From the desk of the Tar Heel disciple:
July 29, 2025
The feast day of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) is celebrated on the last day of this month, July 31. He was born of a family of minor nobility in the Basque region of present-day Spain, in 1491. He embarked on a military career and fought in various battles, until he was gravely injured at the Battle of Pamplona, on May 20, 1521. He underwent several operations on his injured leg, all of which led to a shortened right leg and a permanent limp. During his extensive convalescence in his father’s castle at Loyola, he experienced a deep and sincere religious conversion.
His spiritual experiences during this time led him to a desire to lead a religious life and to share his method of prayer, meditation, and discernment with others. As a result, he eventually became a priest, the founder of the Jesuits, and the author of the famed Spiritual Exercises.
If you have ever heard of this way of praying and wondered what it was all about, but, perhaps, didn’t know where to begin, you might look to a recent series posted on the Hallow App, which features daily, approximately 16-minute segments, given by Fr. Timothy Gallagher, OMV, who has written and lectured extensively on the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola. In this series, Father Gallagher explains the method of St. Ignatius and leads the listeners in daily meditations. (A subscription to the app is required to access this series).
There are many, many other resources that explore the life of St. Ignatius, the history of the Jesuits and Ignatian spirituality. Books for adults and children about St. Ignatius, the Jesuits, and the Spiritual Exercises, as well medals and a statue of the saint, are available from In His Name Catholic Store:
Saint Ignatius Of Loyola Section
