Before long, the action of God’s grace began to enlighten our hero.
Overcoming an initial sense of insipidness, Ignatius saw in the lives of
Christ and the Saints a collection of heroic deeds that far outdid the greatest
deeds of any swordsman or chevalier. Before long, Ignatius declared, “If
they could do it, so can I”(1520).
There followed for Ignatius years of study, spiritual purgation and
voluntary deprivation. Choosing to forego his family’s wealth, Ignatius
begged to pay for his studies at Paris University. It was there that he met St.
Francis Xavier and Bl. Peter Faber. The three eventually shared the same
dormitory while living at university.
By 1534, these three had been joined by four others. Ignatius now had in
mind to form a new company living under formal vows. Besides the three
normal vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, Ignatius proposed a
fourth––a vow to place themselves at the disposal of the Pope. Ignatius saw
a need to re-emphasize obedience to the Holy Father at a time when
Protestantism was sweeping northern Europe and taking millions away
from such obedience. For Ignatius, the root cause of this new disobedience
was the same old enemy––pride––the same pride that caused the highest
angel and the first man to fall.
By 1540, Ignatius’ new company numbered sixty. An initial plan to go to
the Holy Land was thwarted by war with the Ottomans. Instead, they
worked in Rome serving the sick and poor. Ignatius himself was also
studiously drawing up the company’s constitutions. This he did with great
prayer and deliberation. In the private notes of Ignatius we find that he
listed eight arguments in favor of one article’s inclusion and eighteen
arguments in favor of an alternative. With respect to another article,
Ignatius spent forty days praying for light on whether or not to include it.
On September 27, 1540, Pope Paul III approved the constitutions of
Ignatius’ company in the bull Regimini Militantis Ecclesiae. After carefully
reading its provisions the Holy Father exclaimed, “The finger of God is
here!” The formal name of Ignatius’ group was now the Company of Jesus.
Later it would be changed to the Society of Jesus. Individual members were
informally known as Jesuits. The constitutions were devoid of articles that
required long vigils, fasts, corporal penances and the recitation of the
Divine Office in common. Rather, practices were designed to enable
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