovery he took a vow of chastity, hung his sword before the altar
of the Virgin of Montserrat, and donned a pilgrim's robes. Lived in a cave
from 1522 to 1523. Journeyed to Rome and the Holy Land where he worked to
convert Muslims. Studied theology at Alcala and Paris, receiving his
degree on 14 March 1534. His meditations, prayers, visions and insights
led to forming the Constitutions of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) on 15
August 1534. He traveled Europe and the Holy Lands, then settled in Rome
to direct the Jesuits. His health suffered in later years, and he was
nearly blind at death.
The Jesuits today have over 500 universities and colleges, 30,000 members,
and teach over 200,000 students each year.
Born
1491 at Loyola, Guipuzcoa, Spain as Inigo Lopez de Loyola
Died
31 July 1556 at Rome
Beatified
1609 by Pope Paul V
Canonized
22 March 1622 by Pope Gregory XV
Patronage
Basque country, Jesuit Order, Jesuits, retreats, soldiers, Spiritual
Exercises (by Pope Pius XI)
Representation
book; chasuble; Holy Communion
Readings
Ignatius was passionately fond of reading worldly books of fiction and
tales of knight-errantry. When he felt he was getting better from a wound
he had received in battle, he asked for some of these books to pass the
time. But no book of that sort could be found in the house; instead they
gave him a life of Christ and a collection of the lives of saints written
in Spanish.
By constantly reading these books he began to be attracted to what he
found narrated there. Sometimes in the midst of his reading he would
reflect on what he had read. Yet at other times he would dwell on many of
the things which he had been accustomed to dwell on previously. But at
this point our Lord came to his assistance, insuring that these thoughts
were followed by others which arose from his current reading.
While reading the life of Christ our Lord or lives of the saints, he would
reflect and reason with himself: "What if I should do what Saint Francis
or Saint Dominic did?" In this way he let his mind dwell on many thoughts;
they lasted a while until other things took their place. Then those vain
and worldly images would come into his mind and remain a long time.
But there was a difference. When Ignatius reflected on worldly thoughts,
he felt intense pleasure; but when he gave them up our of weariness, he
felt dry and depressed. Yet when he thought of living the rigorous sort of
life he knew the saints had lived, he not only experienced pleasure when
he actually thought about it, but even after he dismissed these thoughts,
he still experienced great joy. Yet he did not pay attention to this, nor
did he appreciate it, until one day, in a moment of insight he began to
marvel at the difference. Then he understood his experience. Thoughts of
one kind left him sad, the others full of joy.
from the life of Saint Ignatius, from his own words, by Luis Gonzalez
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Do not let any occasion of gaining merit pass without taking care to draw
some spiritual profit from it; as, for example, from a sharp word which
someone may say to you; from an act of obedience imposed against your
will; from an opportunity which may occur to humble yourself, or to
practice charity, sweetness, and patience. All of these occasions are gain
for you, and you should seek to procure them; and at the close of that
day, when the greatest number of them have come to you, you should go to
rest most cheerful and pleased, as the merchant does on the day when he
had had most chance for making money; for on that day business has
prospered with him.
Saint Ignatius Loyola
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If God causes you to suffer much, it is a sign that He has great designs
for you, and that He certainly intends to make you a saint. And if you
wish to become a great saint, entreat Him yourself to give you much
opportunity for suffering; for there is no wood better to kindle the fire
of holy love than the wood of the cross, which Christ used for His own
great sacrifice of boundless charity.
Saint Ignatius Loyola
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