THE FOUNDER

SAINT IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA

St. Ignatius, the founder of the Society of Jesus, was born at Loyola, in the Basque region of northern Spain in 1491. He was a noble-man, a knight, in the service of the king of Spain. He received a severe leg injury in a battle against the French at Pamplona in 1521. This was how God entered his life. For many months he was bedridden till his leg was healed. He spent his time reading books of chivalry, and lives of the saints and the life of Jesus. He felt great consolation and joy reading the latter, and sadness and dryness whilst reading the former. He realized the 6 Prabhat Tara English Medium School, Dhurwa emptiness of his life and resolved to follow Jesus in a most radical way. He set out on his pilgrimage in search of God. He spent one year at Manresa where he performed frightening penances and experienced a deep religious conversion. There after he was a changed man. He offered himself totally to God and set out for Jerusalem. He wanted to remain in the Holy Land ‘to live as Jesus lived”, but he was forbidden. He returned to Spain and started recruiting people to his way of life. Soon he realized the need for studies. He started learning Latin at the age of 33 and later went on to the universities in Spain. Being harassed by the Inquisition, he went to Paris to complete his studies. He recruited six students and animated them with his vision and his burning love for God. Among them was Francis Xavier. This was the nucleus of the future of Society of Jesus.

Individually they took their vows of poverty and chastity at Montmartre, a famous church in Paris and decided to go on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

Because of the Turkish pirates, they were unable to fulfil their vow. After deliberation, they decided to constitute an Order, chose Ignatius as their General and offered themselves to the Pope. Their aim was “to be friends in the Lord and to work for the salvation of souls”. Pope Paul III approved the new order in 1540. The Pope sent the companions all over the world.... but Ignatius remained in Rome till his death, writing the constitutions and directing and inspiring his fledgling society. He grew steadily in union and familiarity with God and was gifted with extraordinary mystical graces. He died in Rome on July 31, 1556.