Italy, 1553. Father Ignatius, founder of the Jesuits, is honored and revered by his community. But few know the story of his wild youth, the story of his conversion. He spurns all personal questions, avoiding all unnecessary attention, until one day he meets a young, vain, ambitious novice who needs to hear the tale. This is the story of Ignatius of Loyola. Quiet beast. It's the middle of the night. Here we are. Father Ignatius, you sent for me? Ah, my disobedient son. I've been waiting for you. I sent for you hours ago. What penance do you think would be appropriate for such laziness? But Father, it's not my fault. What penance? Um, digging holes again? Perfect. Grab that shovel and go away. I think he hates me. I'll never become the superior general at this rate. Come on, stupid beast. You have some penance to do. Let's go. Let's go! Digging holes all night? I don't understand. Maybe I should go back to Father Ignatius or...without annoying him more. Didn't tell me how long to dig. Son is rising. What do you think, beast? I don't know. I don't know. I don't think I can dig. Son is rising. What do you think, beast? Should I go? Enough for me. Father Ignatius! Father Ignatius! Father Ignatius! I told you to go away. Master General, please. I've been digging all night. Have mercy on me. I need to talk to you. Our Lord never ignored a cry for mercy, nor shall I. Come with me to the garden. What is it, my indignant son? Why are you so harsh with me? I simply want to do everything I can for the society of Jesus. Do everything you can. And what do you hope to achieve in this society? Under your direction. Why, I could be the Superior General someday. The greatest the world will ever know. After you, of course. To what end? To what end? That is the end. To your own glory, then. Well, no. I just want to be holy, like you. I know exactly what you want. You want to be renowned for holiness, which is very different to being holy. This is a temptation. It is vanity. Vanity? No. I am magnanimous. Not vain. What is the difference? I, uh, well, I... I suppose I don't know. Magnanimity is doing great things for God. Doing them to attract attention to yourself is vain glory. So tell me, do you work for God or for yourself? I think I do this for God. Being Superior General is a good thing, isn't it? Isn't it great to be... great? Oh, not if greatness is achieved through the sin of vain glory. This is from the devil, son. This is not greatness at all. It is a trick. You seem quite sure. I am sure because I was once the most vain glorious sinner of them all. You must know everything, Father. So, how can I do great things for God and avoid the temptation of vain glory? How did you do it? Look to Christ, not me. Would I not just be giving in to the same temptation by telling you my story? But, Father, you are my teacher. Your shuffle is a better teacher than I am. More penance? When you're done, you'll have holes to plant some rose bushes, restore the garden to its former beauty. And hopefully the penance will do the same for your soul. Go ahead now. Back to work. Very well. I will submit. Father General? Yes, boy. Are you withholding your story for yourself or for God? Just keep digging. There. Someday another novice may pick roses for our lady from this very spot. Father General, I finished planting the rose bushes. Very good. Now sit. I have spent all morning speaking with the Lord. For his sake, I will tell you my story. What do you have to write with? Oh, I don't actually have... I just have a good memory. A very good memory. Ah! I have a pen. Thank you, Lord. My parchment and ink right here. Very well. Perhaps it may do you and others some good to know how the Lord brought me to such a knowledge of the spiritual life. Are you ready? Yes. Very well. Enigo de Loyola was a military man, a soldier. He served in the army. Excuse me, Father? What is it? Who is Enigo? That is what I was called when I was your age. Ah! I see. Why do you speak of yourself in the third person? Because what I did is of no interest. All that matters is what Christ did in me. Oh. No more interruptions. Where was I? Ah, yes. At your age, Enigo served in the army under the Duke of Nahera in Spain. He was a Christian soldier, renowned for chivalry and valor. Oh, no! Ah, they breached the wall! During the assault of the castle at Pamplona, our Spanish forces were overwhelmed by the French. Their cannon breached the wall, and against orders from the Duke, Enigo climbed up the rubble and stood in the breach. Come! Help me fight the French! Fall back, men! Retreat into the castle! Enigo! Oh, no, my lord. I will block the gap in the wall. I will hold back the enemy! He's a pretentious fool! They will call me Enigo the Great, Enigo the Valiant. Enigo the Great breaches the breach. He stands as the hero of Pamplona. He laughs in the face of death! Enigo the Great fights off a hundred men. No, a thousand. Tales of his valor will spread across the