Jesuits Launch the Ignatian Year, a Special Year of Renewal

On 20 May, the Ignatian Year of the Society of Jesus begins. The Jesuits are celebrating the 500th anniversary of the conversion of St. Ignatius of Loyola. It was a different kind of conversion. He went from being a vain nobleman focused on worldly success and fame to being the founder of the largest Catholic religious order. God gave the world and the Church a precious gift through Ignatius: a spirituality that helps to follow the Spirit in all circumstances of life.

Celebrating 500 years of the conversion of St. Ignatius is not primarily about the past. It is about the present and the future. It is an opportunity for renewal and rediscovery of the Ignatian roots. It is an opportunity to stop, take stock and put Christ in the centre again. It is about continual and daily conversion.

The initiative of this Ignatian Year comes from Fr. General Arturo Sosa of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits). But he extends the invitation to everyone, and in particular to all those inspired by the Ignatian spirituality – the larger Ignatian family.

These are the main international events which you can take part:

20 MAY 2021

Official opening of the Ignatian Year in Pamplona (Spain), exactly 500 years after the cannonball hit Ignatius. A Eucharist will be celebrated at the cathedral by Archbishop Francisco Pérez González and Fr. General Arturo Sosa at 18h (CEST) and livestreamed on

23 MAY 2021

Pilgrims with Ignatius. Online prayer with Fr. General Arturo Sosa and Pope Francis to start the Ignatian Year. Streamed three times (20h PhST, CEST, EDT), each time in English, Spanish, and French on https://ignatius500.global/live/

12 MARCH 2022

Solemn Mass at the Gesù in Rome on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the canonisation of St. Ignatius, St. Francis Xavier, St. Teresa of Jesús, St. Isidore Labrador, and St. Philip Neri.

31 JULY 2022

Official closure of the Ignatian Year on the Feast Day of St. Ignatius.

 

It is good to remind ourselves that the wound Ignatius suffered in Pamplona was not so much a happy ending, but rather a happy beginning. Conversion consists sometimes of great moments of change, but it is also a never-ending process. We need to put Christ in the centre every time, again and again. This process is a pilgrimage along winding roads, up and down, sometimes having to retrace our steps, sometimes feeling lost. But meeting people along the road who indicate the way and reach out their hands to us.” Fr. General Arturo Sosa

 

This information was originally shared in the Jesuits Global website, follow this link to read the complete press releasee