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The Autobiography of St. Ignatius
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76 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1943
About the author
Ignatius of Loyola
238 books123 followersSaint Ignatius of Loyola was the principal founder and first Superior General of the Society of Jesus. Ignatius paid particular attention to the spiritual formation of his recruits and recorded his method in the Spiritual Exercises (published in Latin in 1548). In time, the method has become known as Ignatian spirituality. Ignatius was described by Pope Benedict XVI as being above all a man of God, who gave the first place of his life to God, and a man of profound prayer. Together with Peter Faber and Francis Xavier, he founded the religious order of the Society of Jesus (The Jesuits), and became its first Superior General, in Paris in 1541. He envisioned the purpose of the Society of Jesus to be missionary work and teaching. In addition to the vows of chastity, obedience and poverty of other religious orders in the church, Loyola instituted a fourth vow for Jesuits of obedience to the Pope, to engage in projects ordained by the pontiff. Jesuits were instrumental in leading the Counter-Reformation. He was beatified and then on March 12, 1622, was canonized. His feast day is July 31. He is the patron saint of the Basque historical territories of Guipúzcoa and Biscay and the Society of Jesus, among other things. He was declared patron saint of all spiritual retreats by Pope Pius XI in 1922.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
April 5, 2019
I santi non nascono con l'aureola, sono uomini come tutti noi, molto spesso hanno vite travagliate, drammatiche, dissolute, violente... fino a quando succede qualcosa (un fatto, non un pensiero o un sentimento) con cui si trovano a fare i conti e la loro vita prende una piega imprevista, diversa, nuova.
Sono affascinata dagli uomini che si lasciano "toccare" da ciò che accade loro, fino al punto da imprimere una svolta radicale alle loro vite.
Un piccolo libro che racconta qualcosa di grande. Bello!
Sono affascinata dagli uomini che si lasciano "toccare" da ciò che accade loro, fino al punto da imprimere una svolta radicale alle loro vite.
Un piccolo libro che racconta qualcosa di grande. Bello!
October 9, 2021
Una parte della vita di Sant'Ignazio dettata da lui stesso a un confraterno.
In un italiano diverso rispetto a quello che conosciamo noi e con un racconto veloce, ma che vuole illustrare la santità di Ignazio e il suo contatto con il Divino. Si concentra soprattutto sugli anni spagnoli, parigini e del pellegrinaggio che fece a Gerusalemme.
L'ho letto per meglio interpretare una tela, ma purtroppo la visione che mi interessava è stata descritta con troppa velocità.
In un italiano diverso rispetto a quello che conosciamo noi e con un racconto veloce, ma che vuole illustrare la santità di Ignazio e il suo contatto con il Divino. Si concentra soprattutto sugli anni spagnoli, parigini e del pellegrinaggio che fece a Gerusalemme.
L'ho letto per meglio interpretare una tela, ma purtroppo la visione che mi interessava è stata descritta con troppa velocità.
June 13, 2013
The Good:
offers some background and insight into Ignatius's life
The Bad: densely put together as it skims many events in Ignatius's life
The book starts out with Ignatius being characterized as a military man who is "enthralled by the vanities of the world." However, he becomes wounded in battle, and during his recovery, he reads many books, some by the saints.
By frequent reading of these books he began to get some love for spiritual things. This reading leads his mind to meditate on holy things, yet sometimes it wandered to thoughts which he had been accustomed to dwell upon before.
Slowly his thoughts on holy things begin to substitute his thoughts on secular things, eventually leading him to ask himself: "What if I should do what St. Francis did?" and "What if I should act like St. Dominic?"
The process of Ignatius's spiritual growth is vital to note, because it points out an obvious albeit neglected method to bring people to God: read about the saints. How can an individual desire to be saintly without reading about the saints? He can't. In today's world, no one knows or cares about the saints, so instead of imitating them, we imitate celebrities and their lifestyles. It's no secret where that will lead us.
The book thoroughly details Ignatius's life, densely covering so much ground that most of the content is immediately forgotten. Picture a birds-eye view of Ignatius's location, with the fast forward button on, zipping you through a continuous chain of human interaction. This type of storytelling just doesn't work.
The appendix of the book covers St. Ignatius's work for education and documents his successes when it comes to setting up universities, including ones founded by the his order, the Jesuits.
Ignatius's actions and life events as depicted in his autobiography, aren't nearly as interesting or impressive as his spirituality. If you really want to be awed by this amazing saint, it is recommended that you read his Spiritual Exercises instead.
