St. Ignatius of Loyola

Saint Ignatius of Loyola - Selected Writings

St. Ignatius was born in 1491 at Loyola in the Basque area of Northern Spain.  He spent his early years as a courtier and soldier.  After his conversion, he undertook theological studies at Paris where  he atracted his first followers, and afterward at Rome he forged this group into the Society of Jesus, better known as the Jesuits.  He and his followers had enormous influence on the preservation and growth of Catholic Faith during Ignatius' lifetime and succeeding centuries.  Ignatius, who died in Rome in 1556, is best known for his Spiritual Exercises and his theology of the discernment of spirits.  His liturgical memorial falls on July 31 in the Roman Calendar.

Catholic . . . Orthodox . . . Protestant.    How did these splits occur within Christianity and what can be done to overcome them?

In this series, historical theologian Marcellino D’Ambrosio tells the story of the people, ideas, and events that led to the divisions that we live with everyday.  It is not a simple story of good guys and bad guys, but a complex story of misunderstanding, passion for God, and human foibles with plenty of fault on all sides.