9. Ignatius the Student.

    Ignatius returned to Venice in January 1524. He was still wondering what God wanted him to do. At Venice he decided to study and also to help others. At the age of thirty-three he went to Barcelona to begin his studies. He sat with little children to learn the basics in Latin. He also wanted to brush up his Spanish. While studying he had many beautiful thoughts about God. These took away a lot of his study time. Soon he realized that the thoughts were not coming from God and so, he rejected them and concentrated on his studies. He studied at Barcelona for two years but did not make much progress.

 

    He went to Alcala in 1526 to study at the University. There he tried to do too many courses at the same time. Besides, he was begging his daily food, teaching catechism to children and also giving the Spiritual Exercises. The Church authorities asked for his credentials as he had not completed his studies. They forbade him to teach. In 1527 he went to Salamanca to study at the University. As soon as he began teaching he was in trouble with the Church authorities. In fact, both at Alcala and in Salamanca Ignatius was put in prison for some time as he was suspected of wrong teaching. To escape from these charges he went to Paris in February, 1528.

 

    Paris had one of the leading Universities of Europe at that time. There Ignatius learnt the proper method of study. Here he began to study seriously during the academic year and beg only during his holidays. He did well in his studies and obtained his Master’s degree in 1534. He discovered that study undertaken in obedience to God’s will, and out of love for and service of others, was indeed the equivalent of prayer. Thus, Ignatius learnt in Paris to find God in study just as much as he had learnt to find God in prayer at Manresa.

( to be continued Chapter 10. Ignatius and his companions.)

"Placed with the Son"- A short biography of St. Ignatius--- Fr.Lawrence Dharmaraj 

(From the personal study notes under the guidance of late Fr.Maurice Dullard s.j)