Prayer service on the feast of St Ignatius of Loyola

Sign of the Cross

Introduction  

Welcome, everyone, to our evening prayer service on the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Ignatius, also known as Iñigo, was born in the Basque country of Spain in 1491. Just a year later Christopher Columbus found America.  Initially Inigo worked in the treasury of the palace of Castilla in Spain but the situation made him to fight as a soldier and his life took a profound turn at the age of 30 when he was terribly wounded in the battle of Pamplona against the French. During his long recovery, he read about the life of Christ by Hugo Kartusian and the life of saints by Ludolph of Saxony, which led him to realize his true calling: to devote himself entirely to God and not to work of earthly kings but to the heavenly King.

With the same dedication he had shown in his treasury and military career, Ignatius embarked on a spiritual journey. He spent a year in retreat in the caves of Manresa and seeking spiritual guidance at the monastery at Montserrat in Spain, which made him to embark on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and Jerusalem.

Back in the home country, Ignatius was a nothing but a restless soul to share his spiritual experiences with others as a layman. His intense zeal and passion raised suspicions among the Spanish Church authorities, resulting in multiple interrogations and imprisonments. This landed Ignatius not on a pulpit of a church but in the prisons of Inquisition. Having spent 42 days in the prison, he quickly understood that the mantle of a priest will fix this issue with Church authorities. This made him to study theology beginning with Latin at the age of 36! 

In 1528, Ignatius moved to Paris to continue his studies. Six years later, in 1534, he and six companions including St Francis Xavier, St Peter Faber and others devoted themselves under the leadership of Ignatius at the service of God and His Church. 

It was soon suggested that they form a regular religious order, leading to the establishment of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) in 1540, with Ignatius serving as the first Superior General until his death in 1556. The Jesuits quickly took on the challenge of the Reformation, a difficult task given the weakened state of the Church at the time with Martin Luther, John Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli, and King Henry the VIII taking the Church into different directions. Ignatius emphasized approaching this mission “without hard words or contempt for people’s errors.” 

The charisma of St Ignatius of Loyola still continues to inspire today the 14,000 Jesuits world over serving 105 countries and thousands of collaborators and millions of beneficiaries through their educational, pastoral, spiritual, social, health and media apostolates. We are, indeed, glad to have with us today dear fathers, sisters and brothers today. We pray that St Ignatius of Loyola may continue to bless us, inspire us to have a heart larger than the world to do everything for God’s greater glory.

Hymn – Deera Yoda

Reading from the Scripture 

Now let us listen to a Gospel passage taken from Matthew 16: 24:26

“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”

Reading from the Autobiography of St Ignatius of Loyola – Fr Ashwin

Ignatius was known for his ability to inspire friendship and was blessed with deep spiritual insight. Shortly after his conversion, he wrote the Spiritual Exercises, a structured retreat program that guides participants through a journey of spiritual growth. This program has been followed by many, both Catholics and non-Catholics, ever since.

Let’s listen to a short description about the clarity that St Ignatius received in his early stages of his life as pilgrim at the river Cardoner in Manresa. This excerpt is taken from the autobiography of St Ignatius as he had dictated to Gonzales de Camara in 1554.

“One day he went to the Church of St. Paul, situated about a mile from Manresa. Near the road is a stream, on the bank of which he sat, and gazed at the deep waters flowing by. While seated there, the eyes of his soul were opened. He did not have any special vision, but his mind was enlightened on many subjects, spiritual and intellectual. So clear was this knowledge that from that day everything appeared to him in a new light. Such was the abundance of this light in his mind that all the divine helps received, and all the knowledge acquired up to his sixty-second year, were not equal to it.

From that day he seemed to be quite another man, and possessed of a new intellect. This illumination lasted a long time. While kneeling in thanksgiving for this grace, there appeared to him that object which he had often seen before, but had never understood. It seemed to be something most beautiful, and, as it were, gleaming with many eyes. This is how it always appeared. There was a cross near which he was praying, and he noticed that near the cross the vision had lost some of its former beautiful color. He understood from this that the apparition was the work of the devil, and whenever the vision appeared to him after that, as it did several times, he dispelled it with his staff.”

Reflections – Olvin

St. Ignatius of Loyola's experience at the Church of St. Paul marked a profound turning point in his spiritual journey. As he sat by the stream near Manresa, he experienced a deep enlightenment, gaining clarity on both spiritual and intellectual matters. This moment was transformative; from that day forward, everything seemed to him in a new light. This newfound understanding surpassed all the divine insights and knowledge he had received up to that point.

