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THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY
OF
St. Ignatius
EDITED BY
J. F. X. O'CONOR, S.J.
NEW YORK, CINCINNATI, CHICAGO
BENZIGER BROTHERS
Printers to the Holy Apostolic See
1900
_Imprimatur._
MICHAEL AUGUSTINE,
ARCHBISHOP OF NEW YORK.
_Nihil obstat._
EDWARDUS I. PURBRICK, S.J.,
_Præpositus Provincialis Provinciæ
Marylandiæ Neo-Eboracensis_.
JACOBUS J. CASEY, S.J.,
_Censor Deputatus_.
NEW YORK, Dec. 14, 1899.
COPYRIGHT, 1900, BY BENZIGER BROTHERS.
[Illustration: ST. IGNATIUS RECEIVING ST. FRANCIS BORGIA.]
[Illustration: ST. IGNATIUS LOYOLA.]
[Illustration: THE FIRST VOWS AT MONTMARTRE OF ST. IGNATIUS AND
COMPANIONS. FATHER FABER CELEBRATING MASS.]
[Illustration: ST. IGNATIUS CONVERSING WITH ST. FRANCIS XAVIER AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF PARIS.]
[Illustration: ST. IGNATIUS AT THE HOLY SACRIFICE.
Painted by Rubens.]
Editor's Preface
This account of the life of St. Ignatius, dictated by himself, is
considered by the Bollandists the most valuable record of the great
Founder of the Society of Jesus. The editors of the _Stimmen Aus Maria
Laach_, the German review, as well as those of the English magazine,
_The Month_, tell us that it, more than any other work, gives an
insight into the spiritual life of St. Ignatius. Few works in
ascetical literature, except the writings of St. Teresa and St.
Augustine, impart such a knowledge of the soul.
To understand fully the Spiritual Exercises, we should know something
of the man who wrote them. In this life of St. Ignatius, told in his
own words, we acquire an intimate knowledge of the author of the
Exercises. We discern the Saint's natural disposition, which was the
foundation of his spiritual character. We learn of his conversion, his
trials, the obstacles in his way, the heroism with which he
accomplished his great mission.
This autobiography of St. Ignatius is the groundwork of all the great
lives of him that have been written.
Bartoli draws from it, Genelli develops it, the recent magnificent
works of Father Clair, S.J., and of Stewart Rose are amplifications of
this simple story of the life of St. Ignatius.
The Saint in his narrative always refers to himself in the third
person, and this mode of speech has here been retained. Many persons
who have neither the time, nor, perhaps, the inclination, to read
larger works, will read, we trust, with pleasure and profit this
autobiography.
Ignatius, as he lay wounded in his brother's house, read the lives of
the saints to while away the time. Touched by grace, he cried, "What
St. Francis and St. Dominic have done, that, by God's grace, I will
do." May this little book, in like manner, inspire its readers with
the desire of imitating St. Ignatius.
THE EDITOR.
EASTER, 1900.
COLLEGE OF ST. FRANCIS XAVIER,
NEW YORK.
_Preface of Father Louis Gonzalez, S.J., to the "Acts of St.
Ignatius," received from the lips of the Saint and translated into
Latin by Father Hannibal Codretto, S.J._
Preface of the Writer
Jesus, Mary. In the year 1553, one Friday morning, August 4, the eve
of the feast of Our Lady of the Snows, while St. Ignatius was in the
garden, I began to give him an account of my soul, and, among other
things, I spoke to him of how I was tempted by vain glory. The
spiritual advice he gave me was this: "Refer everything that you do to
God; strive to offer Him all the good you find in yourself,
acknowledging that this comes from God, and thank Him for it." The
advice given to me on this occasion was so consoling to me that I
could not refrain from tears. St. Ignatius then related to me that for
two years he had struggled against vain glory; so much so, indeed,
that when he was about to embark for Jerusalem at Barcelona he did not
dare to tell any one where he was going. He told me, moreover, that
since that time his soul had experienced great peace in regard to this
matter.
