Visiting a Saint

Last updated on: March 25, 2016 at 5:36 pm by Father Pablo Migone

Visiting a Saint 2016-03-25T17:36:23-05:00 Father Pablo Migone

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Early in the morning I boarded the commuter Euskotren at San Sebastian. Stopping often, the train slowly wound down the beautiful northern coast of Spain’s Basque Country. The deep blue sea contrasted with the rugged coast. Unable to begin grasping the Basque’s mysterious language, I sat quietly admiring the view.

I got off the train at the industrial port city of Zumaia and waited for a bus. My heavy coat, scarf and gloves did not provide a strong enough defense to keep the cold breeze from making me shiver. After one hour of windy roads on board the bus, I reached the sleepy town of Azpeitia. I pushed the orange button near my seat signaling to the driver I was ready to get off at the next stop. My excitement soared, I was about to visit the hometown of one of my favorite saints.

The bus stopped by some benches and I got off with my bag. As it pulled away I saw for the first time the stark yet beautiful dome signaling the birth place of Iñigo Lopez de Loiola, better known in English as Saint Ignatius of Loyola.

Born into a minor noble Basque family from Loiola in 1491, Iñigo trained as a soldier and was seriously injured in 1521 at a battle in Pamplona. As he lay in bed during his recovery at the family castle in Loiola, he read books which included a book on the lives of the saints and one on the life of Christ.

Ignatius being brought to his family castle after his injury in Pamplona

As his leg healed, Iñigo experienced a deep conversion. He decided to abandon his military career and travel to the Holy Land where he could be a soldier for Christ. Failing in this initial desire, he returned to Europe and attended seminary in Paris. There he gathered around himself six followers, among them future saints Francis Xavier and Francis Borgia, and founded the Society of Jesus in 1534.

Iñigo became known for his Spiritual Exercises, a collection of prayers, suggestions for prayer and spiritual insights that is spiritual classic today. He traveled teaching the Exercises, sometimes getting in trouble with Church authorities who questioned the legitimacy of his work.

Pope Pius III approved the Society of Jesus in 1540. Its members, the Jesuits, quickly began to staff universities throughout Europe, to lead missionary expeditions to the ends of the earth and to preach moving spiritual retreats.

I spent my afternoon exploring the Loiola castle, the basilica and their beautiful grounds before catching a bus for Bilbao. I prayed in the room where Ignatius had his conversion; the very same room where on July 31st, 1556 he died. An inscription written on a wooden beam of the room stated: “Here Iñigo of Loyola surrendered himself to God.”

The Society of Jesus has grown and flourished despite being suppressed by Rome from 1773 to 1814, mostly due to political pressure placed on the Papacy. Today there are approximately 20,000 Jesuits (one of them our well-loved Holy Father Francis) making it the largest male religious order of the Catholic Church. All of this because one man heard God’s call, had a conversion of heart and surrendered himself to His will.

Same editions of the books Saint Ignatius read while recovering from his injury

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