The Bad: densely put together as it skims many events in Ignatius's life
The book starts out with Ignatius being characterized as a military man who is "enthralled by the vanities of the world." However, he becomes wounded in battle, and during his recovery, he reads many books, some by the saints.
By frequent reading of these books he began to get some love for spiritual things. This reading leads his mind to meditate on holy things, yet sometimes it wandered to thoughts which he had been accustomed to dwell upon before.
Slowly his thoughts on holy things begin to substitute his thoughts on secular things, eventually leading him to ask himself: "What if I should do what St. Francis did?" and "What if I should act like St. Dominic?"
The process of Ignatius's spiritual growth is vital to note, because it points out an obvious albeit neglected method to bring people to God: read about the saints. How can an individual desire to be saintly without reading about the saints? He can't. In today's world, no one knows or cares about the saints, so instead of imitating them, we imitate celebrities and their lifestyles. It's no secret where that will lead us.
The book thoroughly details Ignatius's life, densely covering so much ground that most of the content is immediately forgotten. Picture a birds-eye view of Ignatius's location, with the fast forward button on, zipping you through a continuous chain of human interaction. This type of storytelling just doesn't work.
The appendix of the book covers St. Ignatius's work for education and documents his successes when it comes to setting up universities, including ones founded by the his order, the Jesuits.
Ignatius's actions and life events as depicted in his autobiography, aren't nearly as interesting or impressive as his spirituality. If you really want to be awed by this amazing saint, it is recommended that you read his Spiritual Exercises instead.
October 12, 2019
“Hoya Saxa.” -St. Ignatius
October 12, 2019
Una mirada a la vida de este gran santo. Me llama particularmente la atención el contexto de época, y la participación del Santo Oficio en cada una de las investigaciones que le hicieron. Asimismo habla de sus dolencias estomacales constantes, que yo me aventuro a sugerir que posiblemente tenía síndrome de colon irritable, la cual es una enfermedad que se contrae por el estrés y la aflicción del espíritu.
March 6, 2015
He's like a clerical Don Quioxte!
November 22, 2020
Interesting narrative from St Ignatius with historical commentary alongside. I actually really enjoyed reading this as a relatively non-religious person
June 6, 2024
Saint Ignatius is my dad
January 25, 2021
I didn’t initially know when I started reading this what I expected or wanted to get out of it. I’m a Roman Catholic, so I thought it would be interesting to read about one of the greatest saints. (He is included in the canon of the mass, so he must be great, right? 😉)
I think it’s truly amazing that St. Ignatius had the opportunity to actually write an autobiography. I can imagine his access to materials at the time, like paper, may not have been easy to come by in order to do this.
Unfortunately, that’s one of the things I found made this autobiography difficult to read. The writing was very dry... just very factual and to the point. “This is what I did and the results from it” kind of writing. He’d occasionally say he was worried or happy at times, but mostly to the point. I realize this may be the style of writing at the time or just the mere fact that he may have had a limited amount of paper to work with, so had to keep everything brief.
However, it made it difficult to hold my attention.
I realized as I was reading this that the thing I had wanted to get out of this was inspiration. I wanted to want to be a holier person and strive to be more like the saints just like St. Ignatius and I just didn’t. Something that made this difficult for me was, at times during his writing, St. Ignatius was very full of himself. He made it sound like he knew he was better than others because of his devotion to God (not that his devotion to God was a bad thing!), but that it was his view of others while writing about them. He had a very much “I am holier than thou” kind of voice. This may not have been how it was in real life, but that’s just the vibe his writing gave off.
With all of this being said, he was very devoted to God and his actions showed this based on what he wrote about. The writing itself was well-written. It flowed well and everything was written so one could easily keep up with the events of his life.
I would say that if someone is interested in learning about the lives of the saints, he/she should read this one, but only after reading about some other saints first. I don’t think I’ll be picking up this book again, but may look into some biographies of St. Ignatius who can tell his stories from a different point of view.
I think it’s truly amazing that St. Ignatius had the opportunity to actually write an autobiography. I can imagine his access to materials at the time, like paper, may not have been easy to come by in order to do this.
Unfortunately, that’s one of the things I found made this autobiography difficult to read. The writing was very dry... just very factual and to the point. “This is what I did and the results from it” kind of writing. He’d occasionally say he was worried or happy at times, but mostly to the point. I realize this may be the style of writing at the time or just the mere fact that he may have had a limited amount of paper to work with, so had to keep everything brief.
However, it made it difficult to hold my attention.
