July 31th - Ignatius of Loyola
- From: "Trudie" <trudie.Miller@xxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2007 11:28:55 -0500
July 31st - Ignatius of Loyola, Priest, Founder (RM)
Born in Loyola Castle, Azpeitia, Guipuzcoa, Spain, c. 1491; died July 31, 1556;
canonized in 1622; declared by Pope Pius XI to be the patron of spiritual
exercises and retreats.
Every saint is unique (although these biographies might not always make them
seem so). They are saints because they fulfilled the unique purpose for which
God created them. Too many of us are seeking to be that which our peers or
families want us to be, rather than allowing the Master Artist to mold us. The
man we know as Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, is among
the most unique.
He was the most brilliant or erudite or holy of men-in fact, one who knew him
wondered why he was canonized. He was, of course, zealous and devout, but so are
many that we know. But, perhaps, this is why he was singled out for the
distinction of canonization: He was a man who recognized that ordinary gifts can
be used in spectacular ways by God, when an individual allows the Master Artist
to use His powers and creativity in them.
He took a group of ordinary men, put them under the power of God, taught them
how to listen to His voice, and formed a new sword for the Church of unequaled
sharpness and strength. The daring projects of the Jesuits were carefully
considered, using the virtue of prudence or wisdom, before drawing upon an
almost superhuman courage and endurance to implement the designs they believed
were planned by God.
Iñigo de Recalde de Loyola (the name is actually a copyist error that was
accepted by the Bollandists because it was so pervasively used) was the youngest
of twelve children.
He was a page at the court of the provincial governor before he began his career
as a soldier in the army of the Duke of Nagara. At the siege of Pamplona in
1521, he was so seriously injured that he needed to convalesce for months.
During this time he read a life of Jesus and other lives of the saints. "Since
these men were as human as I am," he noted, "I could be as saintly as they
were." After his recovery, instead of re-enlisting as a soldier, he exchanged
his military dress for the clothing of a beggar, and at Montserrat in Barcelona
visited the famous portrait of the Virgin in the Benedictine monastery; there he
hung his sword before her.
Ignatius then retired to a place called Manresa, and in deep prayer and
discipline wrote the first draft of his famous Spiritual Exercises, a manual for
training the soul to grow daily nearer to God.
The saint now went on a pilgrimage to Rome and to Jerusalem, riding from Jaffa
to the Holy City on a donkey. He returned to Europe, and for the next seven
years-at Spanish universities and at Paris- -devoted himself to study. In Paris
he laid the foundation for the great Society of Jesus. Six students joined him
in vowing poverty, chastity, and obedience, in joining themselves altogether by
means of the Spiritual Exercises and in determining once their studies were over
to preach Christianity in Palestine.
War in the Middle East made this last plan impossible. Instead Ignatius and his
followers offered their services to Pope Paul III. In 1540, the pope formally
approved the Society of Jesus. Ignatius lived sixteen more years. During which
he tirelessly watched over the development of the Jesuits which grew from a
handful of men to over 1,000 throughout Europe, working as missionaries and in
universities and other schools (Bentley).
In art, Saint Ignatius is a bearded Jesuit, often with a book of the Jesuit
Rule, kneeling before Christ. He may also be shown (1) with Christ bringing him
a Cross; (2) with Christ as the Good Shepherd; (3) with Christ and Saint Peter
before him (Feed My lambs); (4) holding the Rule, with Saint Francis Xavier or
other Jesuit saints (IHS on his breast); (5) in Mass vestments, his hand resting
upon his Rule, light in the heavens; (6) with a dragon under his feet; (7)
holding the Rule, IHS, and Heart pierced by three nails (Roeder).
This Version taken from:
http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/ss-index.htm
Saint Ignatius Quotes:
"We were created to praise, to reverence and to serve God. And everything else
on the face of the earth was created for our sake, to help us to achieve the
goal for which we were created."
"In a time of desolation, never forsake the good resolutions you made in better
times. Strive to remain patient-a virtue contrary to the troubles that harass
you-and remember that you will be consoled."
"Prefer neither health nor sickness, neither riches nor poverty, neither honor
nor ignominy, neither a long life nor a short one."
"We must put aside all judgment of our own, and keep the mind ever ready and
prompt to obey in all things the true Spouse of Christ our Lord, our holy
Mother, the hierarchical Church."
-Saint Ignatius
<><><><>
Prayer for the Sick
O holy Father, Physician of souls and bodies, You sent Your
only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to heal every
infirmity and to deliver us from death. Heal Your servant of
every spiritual and bodily ill which afflicts him/her. Restore
him/her by the grace of Your Christ through the prayers of our
most holy Lady, the Mother of God and ever-Virgin Mary, and of
all Your Saints. For You, our God, are the Fountain of healing,
and we glorify You together with Your only-begotten Son, and
Your Consubstantial Spirit, now and ever and forever. - Amen.
.
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