Ignatius described a vision he had during this time, which he initially perceived as beautiful and intriguing, likened to something gleaming with many eyes. However, while praying near a cross, he discerned that this vision was a deception, losing its beauty in the presence of the cross. He realized that it was a temptation from the devil. This realization led him to reject the vision whenever it reappeared, using his staff as a symbol of his resistance.

This experience resonates with Jesus' words in Matthew 16:24-26, where He calls His followers to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him. Ignatius' discernment and rejection of the deceptive vision reflect his commitment to this call, embracing the true light and rejecting what was false. This moment exemplifies the spiritual clarity and strength that come from true discernment and a deep connection with God.

Intercessory prayers 

Response: Lord, hear our prayer

1. For the Church and Pope Francis: Heavenly Father, we pray for Pope Francis and all the leaders of the Church. Grant them wisdom and strength as they shepherd Your people, inspired by the example of St. Ignatius of Loyola.

2. For the Superior General of the Jesuits Fr Arthuro Sosa and Jesuit Leadership: Lord, bless the Superior General of the Jesuits, all Jesuit provincials, and those who govern the Society of Jesus. May they be guided by the Holy Spirit in their leadership and continue to uphold the Ignatian charism.

3. For Vocations to the Society of Jesus and Religious Life: Gracious God, we ask You to inspire men and women to answer the call to the Society of Jesus and religious life. May St. Ignatius’ example ignite a fervent desire in their hearts to serve You wholeheartedly.

4. For Jesuit Lay and Religious Collaborators: Loving Father, we pray for all Jesuit lay and religious collaborators. May they continue to work together in unity and love, spreading the Gospel and serving others in the spirit of St. Ignatius.

5. For All Gathered to Celebrate the Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola: Lord, we lift up all who are gathered here to celebrate the feast of St. Ignatius. May this celebration deepen our faith and inspire us to live out the Ignatian values in our daily lives.

Concluding prayer: - Together

Heavenly Father, we thank You for the life and teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola. As we conclude our time together, may his example inspire us to seek Your will with courage and love. Guide us in our daily lives to be instruments of Your peace and joy. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Hymn  - Noble Knight

Angelus – 

Prepared by:

Olvin Veigas, SJ

July 31, 2024

Jesuit Nivas

The Autobiography of St. Ignatius

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Autobiography of St. Ignatius, by  Saint Ignatius Loyola

Source: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/24534/24534-h/24534-h.htm

Editor's Preface

This account of the life of St. Ignatius, dictated by himself, is considered by the Bollandists the most valuable record of the great Founder of the Society of Jesus. The editors of the Stimmen Aus Maria Laach, the German review, as well as those of the English magazine, The Month, tell us that it, more than any other work, gives an insight into the spiritual life of St. Ignatius. Few works in ascetical literature, except the writings of St. Teresa and St. Augustine, impart such a knowledge of the soul.

To understand fully the Spiritual Exercises, we should know something of the man who wrote them. In this life of St. Ignatius, told in his own words, we acquire an intimate knowledge of the author of the[Pg 6] Exercises. We discern the Saint's natural disposition, which was the foundation of his spiritual character. We learn of his conversion, his trials, the obstacles in his way, the heroism with which he accomplished his great mission.

This autobiography of St. Ignatius is the groundwork of all the great lives of him that have been written.

Bartoli draws from it, Genelli develops it, the recent magnificent works of Father Clair, S.J., and of Stewart Rose are amplifications of this simple story of the life of St. Ignatius.

The Saint in his narrative always refers to himself in the third person, and this mode of speech has here been retained. Many persons who have neither the time, nor, perhaps, the inclination, to read larger works, will read, we trust, with pleasure and profit this autobiography.

[Pg 7]

Ignatius, as he lay wounded in his brother's house, read the lives of the saints to while away the time. Touched by grace, he cried, "What St. Francis and St. Dominic have done, that, by God's grace, I will do." May this little book, in like manner, inspire its readers with the desire of imitating St. Ignatius.