I realized as I was reading this that the thing I had wanted to get out of this was inspiration. I wanted to want to be a holier person and strive to be more like the saints just like St. Ignatius and I just didn’t. Something that made this difficult for me was, at times during his writing, St. Ignatius was very full of himself. He made it sound like he knew he was better than others because of his devotion to God (not that his devotion to God was a bad thing!), but that it was his view of others while writing about them. He had a very much “I am holier than thou” kind of voice. This may not have been how it was in real life, but that’s just the vibe his writing gave off.
With all of this being said, he was very devoted to God and his actions showed this based on what he wrote about. The writing itself was well-written. It flowed well and everything was written so one could easily keep up with the events of his life.
I would say that if someone is interested in learning about the lives of the saints, he/she should read this one, but only after reading about some other saints first. I don’t think I’ll be picking up this book again, but may look into some biographies of St. Ignatius who can tell his stories from a different point of view.
March 1, 2023
Четко и по делу написано, по солдатски так, иезуитская харизма сразу ощущается. Скорее очерк напоминает по стилю.
Проблема с русским переводом, что странно. История Иезуитского ордена тесно связанно с Россией и так халатно перевести. Язык топорный, местами возникает впечатление, что хотели имитировать синодальный стиль перевода Библии.
Проблема с русским переводом, что странно. История Иезуитского ордена тесно связанно с Россией и так халатно перевести. Язык топорный, местами возникает впечатление, что хотели имитировать синодальный стиль перевода Библии.
June 2, 2021
Incredible Quote "He [St. Ignatius] told me that he had not composed the Exercises all at one time, but perceiving certain things happening in his soul, and finding them helpful, he thought that they might also be helpful to others, and so he set them down in writing, for example, the examination of conscience with its series of lines, and so on." pg. 186
Inspirational, uplifting, spiritual, etc story. I truly admire St. Ignatius although I balk at how strict the Jesuits seem (not towards others but within their own organization). Their hierarchy is very much like the army, harking back to St. Ignatius' days as a soldier. My mother calls Jesuits "the rebels" of the Catholic Church, to be clear they aren't revolutionary but they do seem to be semi-ahead of the Catholic Church curve much of the time.
I got really annoyed by all the in-text citations and footnotes. They really distract from the story since they are right below the text, while they were helpful they should have been in the back of the book. And the translator would constantly cite other source but just abbreviate them, it wasn't until I finished the book that saw in the back was the explanation for all the abbreviations.
Inspirational, uplifting, spiritual, etc story. I truly admire St. Ignatius although I balk at how strict the Jesuits seem (not towards others but within their own organization). Their hierarchy is very much like the army, harking back to St. Ignatius' days as a soldier. My mother calls Jesuits "the rebels" of the Catholic Church, to be clear they aren't revolutionary but they do seem to be semi-ahead of the Catholic Church curve much of the time.
I got really annoyed by all the in-text citations and footnotes. They really distract from the story since they are right below the text, while they were helpful they should have been in the back of the book. And the translator would constantly cite other source but just abbreviate them, it wasn't until I finished the book that saw in the back was the explanation for all the abbreviations.
January 10, 2019
I love Ignatius and the autobiographical account of his life is interesting but this book doesn’t seem to capture the depth, grandeur or mysticism of the Saint. This is largely a dictation of events and times remembered by Ignatius where the writer is convincing Ignatius to retell what he remembers. In many ways it reads as if Ignatius reluctantly recalls whatever events come to mind to get the facts down. This is a worthwhile read for fans of Ignatius who want some background directly from the source but would not be on the top of my list of all Ignatian books to read. If you want a true look into the depths of his soul and his relationship with grace and the divine you are better off spending time in the Spiritual Exercises.
June 7, 2015
The life of Ignatius of Loyola as dictated by him. Ignatius was the founder of the Jesuit society and lived a life of humility and suffering. He was very strict on himself and gave no thought to authority except for the authority of God. He focuses on his life and hardships rather than his accomplishments. The epilogue written by the editor fills in many of his accomplishments that he seems to skip over in his own telling. A relatively quick but engaging read.
April 7, 2014
St. Ignatius challenges us to see our convictions through to the end. With faith and fortitude.
December 22, 2015
An interesting saint who left a huge impact on higher education. A quick read.
