Battles and wars change the people who fight in them. One battle proved a turning point for Ignatius of Loyola. Born in Spain as Iñigo Lopez de Loyola, son of a wealthy Basque family, the start of Ignatius of Loyola’s life was marked by wealth, the pursuits of nobility, and worldly pursuits. All that changed because of a battle between Spain and France for Pamplona, and Ignatius committed to a life of service to Christ. Ignatius would become the founder of the Jesuits and impacted millions for Christ through it.
Who Was Ignatius of Loyola?
Ignatius began life as a noble. As a page (a knight’s attendant), he reportedly enjoyed life at court. He would one day refer to it all as vanity and regret his love of all things vain, but he took to the life of training as a knight, learning diplomacy, and engaging in “courtly love.” During weeks of recovery from injuries sustained in battle and surgery to correct the initial treatments, Ignatius read the lives of saints, including Dominic and Francis. He was particularly impressed by the concept of service to God as “holy chivalry.” These readings and readings of the life of Jesus led to a spiritual awakening, opening a new chapter in Ignatius’ life. He resolved to live a life of penance and devotion to Christ. His love of worldly things was transformed into a love of Christ that served the world with practical and compassionate devotion.
Eventually, Ignatius would become the founder and head of the Society of Jesus (also known as the Jesuits). His writings, The Spiritual Exercises, The Autobiography of Ignatius (Acta Patris Ignatii), The Constitutions of the Society of Jesus, and thousands of letters, are still read and incorporated into the spiritual lives of believers today. While the Jesuits lived holy lives, separate in their devotion, discipline, and observances, Ignatius made sure they were knowledgeable of the world they served—the cultures, practices, and sciences of each people group. They also spent their lives serving those who live in the world and so lived out the practice of being set apart and yet “in the world,” obeying Christ’s commands.
Top 10 Events in the Life of Ignatius
1. Ignatius was born in 1491 in a castle at Loyola in the Basque region of Spain. The youngest of 13 children, his mother died when he was very young, and his eldest brother, Juan Perez, died fighting in the “Italian Wars.”
2. In 1508, Ignatius became a page for a relative, Juan Velázquez de Cuéllar, treasurer of the kingdom of Castile.
3. In 1517, he became a knight for Antonio Manrique de Lara, Duke of Nájera and Viceroy of Navarre.
4. In 1521, Ignatius suffered a broken leg from a cannonball in Pamplona and began an extended time of treatment and recovery.
5. In 1522, Ignatius was well enough to leave his family and make a holy pilgrimage to Montserrat, where he confessed his sins and left his weapons with the statue of the Virgin Mary. In an extreme version of asceticism, he then chose to live as a homeless beggar for a time.
6. While living in a cave in Manresa, Ignatius had many visions and wrote his first work, The Spiritual Exercises. This is a series of prayers, meditations, and practices aimed at stretching and conditioning the soul. Ignatius compares the spiritual life to that of an athlete and promotes a life of training through spiritual disciplines.
7. After a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Ignatius returned to Europe, where he studied to improve his education in Barcelona. There he studied Latin and theology. During this time, Ignatius caught the attention of the Spanish Inquisitors as a possible heretic. He was imprisoned and interrogated but was eventually released. He would have other encounters with the Spanish Inquisition.
8. Ignatius furthered his education in Paris, and there, he took the name Ignatius and developed a following of like-minded souls. Eventually, he and his followers would take vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience.
9. In 1539, Ignatius formed the Society of Jesus with Peter Faber and Francis Xavier. In 1540, they gained the approval of the Pope. Eventually, there would be Jesuits in major cities across Europe, living according to the order’s vows and serving the dying through hospice care, advocating for the poor, caring for orphans, and opening schools.
10. Ignatius of Loyola died in Rome on July 31, 1556, at 64 years old, likely dying from malaria. He was beatified in 1609 by Pope Paul V, canonized in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV, and declared patron of all spiritual retreats by Pope Pius XI in 1922. His annual feast day is July 31.
Top 10 Quotes by Ignatius of Loyola
1. “Love ought to manifest itself in deeds rather than in words.... love consists in a mutual sharing of goods, for example, the lover gives and shares with the beloved what he possesses, or something of that which he has or is able to give; and vice versa, the beloved shares with the lover. Hence, if one has knowledge, he shares it with the one who does not possess it; and so also if one has honors, or riches. Thus, one always gives to the other.” — The Spiritual Exercises
2. “One must not speak an idle word. By idle word I mean one which does not benefit either me or another and is not directed to that intention.” — The Spiritual Exercises
3. “Ite inflammate omnia.” — Translation: “Go forth and set the world on fire,” Ignatius’ frequent signature on letters to those heading to the mission field
4. “So that of faith and grace one can speak as much as is possible with the Divine help for the greater praise of His Divine Majesty, but not in such a way, nor in such manners, especially in our so dangerous times, that works and free will receive any harm, or be held for nothing.” — The Spiritual Exercises
5. “Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.” — Translation: “For the Greater Glory of God,” a Jesuit motto
6. “Then, as he examined his conscience and prepared for death, he had no dread on account of past sins, or fear of eternal punishment, but he experienced intense shame and sorrow at the thought of not having made a good use of the favors and graces which God had bestowed upon him.” — The Autobiography of Ignatius
7. “He learned by experience that one train of thought left him sad, the other joyful. This was his first reasoning on spiritual matters.” — The Autobiography of Ignatius
8. “Love which moves me and makes me give the alms, should descend from above, from the love of God our Lord, so that I feel first in me that the love, more or less, which I have to such persons is for God; and that in the reason why I love them more, God appears.” — The Spiritual Exercises
9. “For it is not knowing much, but realizing and relishing things interiorly, that contents and satisfies the soul.” — The Spiritual Exercises
10. “‘We do not preach,’ replied Ignatius; ‘we are wont to talk familiarly about divine things with some, in much the same as after dinner we converse with our host.’” — The Autobiography of Ignatius, on exemplifying the spirit of “God in all things,” a central premise of the Jesuits
Why Ignatius of Loyola Matters Today
Ignatius’ story is a powerful one for modern believers. Ignatius was raised with all that was fine in this world but eschewed a worldly life to serve the world for Jesus. His belief in “finding God in all things” was instrumental in engaging Jesuits with the world even as they led holy lives committed to poverty, celibacy, and obedience. Ignatius promoted a muscular faith, strengthened through spiritual disciplines and exercises, as well as a faith that testified to God’s power through humble service and ascetic lives. His understanding of suffering, service, and devotion continue to inform believers. Ignatius’ teachings continue to be studied and practiced in some form. The Jesuits remain active today around the globe. His story illustrates the power of one transformed life to impact the entire world and change history.
Further Reading:
What You Need to Know about Francis of Assisi
Saint Patrick: Practical Theologian, Social Activist
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Domenichino
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