Saint Ignatius Loyola was a Spanish priest and theologian who founded the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, and authored the influential "Spiritual Exercises."
Born Iñigo López de Loyola, Saint Ignatius began his life as a soldier but underwent a profound conversion experience while recovering from a battle wound, leading him to dedicate his life to God. He developed the "Spiritual Exercises," a profound guide for spiritual discernment and growth, which remains foundational for many seeking a deeper relationship with the divine. In 1540, he founded the Society of Jesus, an order that became a leading force in the Counter-Reformation, renowned for its commitment to education, missionary work, and intellectual rigor, significantly shaping the Church's response to the challenges of his era and influencing countless souls through its schools and evangelization efforts globally.
Iñigo López de Loyola, later known as Saint Ignatius Loyola, was born in 1491 at the Castle of Loyola in Azpeitia, Gipuzkoa, in the Basque Country of Spain. Descended from a noble family, his early life was marked by the pursuits of a courtier and soldier, characterized by a love for chivalry, honor, and worldly ambitions. He was known for his charm, bravery, and a certain vanity, dreaming of military glory. His life took a dramatic turn in 1521 during the Battle of Pamplona, where he was defending the fortress against French forces. A cannonball struck him, severely injuring his leg. This wound, far from ending his story, became the catalyst for a profound spiritual transformation. During his long and painful recovery at Loyola Castle, he requested books of chivalry but was instead given a copy of the Life of Christ and a volume on the lives of the saints. Reluctantly at first, he began to read, and as he did, he found himself drawn into a world far more compelling than his previous fantasies. He noticed that while worldly thoughts left him feeling empty, thoughts of Christ and the saints brought a lasting peace and joy, a spiritual discernment that would later become a cornerstone of his teachings. This period of convalescence was his spiritual crucible, transforming the proud soldier into a humble pilgrim. His conversion was not instantaneous but a gradual awakening, marked by intense prayer, penance, and a growing desire to serve God alone.
After his profound conversion at Loyola, Iñigo, now embracing a life of radical penance and devotion, set out on a pilgrimage that led him to the Benedictine monastery of Montserrat. There, he made a general confession, exchanged his fine clothes for a pilgrim's sackcloth, and laid down his sword and dagger before the Black Madonna, vowing himself to Christ. This symbolic act marked his renunciation of his former worldly life and his commitment to a new spiritual warfare. From Montserrat, he journeyed to the nearby town of Manresa, intending to stay only a few days, but he remained for nearly a year, a period that proved to be the crucible of his spiritual formation. In a cave outside the town, he lived a life of extreme austerity, fasting, praying, and wrestling with profound spiritual desolation and temptations. He was plagued by scruples, doubts, and a sense of his own unworthiness, often on the brink of despair. Yet, through this intense struggle, he began to record his spiritual insights, laying the groundwork for what would become his renowned 'Spiritual Exercises.' It was during this time, by the banks of the Cardoner River, that Ignatius experienced a mystical illumination so profound it transformed his understanding of God and the world. As he sat, gazing at the flowing water, his mind was suddenly enlightened. He later described it not as a vision of a specific form, but as an interior understanding, as if the very fabric of reality, the nature of God, and the purpose of human existence were laid bare before his eyes. He felt as though he had received more light in that one moment than in all the rest of his life, and that if all the knowledge he had ever gained were gathered, it would not equal the understanding received in that instant. This singular experience gave him a clarity and certainty that sustained him throughout his life, becoming the bedrock of his spiritual method and a testament to his deep, abiding faith and the direct intervention of divine grace.
Circa 1522-1548
The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola
Principle and Foundation
Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul. And the other things on the face of the earth are created for man, and that they may help him in prosecuting the end for which he is created. From this it follows that man is to use them as much as they help him on to his end, and ought to rid himself of them so far as they hinder him. Therefore, we must make ourselves indifferent to all created things, as far as is permitted to the choice of our free will and is not forbidden to it; in such wise that, on our part, we want not health more than sickness, riches more than poverty, honor more than dishonor, long life more than short life, and consequently in all other things; desiring and choosing only what is most conducive for us to the end for which we are created.
First Week: Preliminary Considerations and Exercises
First Exercise: The First, Second, and Third Sins
The First Point is to bring to mind the First Sin, that of the Angels, and then to apply the understanding upon it, thinking how they, being created in grace, not making use of their freedom to reverence and obey their Creator, fell into pride, and were changed from grace into malice, and cast down from heaven to hell. And then to apply the will, desiring to imitate them in nothing, but rather to strive to be obedient to God our Lord.
The Second Point is to bring to mind the Second Sin, that of Adam and Eve, and then to apply the understanding upon it, thinking how they did penance for so long a time, and how great was the corruption which from them flowed upon the human race, so great that all mankind should go down to hell, and how our Lord Jesus Christ died for us. And then to apply the will, desiring to imitate them in nothing, but rather to strive to follow Christ our Lord.
