Saint Ignatius of Loyola
He was born on October 23, 1491 at the castle in Loyola in the municipality of Azpeitia, now in Spain. His baptismal name was Inigo Lopez de Loyola. He was brought up by the wife of a local blacksmith since his mother died soon after his birth. He became a servant
in the house of the Treasurer of the Kingdom of Castle, who was a relative to him. In 1509 he joined the army of Viceroy of Navarre and participated in many battles without incurring any injuries to him. But one day he was injured seriously in his legs by a cannonball in a battle on May 20, 1521. During the treatment period he read De Vita Christi, a commentary on the life of Jesus and commentary on the Gospels. After reading this book, he started reading other books about Jesus and other saints. He got a mind change after reading Christian books and decided to devote his life to work for the conversion of non-Christians to Christian faith, in the Holy Land. After recovery from the leg injuries, he went to the Benedictine monastery, Santa Maria de Montserrat on March 25, 1523 and hung his military vestments before the image of the Holy Virgin Mary and went away. He then spent the next few months in a cave and practiced rigorous asceticism. He made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land for about 20 days and he studied in the University of Paris. In Paris he gathered six of his friends namely Francis Xavier, Alfonso Salmeron, Diego Laynez, Nicholas Bobadilla (all Spanish), Peter Faber (French) and Simao Rodriques (Portugal) and they took solemn vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience, on August 15, 1534 and about their life long work, in the crypt of the church of Our Lady of Martyrs at, Montmartre, Loyola. They founded the Society of Jesus in 1539. He wrote the constitution of the Society of Jesus and was approved by pope Paul-III on September 27, 1540. St. Ignatius and his friends pronounced their vows in the newly found Order (The Society of Jesus) on April 22, 1541 at the church of St. Paul outside the Walls. St. Ignatius became the first Superior General (Father-General) of the Society of Jesus. The Jesuit motto is ‘Ad Maiorem Dei glorium’ (for the greater glory of God). St. Ignatius of Loyola died on July 31, 1556 in Rome due to malarial fever. He was beatified on July 27, 1609 by pope Paul-V and canonized by pope Gregory-XV on March 12, 1622.
0731 St Ignatius of Loyola 1p LETTER 20250713St Ignatius of Loyola – 31st July
https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fy99h5P4WtQ
“Go forth and set the world on fire.”
“Act as if everything depended on you; trust as if everything depended on God.”
“God gives each one of us sufficient grace ever to know His holy will, and to do it fully.”
“Try to keep your soul always in peace and quiet, always ready for whatever our Lord may wish to work in you.”
Prayer of St. Ignatius
“Take, Lord, receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, my whole will, all that I have and all that I possess. You gave it all to me, Lord; I give it all back to you. Do with it as you will, according to your good pleasure. Give me your love and your grace; for with this I have all that I need.”
A Favorite Prayer of St. Ignatius of Loyola – THE ANIMA CHRISTI
Soul of Christ, sanctify us.
Body of Christ, save us.
Blood of Christ, inebriate us.
Water from the side of Christ, wash us.
Passion of Christ, strengthen us.
O Good Jesus, hear us.
Within your wounds hide us.
Separated from you let us never be.
From the wicked enemy, defend us.
At the hour of death, call us
and bid us come to you,
that with your saints we may praise you
forever and ever.
Amen.
Saint Ignatius of Loyola
Feast Day: July 31
Patron Saint of: Soldiers, spiritual retreats, and the Society of Jesus (Jesuits)
Born: 1491, Loyola, Spain
Died: July 31, 1556, Rome, Italy
Canonized: March 12, 1622, by Pope Gregory XV
His Story
St. Ignatius of Loyola was a Spanish soldier who experienced a powerful spiritual conversion after being seriously wounded in battle. While recovering, he read books about the life of Christ and the saints, which awakened in him a desire to serve God more completely.
He gave up his military career and began a pilgrimage of the soul, focusing on prayer, penance, and spiritual growth. His deep reflection led to the creation of the Spiritual Exercises, a powerful method of discernment and devotion still used around the world today.
In 1534, he and a small group of companions (including St. Francis Xavier) founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits)—a religious order devoted to education, missionary work, and defending the Catholic faith.
Key Themes
- Conversion: From soldier of the world to soldier for Christ.
- Discernment: Learning to recognize God’s voice in everyday life.
- Missionary Zeal: The Jesuits became leaders in education, science, and evangelization worldwide.
- Spiritual Exercises: A guide for personal retreat and spiritual growth, emphasizing silence, meditation, and action.
Famous Quotes by St. Ignatius of Loyola
“Go forth and set the world on fire.”
“Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will…”
“Act as if everything depended on you; trust as if everything depended on God.”
Prayer of St. Ignatius (Suscipe)
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding, and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.
You have given all to me. To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace, that is enough for me.
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