An hour or two later we went to dinner, and, while Master Polancus and
I were dining with him, St. Ignatius said that Master Natalis and
others of the Society had often asked him to give a narrative of his
life, but he had never as yet decided to do so. On this occasion,
however, after I had spoken to him, he reflected upon it alone. He was
favorably inclined toward it. From the way he spoke, it was evident
God had enlightened him. He had resolved to manifest the main points
of his interior life up to the present, and had concluded that I was
the one to whom he would make these things known.
At that time St. Ignatius was in very feeble health. He did not
promise himself one day of life, but, on the contrary, if any one were
to say, "I shall do that within two weeks or a week," St. Ignatius was
accustomed to say: "How is that? Do you think you are going to live
that long?" However, on this occasion, he said he hoped to live three
or four months to finish the narrative. The next day when I asked him
when he wished to begin, he answered that I should remind him every
day until he had an opportunity for it. As he could not find time,
partly on account of his many occupations, he told me to remind him of
it every Sunday. In the following September he called me, and began to
relate his whole life clearly and distinctly with all the
accompanying circumstances. Afterward, in the same month, he called me
three or four times, and told me the history of his life up to the
time of his dwelling at Manresa. The method followed by St. Ignatius
is so clear that he places vividly before our eyes the events of the
past.
It was not necessary to ask him anything, as nothing important was
omitted. I began to write down certain points immediately, and I
afterward filled out the details. I endeavored to write nothing that I
did not hear from him. So closely did I adhere to his very words that
afterward I was unable to explain the meaning of some of them. This
narrative I wrote, as I have indicated above, up to September, 1553.
From that time until the 18th of October, 1554, when Father Natalis
came, St. Ignatius did not continue the narrative, but pleaded excuse
on account of infirmities or other business, saying to me, "When such
and such a business is settled, remind me of it." When that work was
done, I recalled it to his memory. He replied, "Now I have that other
affair on hand; when it is finished remind me."
Father Natalis was overjoyed that a beginning had been made, and told
me to urge St. Ignatius to complete it, often saying to me, "In no
other way can you do more good to the Society, for this is
fundamentally the Society." He himself spoke to St. Ignatius about it,
and I was told to remind him of it when the work in regard to the
founding of the college was finished. And when it was over, and the
business with Prester John settled and the courier had departed, we
continued the history on the 9th of March, 1555. About this time Pope
Julius became ill, and died on the 23d of the same month. The
narrative was then postponed until the election of the new Pope, who
died soon after his election. Our work remained untouched until Pope
Paul mounted the papal throne. On account of the great heat and many
occupations, the biography did not make much progress until the 21st
of September, when there was question of sending me to Spain. And so
he appointed the morning of the 22d for a meeting in the red tower.
After saying Mass I went to him to ask him if it were the time. He
told me to go and wait for him in the red tower. Supposing that I
should have to wait a long while, I delayed on the porch, talking with
a brother who asked me about something. When St. Ignatius came he
reprimanded me because, contrary to obedience, I had not waited for
him in the appointed place, and he would not do anything that day.
Then we urged him very earnestly to continue. So he came to the red
tower, and, according to his custom, dictated while walking.
While taking these notes I tried to see his face, and kept drawing
near to him. He said to me, "Keep your rule." And as I approached
again, and looked at him a second and a third time, he repeated what
he had said and then went away. Finally, after some time, he returned
to the red tower to complete the dictation. As I was about starting on
my journey, and St. Ignatius spoke to me the day before my departure,
I could not write out the narrative in full at Rome. At Genoa where I
went I had no Spanish secretary, so I dictated in Latin the points I
had brought with me, and finished the writing at Genoa in December,
1555.