The Third Point is to bring to mind the Third Sin, that of any one person who, for a single mortal sin, has gone to hell, and then to apply the understanding upon it, thinking of the greatness of the sin, and the brevity of life, and the eternity of the punishment. And then to apply the will, desiring to avoid such a sin, and to be truly sorry for any sins committed, and to resolve to amend.
Fourth Point: The Punishment of Sin
This point is to consider the punishment of sin. The first is that of the Angels, how they were cast out of heaven and into hell. The second, that of Adam and Eve, how they were cast out of paradise, and how all mankind was infected by sin, and how Christ our Lord died for us. The third, that of any one person, how for one mortal sin he went to hell. All this in order to increase our sorrow and contrition for our sins.
Fifth Point: Colloquy
This point is to make a colloquy to our Lord God, considering what I ought to say to Him, and what I ought to ask of Him, in view of the greatness of His majesty and my own littleness, and of the greatness of His mercy and my own sinfulness. I will ask for grace to feel deep sorrow for my sins and to amend my life. I will also ask for grace to understand the malice of sin and to avoid it in the future. I will finish with the Our Father.
Rules for the Discernment of Spirits (First Set)
Rules for the Discernment of Spirits, more to be observed when the soul is going from good to better.
Rule 1. It is characteristic of God and His Angels, when they act upon the soul, to give true joy and spiritual gladness, and to remove all sadness and disturbance caused by the enemy. It is characteristic of the evil spirit to fight against such joy and spiritual gladness, bringing sadness, perplexity, and disturbances, and false reasons to deter one from good resolutions.
Rule 2. If the soul is in a state of mortal sin, the evil spirit usually proposes apparent pleasures, making one imagine sensual delights and gratifications, in order to keep one in sin and increase it. The good spirit, on the contrary, causes remorse of conscience, bringing sadness and disturbance through the process of reason, that the soul may repent and amend.
Rule 3. Of the third: Of spiritual consolation. I call it consolation when some interior movement is caused in the soul, through which the soul comes to be inflamed with love of its Creator and Lord; and consequently, when it can love no created thing on the face of the earth in itself, but only in the Creator of them all. Likewise, when it sheds tears moved to the love of its Lord, or for the sorrow of its sins, or of the passion of Christ our Lord, or for any other straight spiritual end. Finally, I call consolation every increase of hope, faith, and charity, and all interior joy which calls and attracts to heavenly things, and to the salvation of one's soul, quieting it in its Creator and Lord.
Rule 4. Of spiritual desolation. I call desolation all the contrary of the third rule, as darkness of soul, disturbance in it, movement to things low and earthly, disquiet from various agitations and temptations, moving to want of confidence, without hope, without love, when one finds oneself all slothful, tepid, sad, and as if separated from its Creator and Lord. Because as consolation is contrary to desolation, in the same way the thoughts that come from consolation are contrary to the thoughts that come from desolation.
Rule 5. In time of desolation, never to make a change; but to be firm and constant in the resolutions and determination in which one was the day before such desolation, or in the time of the previous consolation. Because, as in consolation the good spirit guides and counsels us, so in desolation the evil spirit, with his suggestions, tempts us to opposite courses. It is not the time to change, but to stand firm.
Rule 6. In time of desolation, to think that our Lord leaves us in such desolation because we are strong enough to bear it, and that He wants to test us, or to teach us how much we can do of ourselves, and how little without His divine help. And to humble us, and to make us more grateful for His consolation.
Rule 7. In time of desolation, to use more prayer, meditation, examination, and to perform works of penance.
Rule 8. When one is in consolation, to consider how one will behave in the desolation which will come later, and to gather new strength for that time.
Rule 9. The principal reason why we are afflicted with desolation is because we have become careless in our spiritual exercises, or because we have allowed ourselves to be too attached to worldly things, or because we have not been grateful enough for the consolations received. And also, that we may learn to value the gifts and graces of God, and that we may humble ourselves, and that we may learn to depend more on God alone.
Rule 10. Let him who is in consolation seek to humble himself and lower himself as much as he can, thinking how little he is capable of in time of desolation without this grace or consolation. On the contrary, let him who is in desolation think that he can do much with the grace sufficient to resist all his enemies, taking strength from his Creator and Lord.
Rule 11. When the evil spirit suggests a thought, it is good to open it to one's spiritual director, or to some other spiritual person who can help, because the enemy is very much afraid of being discovered.
Rule 12. The enemy behaves like a woman, in being weak when confronted, and strong when not. Likewise, he behaves like a false lover, in wanting to be secret and not discovered. The more he is hidden, the more he can tempt and deceive. Therefore, when he is discovered and his suggestions are revealed, he loses strength and flees.
