The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2

III. Loyola’s Holy Militia for Defense of the Faith

IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA, or Don Inigo Lopez de Loyola (1491-1556), subtle and capable founder of the Society of Jesus, was born at the castle of Loyola in the province of Guipuzcoa, Spain, eight years subsequent to Luther, and eighteen years before the birth of Calvin. Descended from a family of knights, and serving in the royal court of Ferdinand and Isabella, he was charmed by the glitter of arms, fame, and gallant deeds. In 1521, at twenty-nine, he was in command of a garrison at Pomplona, Navarre. Ordered to withstand the combined forces of the invading French troops and the revolting Spaniards, he was seriously wounded by the shattering of his leg, which became a useless log. This unfitted him for a soldier’s career and caused him to limp throughout life. PFF2 466.4

During this long period of painful confinement The Life of Christ, by Ludolphus of Saxony, and the popular Flowers of the Saints came to his hands. They made the deepest impression upon him, particularly the lives of Francis of Assisi and Dominic. He determined to follow in their steps, abandon the world, and become a soldier of Christ. He resolved to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, which he accomplished in 1523. But the provincial of the Franciscan Order in the Holy Land ordered him to return home and to study diligently before going to the Mohammedans, whom he wished to convert. PFF2 467.1

Distributing his goods among the poor, and donning a hermit’s garb, Loyola subjected himself to the discipline of the school of Barcelona. Grammar and language did not appeal to him, but he became absorbed in the writings of the mystics and ascetics, such as Thomas a Kempis. After studying further at Alcala de Henares and Salamanca, Loyola repaired to Paris in 1528, entering Montaigu College, from which he received his M.A. in 1534, and later lived in Saint Barbara College. PFF2 467.2

1. SPIRITUAL ARMY PLANNED, WITH DRILLS FOR SOUL

Here in Paris, with six others of like mind, such as Peter Faber (Pierre Lefévre) and Francis Xavier, he drew up plans for a new order of traveling missionaries. This was the age of military companies in Italy, and theirs was to be a “Company of Jesus.” As its name indicated, it was to be a spiritual army, a fighting order, a holy militia for the prosecution of the faith and the education of the young. Ignatius always had before him the concept of military drill-to discipline the soul as the drill sergeant molds the body. To this end he developed his Exercitia Spiritualia (The Spiritual Exercises), first written in Spanish-a strict method to enable the individual by means of the theory of discernment to ascertain the will of God, and then by means of special exercises to fit himself to carry out that will. ⁷ PFF2 467.3

In 1534 these seven men took the vow of poverty and chastity, and pledged themselves to go to the Holy Land as missionaries or for the purpose of tending the sick. If this plan should prove impracticable they resolved to go to Rome and place themselves at the disposal of the pope for any purpose. After they had obtained their ordination in 1537, Ignatius drew up a Formula Instituti, which the pope, Paul III, reluctantly approved. Loyola, Lefévre, and Xavier sought audience with Paul III, and explained their project, which was destined to have such far-reaching influence. The aim was to win to God all kingdoms of the world. That meant to bring them all into the fold of the mother church, and to establish the pope’s absolute supremacy over all earthly potentates. In the interim the pope engaged Loyola’s two assistants as teachers of theology in the Roman University. PFF2 468.1

2. AUTHORIZED IN 1540, YEARLY GROWS MORE POWERFUL

Paul III confirmed the order in 1540. The authorizing bull (Regimini Militantis Ecclesiae) was published, and the Company of Jesus formally recognized—a holy militia pledged to fight perpetually for the Papacy against all assailants everywhere, at all costs. The bull had limited the society to a membership of sixty, but this limit was removed by a second bull, Injunctum nobis, in 1543. Ignatius was unanimously chosen as its first general in 1541. The intent of the new order was the preservation and dissemination of the faith. In addition to vows of poverty and chastity, the members were obliged to promise unconditional obedience to the Roman see. Whatever they were asked to perform they were to do without objection or delay, and to go unquestioningly wherever sent. Then their ambitious goal was to become the universal and principal order of the Roman church. Though they took the name of Society of Jesus (Jesuits), the Protestants termed them Jesuwider (against Jesus). ⁸ PFF2 468.2

Their influence was felt immediately. They grew more powerful and comprehensive year by year, employing science, art, culture, politics, foreign missions, trades, and industry. They began to preach, as Protestants were accustomed to do, in the streets and marts, coming to be among the most eloquent preachers of the age. The churches were too small for the multitudes that flocked to hear them. They gained access to houses and hoes pitals, and sought influence over students and youth. At Rome they were scattered out through the various churches. Then they began to spread throughout Italy, Portugal, Germany, and especially in Austria and Bavaria. They hemmed in the Protestant movement on all sides. Some cities, such as Ingolstadt and Cologne, opened their doors; others opposed them. PFF2 469.1

Their doctrinal, system was based mainly upon Thomas of Aquinas., and they became the zealous defenders of it, especially in those points such as the papal infallibility, the pope’s universal episcopate, and his absolute supremacy over every earthly potentate. They further brought into practice four principles: (1) the idea of “Probabilism,” which teaches that in a case where the conscience is undecided as to what should be done, one is not necessarily bound to the more certain and probable meaning, but may even take a less certain view, if this were supported by weighty reasons; (2) the doctrine of “Intentionalism,” which means that an action is to be judged according to the intention with which it was performed, even if in itself sinful; (3) the distinction between philosophical and theological sin; and (4) the permissibility of a secret mental reservation (reservatio mentalis). ⁹ PFF2 469.2

3. INFLUENCES TRENT AND BECOMES FORMIDABLE FORCE

In 1540 two Jesuits left Portugal for the East, and in 1542 a Jesuit college was dedicated at Goa, capital of the important Portuguese port of Western India. The discovery of the new continents in the west, which had slightly preceded the Reformation age, and the serious losses sustained in Europe stimulated Jesuit interest in foreign missions—the East Indies, China, Africa, Japan, and America. ¹⁰ By 1545 papal permission was given the Jesuits to preach in all churches and public squares, and to absolve. By the time of Loyola’s death the order boasted one thousand members and one hundred colleges. ¹¹ Thus Protestant aggression was matched by Catholic zeal. PFF2 470.1

In 1558 LAINEZ was elected second general of the order. At the Council of Trent he successfully exerted his power and skill in behalf of papal supremacy. His vision of the society extended far beyond that of Loyola, its founder. The alliance with the Papacy now became more intimate, and close connection with the cabinets of the various countries was established. The Jesuits became entrenched in the universities. They were among the best teachers in the land, and held public disputations. Even Protestants began to send their children to them because of the scholastic progress they could make. Thus the great Reformation began to be outflanked in its own fastnesses, and its conquests were checked. ¹² PFF2 470.2

It was under the generalship of CLAUDIO ACQUAVIVA (1581-1615), however, that the order entered upon a career of universal significance as an army for the defense of the Papacy. ¹³ New developments occurred that made it the most formidable force in the ecclesiastical affairs of the time, the society boasting 13, 112 members at Acquaviva’s death, and operating in thirty-two provinces. ¹⁴ Thus the Jesuit order was led increasingly to combat Protestantism, to seek out the weak places in the Protestant positions, to regain the lost ground, and to promote the world wide dominion of the Papacy. PFF2 470.3