Contents
Page
EDITOR'S PREFACE 5
PREFACE OF THE WRITER 9
CHAPTER I
His Military Life--He is wounded at the Siege of Pampeluna--His
Cure--Spiritual Reading--The Apparition--The Gift of Chastity--His
Longing for the Journey to Jerusalem and for a Holier Life 19
CHAPTER II
Ignatius leaves his Native Land--What he did at Montserrat and
Manresa 30
CHAPTER III
Scruples--Heavenly Favors--Journey to Barcelona 47
CHAPTER IV
His Journey to Rome, Venice, Jerusalem, and the Holy Land 66
CHAPTER V
The Arrival in Apulia, Venice, Ferrara, and Genoa--He is
apprehended as a Spy--He is despised as a Fool--His Studies at
Barcelona and Alcala 78
CHAPTER VI
The Prisons at Alcala and Salamanca 93
CHAPTER VII
His Studies in Paris, and Other Incidents of his Life 111
CHAPTER VIII
His Arrival in his Native Land and the Virtues practised
there--His Journey into Spain and Italy--The Famous Apparition
and his Life in the Same Place 129
APPENDIX
St. Ignatius and his Work for Education 145
Authors 155
The Educational Plan of St. Ignatius 156
The Autobiography of St. Ignatius
The Account of his Life dictated to Father Gonzalez by St. Ignatius
CHAPTER I
HIS MILITARY LIFE--HE IS WOUNDED AT THE SIEGE OF PAMPELUNA--HIS
CURE--SPIRITUAL READING--THE APPARITION--THE GIFT OF CHASTITY--HIS
LONGING FOR THE JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM AND FOR A HOLIER LIFE
Up to his twenty-sixth year the heart of Ignatius was enthralled by
the vanities of the world. His special delight was in the military
life, and he seemed led by a strong and empty desire of gaining for
himself a great name. The citadel of Pampeluna was held in siege by
the French. All the other soldiers were unanimous in wishing to
surrender on condition of freedom to leave, since it was impossible to
hold out any longer; but Ignatius so persuaded the commander, that,
against the views of all the other nobles, he decided to hold the
citadel against the enemy.
When the day of assault came, Ignatius made his confession to one of
the nobles, his companion in arms. The soldier also made his to
Ignatius. After the walls were destroyed, Ignatius stood fighting
bravely until a cannon ball of the enemy broke one of his legs and
seriously injured the other.
When he fell, the citadel was surrendered. When the French took
possession of the town, they showed great admiration for Ignatius.
After twelve or fifteen days at Pampeluna, where he received the best
care from the physicians of the French army, he was borne on a litter
to Loyola. His recovery was very slow, and doctors and surgeons were
summoned from all parts for a consultation. They decided that the leg
should be broken again, that the bones, which had knit badly, might be
properly reset; for they had not been properly set in the beginning,
or else had been so jostled on the journey that a cure was impossible.
He submitted to have his flesh cut again. During the operation, as in
all he suffered before and after, he uttered no word and gave no sign
of suffering save that of tightly clenching his fists.
In the meantime his strength was failing. He could take no food, and
showed other symptoms of approaching death. On the feast of St. John
the doctors gave up hope of his recovery, and he was advised to make
his confession. Having received the sacraments on the eve of the
feasts of Sts. Peter and Paul, toward evening the doctors said that if
by the middle of the night there were no change for the better, he
would surely die. He had great devotion to St. Peter, and it so
happened by the goodness of God that in the middle of the night he
began to grow better.
His recovery was so rapid that in a few days he was out of danger. As
the bones of his leg settled and pressed upon each other, one bone
protruded below the knee. The result was that one leg was shorter than
the other, and the bone causing a lump there, made the leg seem quite
deformed. As he could not bear this, since he intended to live a life
at court, he asked the doctors whether the bone could be cut away.
They replied that it could, but it would cause him more suffering than
all that had preceded, as everything was healed, and they would need
space in order to cut it. He determined, however, to undergo this
torture.