Read
March 30, 2022Reaction Paper for Christian Spirituality Class
The tumultuous era that gave rise to Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation, the Spanish Inquisition, the Tudor dynasty and the ever-expanding age of exploration, also gave rise to a single man’s greatness in serving God completely. St Ignatius of Loyola was a pragmatic man in all things and initially steeped in charisma and his own desire for vainglory. His quest for success and personal glory led to his near fatal injury at the battle of Pamplona which in turn led to his conversion and then his setting aside of his own quest for glory in order to seek the greater glory of God. During his convalescence he received the gift of discernment and developed this ability to discern the value and core of his thoughts and desires, to discern the ‘goodness’ or ‘badness’ of any impulse or action. His personal spirituality is private compared to his outward quest to glorify God through teaching and bringing people to the Lord. Yet, his autobiography does give some beautiful insights into his experiences. His gift of discernment lets him garner a direction from God and his resulting Spiritual Exercises become a catalyst for driving faith home for countless numbers over the next 400 years . (Martin 83)
For Ignatius of Loyola was nothing if not practical. After discerning God’s will for himself, he resolutely set out to do it. He amended his life. Left his military career. Returned to school. Gathered his friends together. Put himself at the disposal of God and the pope. He organized, led, and inspired what he called his ‘least’ Society of Jesus. (Martin 81)
Yet, this quest for glory is not necessarily indicative of Ignatius spirituality, nor is his pragmatic method, though it does speak volumes of his personality, the structure of the Society of Jesus and the practices the Jesuits employ even today.
Even though it was often interpreted in rigid ways, authentic Ignatian spirituality is marked by his typical reference for flexibility. His is a spirituality of discernment of choices, both everyday and lifelong. His advice is to find “whatever is most helpful and fruitful.” (Gallagher 83)
It was his desire to cooperate with Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit that was at the core of his spiritual being, so much so that a monastic life could not suffice. Ignatius wanted to imitate Christ, who by no means lived as a monk, he wanted to ‘play’ the ‘chord’ that evoked the Trinity in all of us; he wanted, nothing short of, to be a part of God’s divine plan for us all. (Tylenda 75)
After his conversion in Loyola and illumination at Manresa it becomes clear that in order to best attain glory for God and to be able to cooperate and participate fully in God’s divine plan, Ignatius had to expand his own knowledge before venturing out into the world. This is his soul desire and until achieved it is his main focus in life. With increased education and his eventual ordination Ignatius continues to grow spiritually, he continues to discern the role he and his Jesuits will play in God’s plan, and with the discernment comes a call to action.
Ignatius, repeatedly, makes a conscious choice to discern the will of God and to freely cooperate with His divine plan. In our own contemporary history there are others who experience this same path, whether or not they are cognizant of Ignatius’ previous experience and example. The very opening to the General Introduction in Ganss’ Ignatius of Loyola inspires as it discusses the “… spiritual development of the human beings who use their freedom wisely.” (Ganss 9) and drums up images of those who had to rely on this God-given freedom to survive their own trials. While their writings do not rely on St. Ignatius specifically, one sees the same elements of spirituality in their experiences. Victor Frankl, psychiatrist and Austrian Jew was a holocaust survivor who relied on this basic instinct to survive the death camps at Auschwitz. In the camps he realized he was in control of himself. He became aware that between stimulus and response, there is a space to decide how we are to react or absorb what is happening to us. In his Man’s Search for Meaning he gives several key statements that embrace this same Ignatian concept.
Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom.
If a prisoner felt that he could no longer endure the realities of camp life, he found a way out in his mental life– an invaluable opportunity to dwell in the spiritual domain, the one that the SS were unable to destroy. Spiritual life strengthened the prisoner, helped him adapt, and thereby improved his chances of survival. (Frankl)
Throughout it all, Frankl reasoned, life has potential meaning proving that even suffering is meaningful. Two other modern day examples of men who contemplated, discerned and then acted when the time was right are Anwar Sadat and Nelson Mandela. Both reflect on their time in prison as periods of revelation (illumination) into the core of their being, strengthening them and preparing them for the inevitable time when they would be able to act. Both men would change the face of their nations and as a result the world politic and race relations. (I find it inspiring that these examples draw from Jewish, Christian and Muslim traditions – reminding us that God speaks to us all, in our turn, in His way.) As with Frankl, these men deliberately chose their reactions to their circumstances, with Ignatius we see similar experiences, but a key different is in his discernment as he calls upon God to guide and be a part of his decisions, to keep himself on the path with the divine plan.
