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                                                              The cave at Manresa, Spain.

- His desire was to travel to the Holy Land where he could “kiss the ground Jesus walked on.” However, he decided to journey to Manresa and spend a few days.  The days turned into a stay of almost a year. During his time at Manresa, he begged alms and refused to cut his hair or his fingernails. He sought lodging at a hospital for the poor in return for doing chores. To repent for his old life, he practiced extreme penance which included physical bodily harm and extreme fasting that left him with stomach ailments for the rest of his life.

- He spent time in a cave outside of town praying for seven or more hours a day and had many mystical experiences and underwent a profound transformation.  He experienced insights into the mystery of God. He said that God taught him like a teacher teaches a school boy.  He spent time contemplating the Gospels.  He entered into the stories and scenes where God drew him into an intimate relationship with Jesus. He began writing down his experiences of consolation and desolation as he read, meditated and contemplated the Gospels. He used his notebook for guiding others that came to speak with him about spiritual matters. The notes were expanded over time as he helped and guided others and they became known as the Spiritual Exercises. 

                                     A marker for the spot of enlightenment in Manresa, Spain.

- While at Manresa, he had his most profound illuminating vision of enlightenment at a spot overlooking the Cardoner River.  He could see that God was present in every person, place and thing at the same moment. And, that God was constantly communicating with and laboring to draw people closer to him. In Ignatian spirituality this is called, “seeing God in all things, all things in God”. 

-The Pilgrim did make it to the Holy Land in 1523 to preach and serve God but was ordered back to Europe because the church had enough problems without him trying to convert infidels.

                                         Ignatius with his classmates in Barcelona Spain.

-In 1524 he returned to Barcelona. He felt called to the priesthood so that he could continue what he referred to as the “care of souls.”  His education was deficient so at the age of 33 he went back to grammar school where he studied the basics including Latin with classmates ages 8-14. 

-He went to several universities and spent as much or more time giving the Spiritual Exercises than attending to his studies. He was questioned many times during the Spanish Inquisition for preaching as a layperson.  At one point he was beaten and jailed for 42 days.  When they could find no heresy in what he was preaching, he was ordered to stop until he had the proper education and was ordained a priest.

- In 1529 at the age of 38 he went to Paris to continue his studies at the University of Paris. At age 44 he earned his Master’s Degree.  The name on his diploma was “Ignatius.”

- While at university, he met Peter Faber and Francis Xavier.  Two men who would join the growing circle of friends that Ignatius had taken through the Spiritual Exercises. They called themselves, “Friends with the Lord.”