St. Ignatius Loyola Novena

Novena Begins:	July 22
Feast Day:	July 31

Patron Saint of Military Ordinariate of the Philippines, Society of Jesus, soldiers, Educators and Education.

Name Meaning: Son, Fire

About St. Ignatius of Loyola

St. Ignatius was born on December 24th, 1491 at the castle of Loyola in Guipuzcoa, Spain. In 1506, he became a page in the service of a distinguished noble. The following year he joined the army and, while defending the small town of Pamplona, was severely injured by a cannonball. During his long recovery, Ignatius read numerous texts on the life of Christ and the lives of the Saints. Moved by their heroic deeds, he underwent a profound spiritual conversion. In 1522, he traveled to the Benedictine monastery of Montserrat where he left his sword on the altar of Mary in dedication to her. Emulating Francis of Assisi, he then spent months in a cave near the town of Manresa and began his famed Spiritual Exercises.

In 1523, he went to Rome and then to Jerusalem but returned to Barcelona to study. He spent the next eleven years studying at Alcala, Salamanca, and Paris, and it was during this time that he met companions, including Francis Xavier, who would be the core of his group, known today as the Jesuits. They took vows of poverty and chastity, with the hope of doing missionary pilgrimages to the Holy Land but with the promise of special service to the Pope. In 1537, they traveled to Italy to be ordained.

Pope Paul III officially recognized their society, the Society of Jesus, in 1540. Ignatius was elected the first Superior General of the order and received the first solemn profession on April 22, 1541. He wrote the Jesuit Constitutions and spent the rest of his life working for the Society, caring for the sick and the poor, and founding colleges and universities to educate the clergy as well as the laity. He founded the famous Gregorian College in Rome. From 1553 to 1555, Ignatius dictated his life story to his secretary which is a valuable key for understanding the Spiritual Exercises. He died in Rome on July 31, 1556.

Day 1 – St. Ignatius Loyola Novena

Let us begin, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Eternal Lord of all things, I feel your gaze on me. I sense that your Mother stands near, watching and that with you are all the great beings of heaven: angels and powers and martyrs and saints. Lord Jesus, I think you have put a desire in me. If you will help me, please, I would like to make my offering. I want it to be my desire and my choice, provided that you want it, too, to live my life as you lived yours. I know that you lived an insignificant person in a little, despised town. I know that you rarely tasted luxury and never privilege, and that you resolutely refused to accept power. I know that you suffered rejection by leaders, abandonment by friends, and failure. I know. I can hardly bear the thought of it all. But it seems a towering wonderful thing that you might call me to follow you and stand with you. I will labor to bring God’s reign if you will give me the gift to do it.

(Mention your request here…)

St. Ignatius Loyola pray for us. Amen.