Ignatius of Loyola - Life and Legend
Ignatius of Loyola – Life and Legend
 Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) was born the youngest of thirteen children from a Basque family in Northern Spain. In youth he served Ferdinand and Isabella as a courtier and later entered the army as a gallant warrior eager to defend Spanish territory. During a fierce battle against the French soldiers at Pamplona he was struck by a canon ball that shattered the bones in his lower leg. Ignatius’s life was spared by his enemy, and out of military honor was carried by stretcher back to Loyola where he spent nearly nine months in convalescence.
 To pacify boredom often encountered during the extended period of recuperation Ignatius was provided copies of the only two books his sister-in-law had in her possession. One was the life of Christ and a second on lives of the Saints. Ignatius took great interest in the stories he read and his thoughts soon transitioned from previous desires for novels on romance and acts of chivalry to more encouraging dreams of emulating Christ in daily life.
 Upon recovery, Ignatius embarked on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land where he experienced a profound spiritual conversion that would forever change his life. The next several years were spent in deep meditation and writing about his reflections on God and relationships. His personal journal and contemplations would eventually become published into a small book entitled, The Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius.
 At the age of 33 Ignatius decided to acquire a formal education, and attended schools in Barcelona, Alcalá,and Salamanca. His studies culminated in a Master of Arts degree awarded from the University of Paris. While in Paris, Ignatius banded with six like companions including Peter Faber and Francis Xavier who, by collaborating in spiritual communion, sought papal approval to form a new religious order. They titled themselves the Society of Jesus, and in 1540 received official recognition to serve the Church and humanity from Pope Paul III.
 Ignatius spent the remaining sixteen years of his life serving as Superior General and writing the Constitutions for the Society. He died in 1556, but not without sharing beforehand a personal account of his life at the request of a friend; a story that later became published as his autobiography. Ignatius was canonized in 1622 by Pope Pius XI, and his remains are enshrined in a small church in Rome known as the Gesu.
 Since its founding, the Society of Jesus has embarked on numerous missions of international service and work. In addition, Jesuits have become highly regarded for their astute ability to create, organize, and successfully operate one of the most elaborate systems of education found throughout the world. Today there are over 200 Jesuit institutions of higher-learning including 28-Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States alone. The Jesuit institution of Creighton University was founded in 1878, and has been intricately associated with the Society of Jesus since inception.
 The motto of the Society of Jesus is Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (AMDG), Latin for the “Greater Glory of God”. The Jesuit concern for helping souls is often characterized through academic mission and service including an aspiration to cultivate professional behaviors and values. The School of Pharmacy and Health Professions at Creighton University has adopted the following Ignatian values as part of its culture: 1) Cura Personalis: Latin for “care for the whole person”, 2) Magis: Latin for “the more”, 3) Men and women for and with others, 4) Finding God in all things, and 5) The faith that does justice.
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