Perry V1-Loyola. “Spiritual Exercises”

MEHAP-Andrew Fortugno

Perry V1-Loyola. “Spiritual Exercises”

Saint Ignatius Loyola founded the new Catholic religious order called the Society of Jesus; the Jesuits became the vanguard of the Roman Catholic Church’s effort to resist Protestantism.

1. Saint Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556), a Basque nobleman, who founded the religious order of the Society of Jesus

a. Popularly called the Jesuits

b. Underwent a spiritual conversion while being a soldiers 1521-1522

c. While at the University of Paris along with several companions decided to found their order and received papal recognition in 1540

2. Society of Jesus-Jesuits-3 Major Characteristics

a. Special oath of obedience to the pope, which bound them to support the papacy with special devotion

b. Rejected traditional monastic ideal of a life of contemplation and instead lived an active life of service in the world

c. Especially committed to Christian education of youth and missionary work among pagans and heretics.

3. Jesuits became Vanguard of Roman Catholic Church

a. Helped to resist Protestantism and hasten the restoration of Catholicism where it was no longer the dominant religion.

b. To help Catholics achieve a higher spiritual life Ignatius composed a book 1521-1535 called The Spiritual Exercises.

c. In the last section of his book Ignatius gives his final instructions to his followers, a set of rules for “thinking with the Church”.

i. Theses guidelines reflect the response of reformed Catholicism to the great theological issues raised by Luther, Calvin, and other Protestants