Saint ignatius de loyola biography channel

A Life of Saint Ignatius of Loyola 

Norman OʹNeal, SJ

Early Life of St. Ignatius 

Inigo de Loyola was born in in Azpeitia in the Basque province of Guipuzcoa in northern Spain.

He was the youngest of thirteen children. His mother died soon after his birth. At the age of sixteen years he was sent to serve as a page to Juan Velazquez, the treasurer of the kingdom of Castile.

HISTORY OF NORTH AMERICA — Founder of the Jesuit religious Order that sent Priests to North America on a mission to evangelize the natives.

As a member of the Velazquez household, he was frequently at court and developed a taste for all it presented, especially the ladies. He was much addicted to gambling, very contentious, and not above engaging in swordplay on occasion.

In fact in a dispute between the Loyolas and another family, Ignatius and his brother plus some relatives ambushed at night some clerics who were members of the other family. Ignatius had to flee the town. When finally brought to justice he claimed clerical immunity using the defense that he had received the tonsure as a boy, and was therefore exempt from civil p