Personal Writings by Ignatius of Loyola

Personal Writings Reviews

• 
  Michael

  This anthology is a mixed bag. All of it is of great historical interest, because Ignatius of Loyola had such influence on the Counter-Reformation. His order, the Jesuits, eventually became controversial, developing a reputation for scheming and sectarianism, but these writings reveal the other, beautiful side of the Jesuit legacy. Ignatius was a profound thinker and a great mystic. In many ways, he led a model life, and his writings have a literary as well as historical appeal.
  
  As I say, his writings are a mixed bag. There are two literary masterpieces in this volume, one strange text and a collection of interesting ones.
  
  The Reminiscences are extraordinary. They are a little hard to characterise. They tell the life of Ignatius. They were written down by one of his disciples, so we might prefer to call them a 'biography', but the disciple claimed only to have written exactly what Ignatius told him, so we might prefer to call them an 'autobiography'. In either case, they are a masterpiece of life-writing. They tell a compelling narrative of spiritual rebirth and mystical experience. Ignatius led an exciting life of inner quest, of travel, and of adventure. The Reminiscences tell of his miltary career, his visions, his frequent run-ins with the Inquisition, and of his relationships with the patrons and members of his new order, the Society of Jesus. They present a panoramic view of Catholic Europe in the 16th century. They are crisply and vividly written. You can read them in a single sitting with ease, and enjoy every paragraph.
  
  The Spiritual Exercises, the other masterpiece in the collection, is Ignatius's meditation manual. Meditation is obviously becoming ever more popular in the west, and Ignatius's suggestions about its methods and purpose are compelling. His key techniques are prayer and visualisation. He makes some remarkable suggestions about both, and his overarching doctrine of self-renunciation appeals to me in our egotistical age.
  
  The Spiritual Journal is the weirdest diary I've ever read. It basically just records whether Ignatius cried or not that day. It is worth reading for its simple oddity, but I think only a devoted Jesuit who has undergone the Spiritual Exercises could really appreciate it. The collection of Ignatius's Letters give us a much more vivid picture of his personality than his Journal. They give the impression of a thoughtful, gentle, humble and extremely forceful man. They read like the diary of a great diplomat. Ignatius moved in powerful circles, and he did so skilfully.
  
  If I were reviewing this as a set of historical documents, I'd give it 5/5. Reviewing it as a 'good read', I'm giving it 4. The Reminiscences and the Spiritual Exercises are extraordinary works of literature. If you are a spiritual atheist like me, you will find in them inspiring examples of self-examination and mental growth. If you're anybody else, I would hope that the clarity and force of their ideas would move, provoke or astound you.
• 
  Raúl Mora

  A must if you're interested in the life of Ignatius. The selection of the letters presented is exquisite and the commentary is well informed and provides facts and context to the situations talked in them. Very grateful for this book.
• 
  Mattia Agnelli

  “there were no intuitions but a tendency to security of soul”
• 
  7jane

  I have read some of this text before, but as I read them again among other stuff, they have grown to make more sense (the biography and the Exercises, at least).
  Spiritual Diary didn't give much, as a lot of it was repetitive yet does give a good glimpse into his mind. His letters show great skill (even those few that are not really written by him completely).
  
  I still have an issue with his opinions on obedience - at least in how there seems to be nothing about how the superiors should conduct themselves and not abuse their position, and how their power over those they rule can be controlled. And the "believe white is black if your superior says so" thing still doesn't sound good to me...
  
  Anyway, this obedience thing isn't the only subject of the book, so this book still makes a good read even if one cannot agree absolutely with everything. Wasn't essential reading/book for me, but worth reading in the end.
• 
  Joe

  The three separate parts of this book are complimentary but could also be read or used separately. The autobiography at the beginning is interesting, although brief and only a snapshot, it does provide an interesting view into the mind of Ignatius. The second section, the letters, is also interesting although some of the individual letters seem to be out of place. The final section - the exercises - might be the most important but is probably best served as a tool for someone ready to dedicate the necessary time to fully absorb and utilize his guidance in order to truly appreciate what he is saying.
• 
  Ryan Harty

  Beautiful confessions of renaissance Tridentine Catholic spirituality. Challenging and insightful. I will treasure this book and return to it again.
• 
  M. L.

  This is the stuff got me right here -right now.