Sheldrake touches on this concept in his discussion of Rahner’s theology,
There is a kind of knowledge that is acquired simply by being in existence. This is experiential knowledge. Because we are social beings, this knowledge is not isolated but reaches the level of reflection and communication in us. One aspect of this existence and our experience of it is a sense of responsibility and a realization of our freedom to choose. To this extent we exist beyond the world and its causes and in this sense we transcend it. (Sheldrake 64)
“Freedom to choose”, here is where Adam went wrong, and where Christ gave us the example and corrected us and where Ignatius follows his quest to imitate Jesus in all things. All of these individuals faced the responsibility of the choices they made and made ones that saved, inspired, uplifted and improved the lives of others. The desire to cooperate. Downey, as well, sums up this Ignatian spirituality,
In this view, then, spirituality refers to the ongoing realization or actualization of the human capacity to move beyond self in knowledge, freedom, and love in and through relationship with others and with God. (Downey 35)
This spirituality, or desire to cooperate, has recognizably surfaced in my life perhaps three times, and none of which were with the magnitude that those mentioned above experienced. First, in college, trying to discern a direction in my life, the second, also at college, with my decision to enter the RCIA program and, third, most recently, with the call to be a catechist within our parish, which has ultimately led me to this course of study. Yet, everyone of these held/hold a greater promise, they are the stepping stones that will lead me to catechize, lead and reach out more to those in need, both spiritually and physically. Jesus is calling me to prepare, and I am cooperating. Thank you, St. Ignatius.
1 Martin S.J., James. My Life with the Saints. Chicago, IL: Loyola Press, 2006. Print.– Martin discusses the impact Ignatius has had in the church; “What has been called his greatest gift to the church has enabled thousands of men and women – Jesuits, priests, sisters, brothers, laypersons – from almost every Christian denomination to experience a deep intimacy with God. It is no stretch to say that The Spiritual Exercises has transformed lives.”
2 Ibid.
3 Gallagher S.J., Michael Paul. “Ignatius of Loyola.” Great Spirits 1000-2000. Ed Selina O’Grady & John Wilkins. New York, NY: MJF Books, 2002. Print.
4 Ignatius of Loyola. A Pilgrim’s Journey; The Autobiography of Ignatius of Loyola. Trans. Joseph N. Tylenda, S.J., Revised Edition. San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2001. Print. Ignatius explains his ‘understanding’ was raised on high, when comprehending the Trinity as three notes from a musical instrument brought together.
5 Ganss S.J., George E. Ignatius of Loyola: Spiritual Exercises and Selected Works. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1991. Print.
6 Frankl, Viktor. Man’s Search for Meaning, Part One, “Experiences in a Concentration Camp”. New York, NY: Pocket Books. Print – I have not read this book, but have read of Frankl in other sources that stirred me to find the references I was looking for.
7 Sheldrake, Philip E.. Explorations in Spirituality. New York, NY: Paulist Press, 2010. Print. – Sheldrake also offers a poignant remark that keys into this same topic. “The truly interior person, by becoming more deeply drawn into the Trinitarian mystery of God, is able t transcend such categories as ‘exterior’ and ‘interior’.” p78
8 Sheldrake, Philip E.. Explorations in Spirituality. New York, NY: Paulist Press, 2010. Print. - This statement of “time when they would be able to act” brought to mind the discussion Sheldrake offers on the ‘problem of time’, especially the image of the desert as “both a space and time” p23 and p22’s “… sense of being involved in a stream of time breeds a sense of responsibility for a time beyond ourselves and relativizes an obsession with the unique importance of our present moment.”
9 Ibid.
10 Downey, Michael. Understanding Christian Spirituality. New York, NY: Paulist Press, 1997 Print.
The tumultuous era that gave rise to Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation, the Spanish Inquisition, the Tudor dynasty and the ever-expanding age of exploration, also gave rise to a single man’s greatness in serving God completely. St Ignatius of Loyola was a pragmatic man in all things and initially steeped in charisma and his own desire for vainglory. His quest for success and personal glory led to his near fatal injury at the battle of Pamplona which in turn led to his conversion and then his setting aside of his own quest for glory in order to seek the greater glory of God. During his convalescence he received the gift of discernment and developed this ability to discern the value and core of his thoughts and desires, to discern the ‘goodness’ or ‘badness’ of any impulse or action. His personal spirituality is private compared to his outward quest to glorify God through teaching and bringing people to the Lord. Yet, his autobiography does give some beautiful insights into his experiences. His gift of discernment lets him garner a direction from God and his resulting Spiritual Exercises become a catalyst for driving faith home for countless numbers over the next 400 years . (Martin 83)
For Ignatius of Loyola was nothing if not practical. After discerning God’s will for himself, he resolutely set out to do it. He amended his life. Left his military career. Returned to school. Gathered his friends together. Put himself at the disposal of God and the pope. He organized, led, and inspired what he called his ‘least’ Society of Jesus. (Martin 81)
Yet, this quest for glory is not necessarily indicative of Ignatius spirituality, nor is his pragmatic method, though it does speak volumes of his personality, the structure of the Society of Jesus and the practices the Jesuits employ even today.
