Ignatius 500 night light

Ignatius 500

2021-2022 is an important anniversary for Manresa as it marks five hundred years since Ignatius of Loyola went to the town of Manresa in Catalunya. An ‘Ignatian Year’ began on Thursday 20 May 2021 - the anniversary of Ignatius' injury at Pamplona - running to Sunday 31 July 2022, the feast of Saint Ignatius. A highpoint of the celebration was Saturday 12 March 2022, the fourth centenary of the canonisation of Ignatius and Francis Xavier.

Ignatius 500 night light

Ignatius 500

A variety of online and in-person events celebrate Ignatius 500, with many recordings and resources available online. you can find out what is happening in your area by consulting the Jesuits.global website

May this Ignatian Year

help us to know Jesus poor and humble,

to love him more dearly,

and follow him more closely.

Prayer for the Ignatian Year

Loving God,

We come before you asking for your special grace

as we go through the year dedicated to the memory

of the conversion of Saint Ignatius.

We remember the battle of Pamplona,

the bravery of Ignatius, his recklessness,

his ability to relate to his comrades.

We remember his wound; his broken dreams; his apparent failure;

the vulnerability of his health; his return to Loyola

and the long days of soul-searching to try to and his way in life,

finally surrendering his life to you

as he listened to your voice speaking to him

through his reading, his dreams,

his prayers and his imagination.

We remember his journey to Manresa; his inner struggles;

his desire to reach out to others,

helping souls to discover the consolation of your Risen Son.

We ask, Lord, that you renew, also today, Ignatius’ spirit in us.

May we grow closer to his total trust in the Holy Spirit,

following him faithfully,

neither running ahead nor falling behind.

May we make our own his ability to discern,

his courage, his vulnerability, his search for companionship;

his openness to young people 

and his desire to share with them his wisdom.

May we learn from his fearlessness in going forward

even if it means, sometimes, making mistakes.

Grant, Lord, that we may be one with his apostolic zeal and

full of love for this beautiful but broken world.

Help us, Lord to set aside our narrow views, our preconceptions of

ourselves, of each other, of our world and to see everything with new eyes.

Help us to live ever more deeply the Ignatian charism

of seeing all things new in Christ,

of seeing Your grace at work, even in darkness and suffering.

May this Ignatian Year help us to know Jesus poor and humble,

to love him more dearly, and follow him more closely.

We ask the intercession of Our Lady of the Way.

May she help us journey with your son, Jesus,

putting our hand in his,

stepping out, every day, into the world

with a sense of adventure, of love and hope.

Amen.