land. Say, Fini, here's the breach. Enter the courtyard. Is the Spaniard's son Fini? Oh, God! You'll never take the castle? My leg is broken, but my spirit is not. You will die at the point of enigle the Great Sword! Monsieur, what shall we do with the Spaniard lying in the breach? His leg was shattered by a cannon ball. He has killed many of our men. French cowards, fight me like men! We should kill him. He is a valiant Spaniard. If you were a Frenchman, I would say such bravery should be richly rewarded. Such a courageous soldier. It would be a pity to leave him here to die. We will reward his courage and bring him to his home. Take him away! Oh, poor Macdonald Raspals! After the cannon ball shattered Enigo's leg, the French carried him back to his father's castle in Loyola. There doctors set and fixed the broken leg, but afterwards there was one small problem. I cannot return to court like this. Enigo, be reasonable. Magdalena, my dear sister. Look at this! My right leg is at least two inches shorter than my left. It was very difficult to set the bones, my lord. I didn't endure the torture of surgery for nothing, and I will not endure the torture of having an absurd limp. You must fix it. But Enigo, I would need to break the leg again to reset the bone. Do whatever it takes. Enigo! Sister, fetch me something to read. It will distract me from the pain. Go ahead, sir. Now? Yes, now. Magdalena, go. No, Enigo, this is insanity! We should wait until... Break it now, or I will dismiss you from the castle. Well, I... If you insist. Please do not do this. Okay, brace yourself, Enigo. Get on with it! I can't watch! One, two, three! You made them break your leg again? On purpose? Don't interrupt. Do you want to hear the story or not? Yes, but that just seems crazy. I already told you that Enigo was consumed with vanity. This is far beyond vanity, father. How is this story going to help me grow in virtue? If you want easy answers, boy, go read a book of moral theology. Or would you rather I finish my story? Forgive me, Father General. Please continue. Enigo was impatient. The doctor was counting. Magdalena let out a scream. Three! How about we skip ahead and spare the gory details? Oh, do you want to know how vain Enigo really was? After they broke and reset it, there was a protrusion of bone outside the skin. He made them saw it off. Okay, shall we skip to your recovery? As you wish. After they reset the bones and sawed off the protrusion, Enigo had many long months of recovery with nothing to do. There we go. Sunlight. Ah, my eyes. Magdalena, if you want me to read, stop lining me like that. You're lighting in a draft. Don't we have better books than this? Give me something heroic and exciting. I told you those are the only two books in the castle. The life of Christ? Really? I already know that story. And the lives of the saints. You can't get more heroic than that. No, thank you. Enigo, this grumpy attitude will only prolong your recovery. I'll compose my own heroic tale. Suit yourself. Once upon a time in Loyola, the most valiant soldier in Spain took on the most heroic quest of all, to rescue the fairest maiden in the new world. The fame of her beauty spread across the seven seas. Having fun. The valiant Enigo, sailing by himself, was the first to traverse the great ocean alone. His sails driven not by the wind, but by his great love for the fair maiden. I'll leave the lives of the saints right here in case you get bored. Lives of the saints, adventure. I have a more adventure in my little finger. No one to read to me. Well, I'll just read to myself. Chapter one, St. Dominic. Enigo read the lives of St. Francis, and St. Dominic can thought to himself. What if he did the kinds of things that they did? Praying, fasting, and living a life for God. He made an important spiritual observation that day. What was the observation? While dreaming of imitating the saints, Enigo was consoled and at peace, even long after the thoughts had ended. But when he dreamt of chivalry and knighthood, after the fantasies had ceased, he would be even more restless than before. He wanted to tell his sister about this insight. Magdalena, listen to this. Francis met a leper whom naturally men abhor, but he reminded him of the word that was said of God and ran to him and kissed him. The man was cured of his leprosy. Magdalena, isn't this marvelous? Magdalena! Hello, Enigo. I am not your sister. I am Mary, the mother of Jesus. Oh, Holy Mother, I have never seen a woman so beautiful in my entire life. From that day on, Enigo vowed there would be no other woman in his life. Blessed Virgin Mary, that's amazing. This is exactly what I... I... Father? Oh no. Is he dead? Father Gageous! Oh my. Call a doctor! Help! Hi, this is Peter Atkinson from The Mary Beggars. Tune in to episode 2, The Muslim, the Priest, and the Beggar, to hear the next installment of Ignatius of Loyola. Listen to all the episodes and discover new shows at thesaintspodcast.com.