His elder brother looked on with astonishment and admiration. He said
he could never have had the fortitude to suffer the pain which the
sick man bore with his usual patience. When the flesh and the bone
that protruded were cut away, means were taken to prevent the leg from
becoming shorter than the other. For this purpose, in spite of sharp
and constant pain, the leg was kept stretched for many days. Finally
the Lord gave him health. He came out of the danger safe and strong
with the exception that he could not easily stand on his leg, but was
forced to lie in bed.
As Ignatius had a love for fiction, when he found himself out of
danger he asked for some romances to pass away the time. In that
house there was no book of the kind. They gave him, instead, "The Life
of Christ," by Rudolph, the Carthusian, and another book called the
"Flowers of the Saints," both in Spanish. By frequent reading of these
books he began to get some love for spiritual things. This reading led
his mind to meditate on holy things, yet sometimes it wandered to
thoughts which he had been accustomed to dwell upon before.
Among these there was one thought which, above the others, so filled
his heart that he became, as it were, immersed and absorbed in it.
Unconsciously, it engaged his attention for three and four hours at a
time. He pictured to himself what he should do in honor of an
illustrious lady, how he should journey to the city where she was, in
what words he would address her, and what bright and pleasant sayings
he would make use of, what manner of warlike exploits he should
perform to please her. He was so carried away by this thought that he
did not even perceive how far beyond his power it was to do what he
proposed, for she was a lady exceedingly illustrious and of the
highest nobility.
In the meantime the divine mercy was at work substituting for these
thoughts others suggested by his recent readings. While perusing the
life of Our Lord and the saints, he began to reflect, saying to
himself: "What if I should do what St. Francis did?" "What if I should
act like St. Dominic?" He pondered over these things in his mind, and
kept continually proposing to himself serious and difficult things. He
seemed to feel a certain readiness for doing them, with no other
reason except this thought: "St. Dominic did this; I, too, will do
it." "St. Francis did this; therefore I will do it." These heroic
resolutions remained for a time, and then other vain and worldly
thoughts followed. This succession of thoughts occupied him for a long
while, those about God alternating with those about the world. But in
these thoughts there was this difference. When he thought of worldly
things it gave him great pleasure, but afterward he found himself dry
and sad. But when he thought of journeying to Jerusalem, and of living
only on herbs, and practising austerities, he found pleasure not only
while thinking of them, but also when he had ceased.
This difference he did not notice or value, until one day the eyes of
his soul were opened and he began to inquire the reason of the
difference. He learned by experience that one train of thought left
him sad, the other joyful. This was his first reasoning on spiritual
matters. Afterward, when he began the Spiritual Exercises, he was
enlightened, and understood what he afterward taught his children
about the discernment of spirits. When gradually he recognized the
different spirits by which he was moved, one, the spirit of God, the
other, the devil, and when he had gained no little spiritual light
from the reading of pious books, he began to think more seriously of
his past life, and how much penance he should do to expiate his past
sins.
Amid these thoughts the holy wish to imitate saintly men came to his
mind; his resolve was not more definite than to promise with the help
of divine grace that what they had done he also would do. After his
recovery his one wish was to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. He fasted
frequently and scourged himself to satisfy the desire of penance that
ruled in a soul filled with the spirit of God.
The vain thoughts were gradually lessened by means of these
desires--desires that were not a little strengthened by the following
vision. While watching one night he plainly saw the image of the
Blessed Mother of God with the Infant Jesus, at the sight of which,
for a considerable time, he received abundant consolation, and felt
such contrition for his past life that he thought of nothing else.
From that time until August, 1555, when this was written, he never
felt the least motion of concupiscence. This privilege we may suppose
from this fact to have been a divine gift, although we dare not state
it, nor say anything except confirm what has been already said. His
brother and all in the house recognized from what appeared externally
how great a change had taken place in his soul.
He continued his reading meanwhile, and kept the holy resolution he
had made. At home his conversation was wholly devoted to divine
things, and helped much to the spiritual advancement of others.