He was a soldier who dreamed of glory, wealth, and the admiration of others. Then a cannonball shattered his leg — and in the long months of recovery, with nothing to read but the lives of the saints, everything changed. Saint Ignatius of Loyola did not become holy in a church. He became holy in a sickbed, in a cave, on the road — finding God not in grand visions but in the quiet movements of his own heart. If you are searching for God’s will in your life, or trying to make sense of a path that has broken and changed direction, Ignatius knows that road.
Who Is Saint Ignatius of Loyola?
Ignatius of Loyola was born in 1491 in the Basque region of Spain. As a young man, he pursued a military career, but in 1521, a cannonball shattered his leg, effectively ending his active service. During a long convalescence, the only books he had available were about Jesus Christ and the lives of the saints. Those books became the beginning of his conversion.
After his recovery, he spent time in prayer and penance in a cave near Manresa, Spain, where he began writing what would become the Spiritual Exercises — a practical guide to prayer, discernment, and finding God in all things. In 1534 he and six companions laid the foundation of what would become the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), which received official papal recognition in 1540.
He died on July 31, 1556, and was canonized on March 12, 1622. His feast day is July 31.
When Should You Pray This Prayer?
- When you are searching for God’s will in a major decision
- When your plans have changed and you need to find a new direction
- For students, teachers, and educators
- For soldiers and those in military service
- When you need discernment — to know what God is asking of you
- During a time of spiritual dryness or confusion
- On his feast day, July 31
Prayer to Saint Ignatius of Loyola
Saint Ignatius of Loyola,
you pursued glory, ambition, and the praise of others —
until God stopped you in your tracks
and showed you a different kind of greatness.
From a sickbed, from a cave, from years of searching,
you learned to find God in all things.
You taught us that prayer is not escape from the world
but the way to see the world as God sees it.
I come to you today with my own confusion,
my own desires, my own need for direction.
Help me to be still enough to hear God’s voice.
Help me to be courageous enough to follow it.
Help me to seek and find You in all things,
in my work, in my struggles, in my relationships,
in everything.
I bring before you this intention:
[mention your intention here]
Saint Ignatius of Loyola,
pray for us.
Amen.
How to Use This Prayer
Pray it on July 31, his feast day, or any time you need help with discernment, direction, or finding God’s will in a difficult situation. Saint Ignatius is especially invoked by those facing major decisions in their vocation, career, or spiritual life.
Related Prayers
- Prayer to Saint James the Apostle
- Prayer to Saints Peter and Paul
- Catholic Prayer for Impossible Situations
- Prayer for Courage to Begin Again
Frequently Asked Questions
The feast day of Saint Ignatius of Loyola is celebrated on July 31, the anniversary of his death in 1556. He was canonized by Pope Gregory XV on March 12, 1622.
Saint Ignatius of Loyola is the patron saint of soldiers, educators, and spiritual retreats. He is also the patron of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), the religious order he founded in 1534.
The Spiritual Exercises are a practical guide to prayer, discernment, and finding God’s will, written by Saint Ignatius of Loyola during his time of conversion. Designed to be completed over four weeks, they remain one of the most influential spiritual texts in Catholic history and are used by Jesuits and many other Catholics for retreats and discernment.
The Jesuits, formally known as the Society of Jesus, were founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola in 1534 and received papal approval in 1540. They became one of the most influential religious orders in the Catholic Church, playing a major role in education, missionary work, and the Counter-Reformation. Today the Society of Jesus continues its mission through schools, universities, retreat centers, missionary work, and many other apostolates around the world.