Even though it was often interpreted in rigid ways, authentic Ignatian spirituality is marked by his typical reference for flexibility. His is a spirituality of discernment of choices, both everyday and lifelong. His advice is to find “whatever is most helpful and fruitful.” (Gallagher 83)
It was his desire to cooperate with Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit that was at the core of his spiritual being, so much so that a monastic life could not suffice. Ignatius wanted to imitate Christ, who by no means lived as a monk, he wanted to ‘play’ the ‘chord’ that evoked the Trinity in all of us; he wanted, nothing short of, to be a part of God’s divine plan for us all. (Tylenda 75)
After his conversion in Loyola and illumination at Manresa it becomes clear that in order to best attain glory for God and to be able to cooperate and participate fully in God’s divine plan, Ignatius had to expand his own knowledge before venturing out into the world. This is his soul desire and until achieved it is his main focus in life. With increased education and his eventual ordination Ignatius continues to grow spiritually, he continues to discern the role he and his Jesuits will play in God’s plan, and with the discernment comes a call to action.
Ignatius, repeatedly, makes a conscious choice to discern the will of God and to freely cooperate with His divine plan. In our own contemporary history there are others who experience this same path, whether or not they are cognizant of Ignatius’ previous experience and example. The very opening to the General Introduction in Ganss’ Ignatius of Loyola inspires as it discusses the “… spiritual development of the human beings who use their freedom wisely.” (Ganss 9) and drums up images of those who had to rely on this God-given freedom to survive their own trials. While their writings do not rely on St. Ignatius specifically, one sees the same elements of spirituality in their experiences. Victor Frankl, psychiatrist and Austrian Jew was a holocaust survivor who relied on this basic instinct to survive the death camps at Auschwitz. In the camps he realized he was in control of himself. He became aware that between stimulus and response, there is a space to decide how we are to react or absorb what is happening to us. In his Man’s Search for Meaning he gives several key statements that embrace this same Ignatian concept.
Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom.
If a prisoner felt that he could no longer endure the realities of camp life, he found a way out in his mental life– an invaluable opportunity to dwell in the spiritual domain, the one that the SS were unable to destroy. Spiritual life strengthened the prisoner, helped him adapt, and thereby improved his chances of survival. (Frankl)
Throughout it all, Frankl reasoned, life has potential meaning proving that even suffering is meaningful. Two other modern day examples of men who contemplated, discerned and then acted when the time was right are Anwar Sadat and Nelson Mandela. Both reflect on their time in prison as periods of revelation (illumination) into the core of their being, strengthening them and preparing them for the inevitable time when they would be able to act. Both men would change the face of their nations and as a result the world politic and race relations. (I find it inspiring that these examples draw from Jewish, Christian and Muslim traditions – reminding us that God speaks to us all, in our turn, in His way.) As with Frankl, these men deliberately chose their reactions to their circumstances, with Ignatius we see similar experiences, but a key different is in his discernment as he calls upon God to guide and be a part of his decisions, to keep himself on the path with the divine plan.
Sheldrake touches on this concept in his discussion of Rahner’s theology,
There is a kind of knowledge that is acquired simply by being in existence. This is experiential knowledge. Because we are social beings, this knowledge is not isolated but reaches the level of reflection and communication in us. One aspect of this existence and our experience of it is a sense of responsibility and a realization of our freedom to choose. To this extent we exist beyond the world and its causes and in this sense we transcend it. (Sheldrake 64)
“Freedom to choose”, here is where Adam went wrong, and where Christ gave us the example and corrected us and where Ignatius follows his quest to imitate Jesus in all things. All of these individuals faced the responsibility of the choices they made and made ones that saved, inspired, uplifted and improved the lives of others. The desire to cooperate. Downey, as well, sums up this Ignatian spirituality,
In this view, then, spirituality refers to the ongoing realization or actualization of the human capacity to move beyond self in knowledge, freedom, and love in and through relationship with others and with God. (Downey 35)
This spirituality, or desire to cooperate, has recognizably surfaced in my life perhaps three times, and none of which were with the magnitude that those mentioned above experienced. First, in college, trying to discern a direction in my life, the second, also at college, with my decision to enter the RCIA program and, third, most recently, with the call to be a catechist within our parish, which has ultimately led me to this course of study. Yet, everyone of these held/hold a greater promise, they are the stepping stones that will lead me to catechize, lead and reach out more to those in need, both spiritually and physically. Jesus is calling me to prepare, and I am cooperating. Thank you, St. Ignatius.