21st Century
The foundation of the Society of Jesus by Ignatius Loyola in the mid-16th century stands as one of the most significant events in the history of the Catholic Church, particularly in response to the challenges posed by the Protestant Reformation. Born Iñigo López de Loyola in 1491, Ignatius's early life was far removed from the spiritual rigor that would later define him. He was a nobleman, captivated by military glory and courtly life, possessing a proud and ambitious spirit. His transformation began abruptly and dramatically in 1521, during the siege of Pamplona, where a cannonball shattered his leg. This injury, seemingly a tragic end to his military aspirations, became the providential instrument of his conversion.
During his long and painful convalescence at his family castle, Ignatius, deprived of his beloved chivalric romances, was given instead books on the life of Christ and the saints. Initially bored, he soon found himself captivated by the heroic virtues and radical dedication of the saints, contrasting their enduring joy with the fleeting pleasure derived from his worldly fantasies. This interior experience, where he observed the different effects of various thoughts on his soul, laid the groundwork for his later teachings on discernment of spirits. Upon his recovery, he renounced his former life, made a general confession at the Benedictine monastery of Montserrat, and left his sword at the altar of the Black Madonna, symbolizing his new commitment to spiritual warfare.
His subsequent stay in Manresa, a period lasting nearly a year (1522-1523), was a time of intense spiritual struggle and profound mystical experiences. Living in extreme austerity, he wrestled with severe scruples, despair, and temptations, yet it was also here that he received profound spiritual insights, particularly during an illumination by the Cardoner River. These experiences, meticulously recorded and reflected upon, formed the core of his masterpiece, the 'Spiritual Exercises.' This book, a practical guide for spiritual growth and discernment, invites individuals to engage in a structured period of prayer and meditation, leading to a deeper personal encounter with Christ and a clearer understanding of God's will for their lives. It is not merely a book to be read, but a process to be undergone, under the guidance of an experienced director.
Following Manresa, Ignatius embarked on pilgrimages, including to the Holy Land, and realized the necessity of formal theological education to effectively serve God. He began studying Latin at the age of 33 and later pursued philosophy and theology at the Universities of Alcalá, Salamanca, and eventually Paris. It was in Paris that he gathered a small but fervent group of companions, including Francis Xavier and Peter Faber, who shared his vision of serving Christ and the Church. On August 15, 1534, in Montmartre, Paris, they took vows of poverty and chastity and pledged to go to Jerusalem, or, if that proved impossible, to place themselves at the disposal of the Pope.
When the pilgrimage to Jerusalem proved impractical due to political circumstances, the companions journeyed to Rome. In 1540, Pope Paul III formally approved the Society of Jesus, or the Jesuits, with Ignatius as its first Superior General. The Society's constitution emphasized obedience to the Pope, a radical commitment that allowed them to be deployed anywhere in the world for the greater glory of God (Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam). This adaptability and direct papal service made the Jesuits a formidable instrument in the Counter-Reformation, a period when the Catholic Church sought to renew itself and respond to the Protestant challenge.
The contributions of the Jesuits under Ignatius's leadership were multifaceted and profound. They became renowned for their commitment to education, establishing schools and universities across Europe and beyond that emphasized academic excellence and humanistic learning alongside spiritual formation. These institutions played a crucial role in forming future leaders and scholars, disseminating Catholic thought, and fostering intellectual rigor. Furthermore, the Jesuits became intrepid missionaries, spreading the Gospel to distant lands like India, Japan, China, and the Americas, often at great personal risk. Their missionary zeal, coupled with their intellectual prowess and disciplined organization, allowed them to reach vast populations and establish vibrant Christian communities. Ignatius's legacy is thus not only the founding of a powerful religious order but also the articulation of a transformative spirituality that continues to inspire countless individuals to seek God in all things and to serve Him with an unwavering commitment to His greater glory.
Special Masses and liturgical celebrations are held in Catholic churches worldwide, commemorating Saint Ignatius Loyola's life and his foundational role in the Church.
It is the official liturgical commemoration of his feast day in the Roman Catholic calendar, celebrated universally.
Jesuit educational institutions (universities, colleges, and high schools) and parishes around the globe, including numerous establishments in the United States, often host special Masses, academic lectures, community gatherings, and reflections on Ignatian spirituality to honor their founder.
Saint Ignatius Loyola founded the Society of Jesus, and these institutions are direct continuations of his vision and mission, making his feast day a significant annual celebration for them.
Individuals and groups engaged in Ignatian spirituality often use the feast day as an occasion for deeper reflection on the principles of discernment, the Daily Examen, and the pursuit of 'Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam' (For the Greater Glory of God), often through special prayer services or personal meditation.
Saint Ignatius developed and articulated the core principles of Ignatian spirituality, particularly in his 'Spiritual Exercises,' which continue to guide believers in seeking God's will and living a life dedicated to His greater glory.