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Loyola
Photo: Wikimedia Commons · Sanctuary of Loyola

Loyola

Ignatius and the cannonball · Spain

The young Basque nobleman Íñigo dreamed of glory as a soldier until a cannonball shattered his leg at Pamplona in 1521. While recovering here in his family home he asked for novels, but there were only books about Jesus and the saints. Reading them, he noticed that dreams of fame left him empty, while thoughts of God gave a lasting joy. He went on to found the Jesuits, and today his family's tower house stands inside a great Baroque sanctuary.

Did you know?

The room where he recovered, in the family tower house, is now a chapel.

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An inspiring story

Daydreams on a sickbed

What do your daydreams leave behind?

In 1521 a cannonball shattered the leg of the vain young soldier Ignatius. He lay bored for months in the family house at Loyola. He wanted tales of knights, but there were only books about the life of Jesus and the saints. Then he noticed something: after daydreaming about glory and ladies he felt empty, but after imagining a life like Francis, the peace stayed with him. Why did that matter so much? Because he discovered that God can speak through what moves inside you, if you learn to pay attention.

That discovery became the heart of his 'Spiritual Exercises', still used all over the world. It all started with boredom.

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding and my entire will.Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual Exercises 234

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Journeys through this place

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