The Inspiration of Ignatius of Loyola and Why the Society of Jesus is Essay

The Inspiration of Ignatius of Loyola and Why the Society of Jesus is Different - Essay Example According to the discussion a small cannon ball shattered his right leg and although he submitted himself to surgery, it was only so that he would be deformed with a limp that he carried on through life. To relieve his boredom while recuperating, he asked someone for knightly romances, but was instead handed a book of piety, which â€Å"significantly changed the course of his life and indirectly influenced hundreds of thousands of people over the next five centuries.†This paper outlines that although such a prevailing contribution to the Society resulted from his conversion, his time at Manresa was not all an easy path. From the outset, he doubted about sustaining his new life for many decades to come, but was able to recognize God’s grace, which had liberated him from such doubts. Hence, despite obstacles such as money and support, he was able to initiate his new religious order. As Donnelly emphasized, Loyola "was certain God was calling him to help souls," but how wo uld he accomplish such task? This is exactly what makes the Society of Jesus particularly different from other religious orders, from this paper’s point of view.  Loyola's goal for the Society of Jesus was to "win people to Christ and reform their lives," but in order to do so, he and his followers knew that they must fulfill a good classical and theological education. He then decided to study Latin in order to work for his mission of winning souls for God. He went to Barcelona, Alcala, Salamanca, and Paris, where he studied philosophy for three years.