1491-1556
Scholar And Missionary

Military Background. The founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) was born into a noble Basque family in northern Spain. Raised in the typical manner of his class, trained for war with little formal education, St. Ignatius of Loyola volunteered for service during a conflict against the French for control of Navarre. In 1521 he suffered a crushed leg from a cannon ball and lay in bed at his family castle for nearly a year while his leg was twice rebroken in hopes of straightening it, but he always walked with a limp.

Time to Reflect. He spent his time reading religious books; his favorite was Thomas a Kempis's Imitation of Christ. When he was sufficiently healed, he spent another year as a hermit meditating about his purpose in life. Loyola's experiences during that year laid the foundation for his major...