St. Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) was gravely wounded in a battle against the French in 1521. While recovering, Ignatius daydreamed about the lives of the saints and the life he led before his injury. When reflecting on the saints and the inclusion of God in their lives, he felt energy and peace. When reflecting on his life of attention-seeking, he felt hollow and unsatisfied.

From this insight arose the basis of Ignatius’s Spiritual Exercises, the preeminent book on Ignatian Spirituality that has transformed the lives of many people over the centuries.

Marquette University, as a Jesuit institution, is enriched by the tradition of Ignatian Spirituality. There are four characteristics of Ignatian spirituality which have their origin in the Spiritual Exercises:

1. A vision of God who is alive and active in the world and one's life.
2. A realization that all men and women are created in the image of God and are destined for eternal life.
3. An essential for living a life of faith is to be reflective about one's experiences.
4. Christ invites women and men to follow him by reaching out to those on the margins of society.

St. Ignatius Loyola, The Jesuits, Ignatian Spirituality

St. Ignatius Loyola
The Jesuits
Ignatian Spirituality
The Spiritual Exercises

Reflection and Decision Making in the Ignatian Tradition

A short course on prayer
Ignatian principles for making prayerful decisions
Examen of consciousness