Timeline on St Ignatius of Loyola

 

Compiled by Rev. Dr Ozzie Mascarenhas SJ in 2012 at AIMIT

[See also St. Ignatius Loyola: Letters and Instructions, edited by Palmer, Padberg and McCarthy (2006), pp. xv-xx]

Ignatius was born in Loyola, October 1491, youngest of thirteen children. The same year, Henry VIII of England was born, and Ferdinand and Isabella sieged Granada.

1492: Marks the end of Moorish Kingdom in Spain; Columbus discovers America, and Alexander VI (Borgia) becomes Pope. 

1498: Girolamo Savonarola (born 1452), Italian Monk, religious and political reformer, is burnt at the stake for heresy, at age 46.

1500: Future Holy Roman Emperor (1519-1556) Charles V is born in Spain.

1502: Spanish translations of Ludolph of Saxony’s Life of Christ.

1503: Julius II elected Pope.  Desiderius Erasmus (born 1466?), a humanist, scholar, and theologian, publishes Enchiridion of the Christian Soldier.  His next book Praise of Folly would be published in 1511.  These books might have influenced Ignatius, especially before and during his conversion (1506-1521).

1504: Martin Luther (born in 1483), a German scholar joins the Augustinian Order.

1506: age 15, Ignatius enters service at Arévalo, Spain, as page with Juan Velásquez, treasurer of Ferdinand the Catholic.  Construction of St. Peter’s Basilica begins in Rome.  Michelangelo will be painting the Sistine Chapel ceiling during 1508-1512.

1509: John Calvin, the future Protestant Reformer, is born in France (as Jean Caulvin). Henry VIII becomes King of England.

1513: Leo X (of the House of Medici, the wealthy Florentine Family that dominated Florence during the 15th and 16th century) is elected Pope.

1515: Teresa of Avila and Philip Neri are born.

1516: Charles I becomes King of Spain in 1516, and later on as Holy Emperor is called Charles V.  Erasmus’s Greek and Latin New Testament is out. Thomas More publishes Utopia.  Nicolo di Bernardo Machiavelli (1469-1527), a Florentine Statesman and writer publishes The Prince.

1517: At the age 26, Ignatius enters service with the Duke of Nájera, Viceroy of Navarre. (The same year, Martin Luther defects from the Church after pinning 95 theses on the Cathedral door in Wittenberg).

1518: We have the first extant letter of Ignatius written to Charles I of Spain on December 20.

1520: Luther is excommunicated. Alcalá Polyglot (i.e., multilingual) Bible of Cisneros is out.

1521: At the age 30, Ignatius is wounded in the Siege of Pamplona, and hence, returns to Loyola. Suleiman the Magnificent (1494-1566) becomes the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire; with the Turks he takes Belgrade.

1522: At the age 31, Ignatius is at Aranzazu, Montserrat, and Manresa.  Adrian VI, the reform Pope, is elected, the last non-Italian pope until 1978.  He reigns only one year.

1523: At the age 32, Ignatius is in Barcelona, then in Venice, Rome, and in Cyprus on way to Jerusalem.  Clement VII (Medici) elected Pope.

1524: At the age 33, Ignatius begins to study Latin in Barcelona. The Order of Theatines is founded.

1525: The Order of Capuchins is founded.

1526: At the age 35, he studies at Alcalá and later (1527) is arrested by Inquisition on suspicion of being an Alumbrado. [Alumbrado (Spanish: “Enlightened”) Italian Illuminato, plural Illuminati, is a follower of a mystical Christian movement in Spain during the 16th and 17th centuries].

1527: At the age 36, Ignatius transfers to Salamanca for studies and is arrested there again. 

1528: At the age 37, Ignatius arrives in Paris.  Studies at Collège de Montaigu.

1529: At the age 38, Ignatius meets and rooms with Pierre Favre and Francis Xavier; the latter were studying in Paris since 1525.  Ignatius studies at College Sainte-Barbe, Paris.  Xavier received the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1529. 

1530: Charles V is crowned emperor. Lutheran “Confession of Augsburg.” King Henry VIII breaks away with Rome.

1532: At the age 41, Ignatius receives Bachelors of Arts (philosophy) from the University of Paris. Calvinist reformation begins in France.

1533: At the age 42, Ignatius receives Licentiate degree. Begins study of theology in Venice.

