Life of St. Ignatius of Loyola by Frances Alice Forbes

A short and engaging biography of the ardent Spanish soldier who, while recuperating from a battle wound, was converted to the service of Christ by reading a Catholic book. The young Ignatius of Loyola was first a soldier from a noble family who fought in the service of the Duke of Navarre. As a young aristocrat Ignatius had a “love of martial exercises and a vainglorious desire for fame”. Joining the army at seventeen, he strutted about “with his cape slinging open to reveal his tight-fitting hose and boots; a sword and dagger at his waist”.

After an injury which forced him to be bedridden, during which time he read De Vita Christi, a book on the life of Christ, Ignatius experienced a dramatic conversion. He dedicated the rest of his life fully to being a “Soldier of Christ”, and went on to found the great Jesuit order. Formally known as the Society of Jesus, the order demanded an unprecedented degree of education, obedience, and sacrifice, and was immensely influential in turning the tide of the Reformation in Europe.

2 Hours and 11 Minutes.

You can purchase Life of St. Ignatius of Loyola by Frances Alice Forbes here.