31st Jul ST IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA (1491-1556)

 St. Ignatius was born in 1491 at Loyola of a family of minor nobility in northern Spain. As a young man Ignatius was inflamed by the ideals of courtly love and knighthood and 

    dreamt of doing great deeds. But in 1521, Ignatius was gravely wounded in a battle with the French. While recuperating, Ignatius experienced a conversion. 

    Reading the lives of Jesus and the saints made Ignatius happy and aroused desires to do great things. Ignatius realized that these feelings were clues to God’s direction for him. 

    Over the years, Ignatius became expert in the art of spiritual direction. Ignatius was a true mystic. He centered his spiritual life on the essential foundations of the Trinity, 

    Christ, and the Eucharist. His spirituality is expressed in the Jesuit motto, Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam—“For the Greater Glory of God.” He collected his insights, prayers, 

    and suggestions in his book the Spiritual Exercises, one of the most influential books on the spiritual life ever written. With a small group of friends, 

    “Friends in the Lord” Peter Faber, Francis Xavier, James Laynez, Alphonsus Salmeron, Nicholas Bobadilla, and Simon Rodrigues-Ignatius founded the Society of Jesus. 

    Ignatius conceived the Jesuits as “Contemplatives in Action.” This also describes the many Christians who have been touched by Ignatian spirituality.




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