The Feast Day of St Ignatius Loyola is 31st July.
Jesuit schools in South Asia must celebrate the feast on a suitable day before or after the Feast day in all our schools.
Kindly display the following in an appropriate manner in our schools for all to see.
Ignatius Loyola , born (1491) of a Basque noble family; chose a life of chivalry and fame until wounded at the battle of Pamplona (1521); during long convalescence he underwent a spiritual conversion; lived as a hermit at Manresa where he began to see how God was active in his life; his notes from this time became the Spiritual Exercises; with companions he founded the Society of Jesus (1540); Ignatius spent the rest of his life developing and governing this new order. Died 31st July 1556.
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1491 |
Ignatius born, the youngest of 13 children, at Loyola in the Basque country of northern Spain. |
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1506 |
Enters the service of the King's Treasurer as a page, at Avila. |
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1517 |
Appointed Gentleman-in-Waiting to the Duke of Nájera, Viceroy of Navarra. |
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1521 |
Battle of Pamplona, 20th May. Ignatius falls wounded. Taken home to Loyola to recover. Reads The Life of Christ and the Golden Legend. Begins to practice the discernment of spirits and chooses a new life. |
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1522 |
Leaves Loyola (February). Pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady at Aránzazu. Spends the night in vigil before the Black Madonna at the monastery of Montserrat. Travels on to Manresa in search of Paul, a hermit with expertise on pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Spends 11 months at Manresa in prayer. Begins to make the notes which will become the Spiritual Exercises. |
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1523 |
18th February - leaves Barcelona for the Holy Land. Arrives in Rome on Palm Sunday. 4th September - enters Jerusalem. Ejected from the Holy Land by Franciscan guardians. |
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1524 |
Returns to Barcelona. Begins to learn Latin before pursuing higher studies in order to 'help sous' without interference from the ecclesiastical authorities. |
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1526 |
Enters the university of Alcalá, near Madrid. |
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1527 |
Arrested and imprisoned for teaching the Christian faith without authorization (this happened eight times in all over the next few years). July - enters the university of Salamanca. |
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1528 |
Enters the university of Paris. Lodges with Pierre Favre and Francis Xavier, his first companions. |
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1531 |
Journies to London to beg alms to support himself in his studies. |
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1534 |
Ignatius and six companions take a vow of poverty, decide to go to Jerusalem, and to spend their lives as 'friends in the Lord' helping souls. |
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1535 |
Ignatius grduates as a Master of the university of Paris. Visits his family at Loyola for the last time. |
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1537 |
The companions reach Venice en route to Jerusalem. They go to Rome to obtain the Pope's blessing but he encourage them to 'help souls' in Italy. The companions disperse to various towns in Italy. Ignatius has a mystical experience at La Storta, outside Rome. The companions put themselves at the service of the Pope and the Church. |
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1539 |
The Deliberation of the First Fathers - the companions decide to bind themselves in a new religious order of priests to be called the Society of Jesus. |
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1540 |
Francis Xavier set out for the far east. 27th September - Pope Pal III approves the new Order. |
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1541 |
Much againsthis will, Ignatius is elected the fist Superior General of the the Society of Jesus. 22ndApril - the first 10 companions take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience at the basilica of St-Paul-Outside-the-Walls, Rome. |
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1546 |
Laínez and Salmerón are sent as expert theologians to the Council of Trent. 1st August - Pierre Favre, Ignatius' first companion, dies in Rome. |
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1548 |
The Spiritual Exericses are approved and published for the first time (in Latin). |
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1550 |
Ignatius finishes the first draft of the Constitutions for the new Society. |
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1552 |
Francis Xavier dies on Sanchuan island, off the coast of China. |
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1555 |
Ignatius dictates his Autobiography to Luís Gonçalves da Cámara. |
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1556 |
31st July - Ignatius dies in Rome. |
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1622 |
Ignatius is declared a saint by Pope Gregory XV. |
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The Society of Jesus is the largest order of priests and brothers in the Catholic Church, with almost 17,000 members serving in 132 countries.
One of the founding principles of the Society of Jesus was “the education of children and unlettered persons.” The Jesuits established their first school in 1548. Today, the Jesuits run more than 2,500 schools all the continents.
Dear Friends,
Celebrate the lasting legacy of St. Ignatius of Loyola in your schools.
Kindly invite parents and Alumni too to be part of your celebration.
- Put up informative flex or written posters and Quotes of St. Ignatius for all to read.
- Have well prepared holy Eucharist for Catholic students, Alumni and Parents.
- Invite our near by Jesuits to address on an Ignatian theme during the Assembly for 9 days (Novena Days).
- Invite local officials and Civil authorities to share your joy on the Feast day.
- Ask your studnets club to put up an exhibition on Jesuit legacy through history.
- Conduct a special prayer service for world peace on or before 31st July and invite the entire school and parents.
- Prepare students to give speeches on the Contributions done by Jesuits in any field.
- Show short videos on St. Ignatius and his life.
- Have friendly matches between students and teachers. This will be remembered by all the students in the later ages too.
- Have reflective, discerned project for the poor and the needy during the month. Involve Alumni too in this.
This way we can make a serious and positive impact on all our stake holders on the feast of our Founder Father.
May God bless all of you!
Sunny Jacob SJ
Secretary, JEA SA
Adviser, JAAI
13. 07. 2016