Episode Details

In this episode of pplpod, we strip away the halo to examine the radical transformation of Ignatius of Loyola (born Íñigo López de Oñaz y Loyola). Before becoming a master theologian and the founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), Íñigo was a vain Basque soldier described as a "fancy dresser," a "womanizer," and a "rough punkish swordsman" driven by a desire for fame.

Join us as we discuss:

• The Shattering Moment: How a cannonball to the leg at the Battle of Pamplona in 1521 ended his military career and led to brutal, anesthesia-free surgeries that left him with a permanent limp.

• The Spiritual Shift: How a lack of chivalry romance novels during his recovery forced him to read the lives of Christ and the saints, sparking a profound conversion and the ability to discern between worldly and spiritual joy.

• The Cave and the method: His time living in a cave in Manresa, where he practiced rigorous asceticism and formulated the Spiritual Exercises, a method of meditation still used today.

• The Society of Jesus: How he gathered six companions at the University of Paris—including Francis Xavier—to form a new order dedicated to missionary work, education, and obedience to the Pope.

Tune in to hear how a man once obsessed with tight boots and dueling became the first Superior General of the Jesuits, living by the motto Ad maiorem Dei gloriam ("for the greater glory of God").