1534: In January and February, Favre makes the Spiritual Exercises.  Xavier finally makes the Exercises too. Favre is ordained priest on May 30, 1534; he celebrates his first Mass on July 22, 1534. Three weeks later, June 1534, Montmartre, Vows of the first companions; Ignatius, Favre, Xavier, Lainez, Salmeron, Bobadilla, and Rodrigues. Favre celebrated Mass for the First Companions. Paul III elected Pope.  Michelangelo begins the Last Judgment (will continue till 1541).

1535: At the Ignatius receives MA diploma in theology; leaves Paris for Spain because of ill health, leaving Favre charge of the group.  In Paris, Favre receives Broët, Codure and Jay among the Companions.  This completes the First Ten Companions who will later constitute the nucleus of the Society of Jesus.  Thomas More and John Fisher martyred.

1536: At the Ignatius studies in Venice, while giving the Exercises.

1537: Ordination of the Companions at Venice. Ignatius has vision at La Storta on way to Rome with Favre and Lainez.

1538: All ten companions are in Rome in ministries. Ignatius celebrates his first Mass. Charles Borromeo is born.

1539: The “Deliberation” by the First Companions on the foundation of SJ.

1540: The Society of Jesus is founded upon approval of Pope Julius III.  Xavier departs for Portugal on way to the Indies. Angela Merici, founder of the Ursulines, dies.

1541: Ignatius is elected superior general.  First solemn professions.  Ignatius begins work on Constitutions. May 1541, Xavier docks at Goa, India.

1542: Three established Jesuit houses: Rome, Paris, Lisbon.

1544: Ignatius is ill.  Begins to write the first part of extant “Spiritual Diary.”

1545: Last part of “Spiritual Dairy” written.  Nadal enters the Society. Isabel Roser and two companions take Jesuit vows in Rome. Council of Trent opens.

1546: Jesuits (Lainez, Favre, Salmeron and Jay) are sent to Trent by Paul III.  Martin Luther dies. Favre dies in Rome before reaching Trent.  Francis Borgia secretly enters the Society while still remaining Duke of Gandia.  Isabel Roser and women companions released from vows. 

1547: Polanco becomes Secretary of SJ.  Peter Canisius enters SJ.  Henry VIII, King of England, dies at age 56. On May 7, 1547, Ignatius addresses the fathers and scholastics of Coimbra, Portugal, the “Letter of Perfection” urging them to advance toward perfection as per the vocation and gifts they have received from the Lord, avoiding undue excesses.

1548: Paul III approves the Spiritual Exercises; they are printed for the first time.  Ignatius is ill again. Suarez is born.

1549: Xavier in Japan.  Ignatius ill.

1550: Julius III elected Pope. The Pope formally confirms the Society of Jesus.  Ignatius is gravely ill.

1551:  Roman College is founded.  Meeting in Rome on first version of Constitutions.  Crisis in Society in Portugal.  Ignatius ill.

1552: Ignatius completes “Autograph” (Text B of Constitutions). Xavier dies off the coast of China. German College founded in Rome.

1553: March 26, Ignatius composes the “Letter of Obedience” to the Members of the Society in Portugal; it was written in the context of crisis and split in the Jesuit Province of Portugal, polarized between supporters and opponents of the former Provincial, Simão Rodrigues, and the tension brought by his successor, Diego Miró. Even an official visitor sent by Ignatius, Miguel de Torres, could not reconcile the groups.  About thirty men left the Jesuits during this restless period.  Ignatius begins to dictate the so-called Autobiography.

1554: Nadal elected Vicar General of SJ. Construction begins on Jesuit Church in Rome, initially entrusted to Michelangelo. Ignatius often ill. Ignatius admits Juan of Austria, daughter of Charles V, secretly as a Jesuit.

1555: Gonçalves de Camara writes his “Memoirs” of Ignatius.  

1556: Ignatius ill much of the first half of the year.  He dies on July 31, 1556. Lainez appointed Vicar General. Charles V abdicates throne as Holy Roman Emperor.  Palestrina composes Missa Papa Marcelli.  Ignatius writes his last letter to the Rectors of Italy.  Between his first and the last letter, during 1518-1556, we have 6,740 extant letters and instructions of Ignatius that provide valuable information regarding him and Jesuit governance.  These are preserved in 12 volumes and published in a series Monumenta Historica Societatis Jesu.  Some 73 others were discovered later.  Others have undoubtedly disappeared. That total of more than 6,800 letters makes it the largest collection of the sixteenth century. It is larger than the collected letters of Erasmus and larger than the combined collected of Martin Luther and John Calvin.