Saint Ignatius of Loyola

Feast Day: July 31

• Iñigo de Loyola was born in Azpeitia in the northern Spanish Basque province of Guipuzcoa in 1491. He left his home at the age of 16 to work as a page for the treasurer of the kingdom of Castile, and he spent a lot of time at court. At court, Iñigo acquired a taste and longing for vanity.

• Iñigo joined the Spanish army and eventually rose to the rank of officer -- pursuing his desire for military renown and fame. On May 20, 1521, a cannonball struck his leg while he protected Pamplona from a French invasion. Bedridden thereafter due to his grave wounds, Iñigo took to reading whatever was at his disposal. Although he asked for romance and chivalry literature, there were only two books available to him: one on the life of Christ and another on the lives of saints.

• Iñigo was persuaded to change his way of life after reading about the incredible interactions between God and the saints. He made the decision to give his life in the service of Christ by the time his recovery was complete. He visited the Our Lady of Montserrat shrine in March of 1522 and gave his sword up there.

• Iñigo started writing when he was in a cave in Manresa about the feelings that gripped him as he encountered Scripture: thanksgiving and agony, solace and despair. He created the "Spiritual Exercises," which are now well-known. His way of life, beliefs, and leadership abilities gathered adherents while he was a student at the University of Paris. He had assumed the name Ignatius, and eventually came together with a group of friends to form the Compania de Jesus, or the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), who made a vow of poverty and chastity and put themselves at the service of the Pope.

• Ignatius began to experience stomach problems while he was a student in Paris, which quickly got much worse. He passed away on July 31st, 1556, because of his affliction.

• Ignatius Loyola was beatified by Pope Paul V in 1609 and canonized by Pope Gregory XV in 1622.

"Dear Lord teach me to be generous; teach me to serve you as you deserve, to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and not to ask for reward, save that of knowing that I do your will. Amen."

St. Ignatius of Loyola Pray for Us!