1 Martin S.J., James. My Life with the Saints. Chicago, IL: Loyola Press, 2006. Print.– Martin discusses the impact Ignatius has had in the church; “What has been called his greatest gift to the church has enabled thousands of men and women – Jesuits, priests, sisters, brothers, laypersons – from almost every Christian denomination to experience a deep intimacy with God. It is no stretch to say that The Spiritual Exercises has transformed lives.”
2 Ibid.
3 Gallagher S.J., Michael Paul. “Ignatius of Loyola.” Great Spirits 1000-2000. Ed Selina O’Grady & John Wilkins. New York, NY: MJF Books, 2002. Print.
4 Ignatius of Loyola. A Pilgrim’s Journey; The Autobiography of Ignatius of Loyola. Trans. Joseph N. Tylenda, S.J., Revised Edition. San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2001. Print. Ignatius explains his ‘understanding’ was raised on high, when comprehending the Trinity as three notes from a musical instrument brought together.
5 Ganss S.J., George E. Ignatius of Loyola: Spiritual Exercises and Selected Works. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1991. Print.
6 Frankl, Viktor. Man’s Search for Meaning, Part One, “Experiences in a Concentration Camp”. New York, NY: Pocket Books. Print – I have not read this book, but have read of Frankl in other sources that stirred me to find the references I was looking for.
7 Sheldrake, Philip E.. Explorations in Spirituality. New York, NY: Paulist Press, 2010. Print. – Sheldrake also offers a poignant remark that keys into this same topic. “The truly interior person, by becoming more deeply drawn into the Trinitarian mystery of God, is able t transcend such categories as ‘exterior’ and ‘interior’.” p78
8 Sheldrake, Philip E.. Explorations in Spirituality. New York, NY: Paulist Press, 2010. Print. - This statement of “time when they would be able to act” brought to mind the discussion Sheldrake offers on the ‘problem of time’, especially the image of the desert as “both a space and time” p23 and p22’s “… sense of being involved in a stream of time breeds a sense of responsibility for a time beyond ourselves and relativizes an obsession with the unique importance of our present moment.”
9 Ibid.
10 Downey, Michael. Understanding Christian Spirituality. New York, NY: Paulist Press, 1997 Print.
February 15, 2024
A decent short biography of the saint. Available on Libovox.
Read
May 20, 2019Honestly, St. Ignatius sounds like he was really annoying.
July 24, 2018
Wonderful book. It gives the reader insight on this great saint.
September 13, 2011
It does what it says on the tin; it's St Ingatius's autobiography, written in the style of any 16th-century autobio. If the topic sounds interesting, then the book is. If not, well, not.
The appendix, added by the translator in 1900, amused me; the translator is writing from his university in New York City, talking about the Jesuit educational system over the next few hundred years. And he mentions how they travelled to the ends of the earth establishing institutions, and how this continues to their current day--including in "the Rocky Mountains," the "Jesuit College of Spokane" (now Gonzaga University). I do like that, in 1900, the *furthest end of the earth* he could think of was Spokane.
The appendix, added by the translator in 1900, amused me; the translator is writing from his university in New York City, talking about the Jesuit educational system over the next few hundred years. And he mentions how they travelled to the ends of the earth establishing institutions, and how this continues to their current day--including in "the Rocky Mountains," the "Jesuit College of Spokane" (now Gonzaga University). I do like that, in 1900, the *furthest end of the earth* he could think of was Spokane.
November 8, 2012
This was tough to read. Not the place I'd suggest going to start learning about St. Ignatius. There seems to be a lot in the narrative that is skipped, and a lot that he and his scribe assume you already know. So the gaps in knowledge make it hard to follow. He also come across a bit egotistical, I'm sorry to say. However, it was very interesting to read his version of his multiple encounters with the Spanish Inquisition. We tend to think of the Inquisition as a bunch of people who were on a witch hunt, guilty until proven innocent, and impossible to prove innocence. But Ignatius tangled with them several times and always came away justified. So clearly not everyone ended up being tortured and executed.
