St Ignatius of Loyola sj – Patron Saint of Spiritual Retreats: Feast Day 31 July

WelCom July 2020:

Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1556) was a Spanish Basque Catholic priest and theologian, who co-founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and became its first Superior General at Paris in 1541. The Jesuit order served the Pope as missionaries, and they were bound by a vow of special obedience to the sovereign pontiff in regard to the missions. Ignatius is remembered as a talented spiritual director. He recorded his method in a celebrated treatise called the Spiritual Exercises, a simple set of meditations, prayers, and other mental exercises, first published in 1548. 

Ignatius was beatified in 1609, and then canonised as Saint on 12 March 1622. His feast day is celebrated on 31 July. He is the patron saint of the Society of Jesus, and was declared patron saint of all spiritual retreats by Pope Pius XI in 1922.