Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 7.djvu/709

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IGNATIUS


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IGNATIUS


vour. The second time he demurred at Figueroa wanting to end in this fashion. The third time, after sentence had been passed, he appealed to the Arch- bishop of Toledo against some of its clauses. Finally he does not await sentence, but goes at once to the judge to urge an inquiry, and eventually he made it his practice to demand sentence, whenever reflection was cast upon his orthodoxy. (Records of Igna- tius's legal proceedings at Azpeitia, in 1515; at Alcala in 1526, 1527; at Venice, 1537; at Rome m 153S, will be found in " Scripta de S. Ignatio", pp. 580-620.) Ignatius had now for the third time gathered com- panions round him. His first followers in Spain had persevered for a time, even amid the severe trials of imprisonment, but instead of following Ignatius to Paris, as they had agreed to do, they gave him up. In Paris too the first to follow did not persevere long, but of the third band not one deserted him. They were (St.) Peter Faber (q. v.), a Genevan Savoyard; (St.) Francis Xavier (q. v.), of Navarre; James Laynez. Alonso Salmerun, and Nicolas Bobadilla, Spaniards; Simon Rodriguez, a Portuguese. Three others joined soon after — Claude Le Jay, a Genevan Savoyard; Jean Codure and PaschaseBroet, French. Prog- ress is to be noted in the way Ignatius trained his compan- ions. The first were exercisetl in the same severe exterior mortifications, begging, fast- ing, going barefoot, etc. .which the saint was himself practis- ing. But though this dis- cipline had prospered in a quiet country place like Man- resa, it had attracted an ob- jectionaljle amount of criti- cism at the University of Alcald. .'Vt Paris dress and habits were adapted to the life in great towns; fasting, etc., was reduced ; studies and spiritual exercises were multi- plied, and alms funded.

The only bond between Ignatius's followers so far was devotion to himself, and his great ideal of leading in the Holy Land a life as like as possible to Christ's. On 15 August, 1534, they took the vows of poverty and chastity at Montmartre (probably near the modern Chapelle de St-Denys, Rue Antoinette), and a third vow to go to the Holy Land after two years, when their studies were finished. SLx months later Ignatius was compelled by bad health to return to his native country, and on recovery made his way slowly to Bologna, where, unable through ill health to study, he devoted himself to active works of charity till his companions came from Paris to Venice (6 January, 1537) on the way to the Holy Land. Finding further progress barred by the war with the Turks, they now agreed to await for a year the opportunity of ful- filling their vow, after which they would put them- selves at the pope's disposal. Faber and some others, going to Rome in Lent, got leave for all to be ordained. They were eventually made priests on St. John Bap- tist's day. But Ignatius took eighteen months to prepare for his first Mass.

IV. F0UND.A.T10N OF THE Society. — By the winter of 1537, the year of waiting being over, it was time to offer their services to the pope. The others being sent in pairs to neighbouring university towns, Ignatius with Faber and Laynez started for Rome. At La Storta, a few miles before reaching the city, Ignatius had a noteworthy vision. He seemed to see the VII.— 41


Eternal Father associating him with His Son, Who spoke the words: EgovobisRomcepropitinsero. Many have thought this promise simply referred to the sub- sequent success of the order there. Ignatius's own interpretation was characteristic; "I do not know whether we shall be crucified in Rome ; but Jesus will be propitious." Just before or just after this, Igna- tius had suggested for the title of their brotherhood " The Company of Jesus". Company was taken in its military sense, and in those days a company was generally known by its captain's name. In the Latin Bull of foundation, however, they were called the " Societas Jesu". We first hear of the term Jesuit in 1544, applied as a term of reproach by adversaries. It had been used in the fifteenth century to de- scribe in scorn .someone who cantingly interlarded his speech with repetitions of the Holy Name. In 1552 it was still regarded as a mark of scorn, but before very long the friends of the society saw that they could take it in a good sense, antl, though never used by Ignatius, it was readily adopted (Pollen, "The Month", June, 1909). Paul III having received the fa- thers favourably, all were smnmoned to Rome to work under the pope's eye. At this critical moment an active campaign of slander was opened by one Fra Matteo Mainardi (who eventually died in open heresy) , and a cer- tain Michael who had been re- fused admission to the order. It was not till 18 November, 1538, that Ignatius obtained from the governor of Rome an honourable sentence, still extant, in his favour. The thoughts of the fathers were naturally occupied with a for- mula of their intended motle of life to submit to the pope; and in March, 1539, they lie- gan to meet in the evenings to settle the matter.

Hitherto without superior, rule, or tradition, they had prospered most remarkably. Why not continue as they had begun? The obvious answer was that without some sort of union, some houses for training postulants, they were practically doomed to die out with the existing members, for the pope already de- sired to send them about as missioners from place to place. This point was soon agreed to, but when the question arose whether they should, by adding a vow of obedience to their existing vows, form themselves into a compact religious order, or remain, as they were, a congregation of secular priests, opinions dif- fered much and seriously. Not only had they done so well without strict rules, but (to mention only one obstacle, which was in fact not overcome afterwards without great difficulty), there was the danger, if they decided for an order, that the pope might force them to adopt some ancient rule, which would mean the end of all their new ideas. The debate on this point continued for several weeks, but the conclusion in fa^ vour of a life under obedience was eventually reached unanimously. After this, progress was faster, and by 24 June some sixteen resolutions had been decided on, covering the main points of the proposed institute. Thence Ignatius drew up in five sections the first " For- mula Instituti ", which was submitted to the pope, who gave a viva voce approbation 3 September, 1539, but Cardinal Guidiccioni, the head of the commission appointed to report on the "Formula ", was of the view


Ignatius Loyola — Rubens