January 24, 2016
Saint Ignatius of Loyola has an amazing story. This book helped me to learn even more about his life. It was written a long time ago though and I sometimes found the timeline of all of his journeys hard to follow. It's not very common that I wish a book was longer, but in this case I found myself wanting more details. The appendix was worth reading for that reason. There definitely could have been more in here in terms of his founding of the Jesuits, his relationship with St Xavier, or even his life leading up to and including his conversion. All things considered, this book is free on Amazon and gave me a few things to think about doing better in my life which I've already begun working on, so it was very valuable to me.
October 11, 2012
The book is a surprisingly light read for a text written in the XVIth century, and(unwittingly) does a great job to situate the jesuits in continuity from their founders' peculiar life and personality. A colorful life-story indeed, with and admirable pugnacity and a war-like conception of faith and asceticism, but it's account is disappointingly factual: little is said of of Ignatius' peculiar achievements, and whereas his academic career is only quickly skimmed through, his spiritual exercises, which are to me the most interesting aspect of both his life and doctrine, are mentioned in passing several times without getting any of the attention they deserve.
September 11, 2009
Tells the tale of Ignatius of Loyola the founder of the Jesuits from his boyhood, his injury in battle, his conversion during his convalescence, his growing spiritual discernment, his pilgrimage to Jerusalem, his early ministry and education and the founding of the Jesuit order.
This is a quick read (I read it in one sitting). I liked how this book showed Ignatius's fortitude of character and growing discernment in Spiritual matters.
It is an autobiography, but was dictated and is written down in the third person.
This is a quick read (I read it in one sitting). I liked how this book showed Ignatius's fortitude of character and growing discernment in Spiritual matters.
It is an autobiography, but was dictated and is written down in the third person.
January 5, 2016
An easy read, but the "autobiography" of a saint should t more inspiring
There was little revealed about the life of Ignatius in this book that would inspire me to follow his way of life. I truly love the writings of the mystics, but it didn't seem that Ignatius was led by the Spirit, but by bad choices and bad theology. He did have great zeal and a passion to help people in their spiritual progress. He also had a great love for the poor. I am sure that Ignatius was a great man of God, but this book doesn't reflect his greatness.
There was little revealed about the life of Ignatius in this book that would inspire me to follow his way of life. I truly love the writings of the mystics, but it didn't seem that Ignatius was led by the Spirit, but by bad choices and bad theology. He did have great zeal and a passion to help people in their spiritual progress. He also had a great love for the poor. I am sure that Ignatius was a great man of God, but this book doesn't reflect his greatness.
Want to read
March 14, 2010This is St. Ignatius' autobiography although he wrote it in the third person and called himself simply a pilgrim. This is a story of his conversion and how he formed the Company of Jesus. Our parish pastor talked a little about his spirituality, and Spiritual Exercises, and recommended this book. And apparently he describes clearly what his influences were, his spiritual condition (the consolations and the desolation), etc. Sounds interesting.
February 27, 2013
It was interesting, but difficult to read. By difficult to read I am referring to the style. It reminded me of reading driving directions (go left on Main St., then go 2 miles and take a right). So, it read something like - St. Ignatius was in Spain, then met 2 men who would follow him, then went to France where he met opposition. He then went to Rome, etc., etc. Lots of interesting facts, but presented in a dry, almost bullet-point format.
April 8, 2013
Ignatius is clearly a really interesting character: an Aramis-like combination of vain soldier and pious intellectual. but sadly this book doesn't give any significant insight into his life or thoughts. it's so brief that most of the time it's barely more than a summary of his actions.
on the bright side it's short and readable, and his repeated brushes with the Inquisition are quite entertaining.
on the bright side it's short and readable, and his repeated brushes with the Inquisition are quite entertaining.
August 23, 2014
The story of St. Ignatius is interesting and it holds him out as a great saint. The writing in the book though it very 'jumpy' and it doesn't give a deep insight into his works and accomplishments which tended to leaving me feeling like I've missed the story of the person behind the works. (I guess I was thinking of Blessed Pope John Paul II's biography, which tells his story but with a lot of 'character unfolding' to help you understand him as a person.)
May 17, 2015
This book really fills in the parts of his life that most one page summaries of the life of St Ignatius Loyola never mention. It can be read on two levels, with and without the extensive footnotes. Reading with the footnotes is better. Struggles, trials, imprisonments, early followers, accounts of spiritual experiences, are all there. Reading this book will give you a desire to learn more about his Spiritual Exercises.
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