ST. IGNATIUS LOYOLA, THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES
Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556 CE) was a Spanish nobleman and soldier who founded the Society of Jesus (the Jesuit order), which received papal recognition in 1540. The excerpt below comes from Loyola's book, The Spiritual Exercises (1521-35). The book "became a guide for Jesuit confessors . . . in leading penitents to a greater spiritual maturity. It was a summary of practical ways to order one's life through the imitation of Christ."
from Perry, Peden, and Von Laue, eds.,
Sources of the Western Tradition, Vol. I, 4th ed.
(Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1999), 330-332.
RULES FOR THINKING WITH THE CHURCH
In order to have the proper attitude of mind in the Church Militant we should
observe the following rules:
Putting aside all private judgment, we should keep our minds prepared and ready to obey promptly and in all things the true spouse of Christ our Lord, our Holy Mother, the hierarchical Church.
To praise sacramental confession and the reception of the Most Holy Sacrament [the Eucharist] once a year, and much better once a month, and better still every week, with the requisite and proper dispositions.
To praise the frequent hearing of Mass, singing of hymns and psalms, and the recitation of long prayers, both in and out of church; also the hours arranged for fixed times for the whole Divine Office, for prayers of all kinds and for the canonical hours.
To praise highly religious life, virginity, and continence; and also matrimony, but not as highly, as any of the foregoing.
To praise the vows of religion, obedience, poverty, chastity, and other works of perfection and supererogation . . . .
To praise the relics of the saints by venerating them and by praying to these saints. Also to praise the stations, pilgrimages, indulgences, jubilees, Crusade indulgences, and the lighting of candles in the churches.
To praise the precepts concerning fasts and abstinences, such as those of Lent, Ember Days, Vigils, Fridays, and Saturdays; likewise to praise acts of penance, both interior and exterior.
To praise the adornments and buildings of churches as well as sacred images, and to venerate them according to what they represent.
Finally, to praise all the precepts of the church, holding ourselves ready at all times to find reasons for their defense, and never offending against them.
We should be more inclined to approve and praise the directions and recommendations of our superiors as well as their personal behavior. Although sometimes these may not be or may not have been praiseworthy, to speak against them when preaching in public or in conversation with people would give rise to murmuring and scandal rather than to edification. As a result, the people would be angry with their superiors, whether temporal or spiritual. Still, while it does harm to our superiors in their absence to speak ill on them in the presence of the people, it might be useful to speak of their bad conduct to those who can apply a remedy.
To praise both positive and scholastic theology, for as it is more characteristic of the [early church] doctors, such as St. Augustine, St. Jerome, St. Gregory, and others, to encourage the affections to greater love and service of God our Lord in all things, so it also is more characteristic of the [medieval] scholastic doctors, such as St. Thomas [Aquinas], St. Bonaventure, and the Master of the Sentences, etc., to define and explain for our times the things necessary for eternal salvation, and to refute and expose all errors and fallacies. Also, the scholastic doctors, being of more recent date, not only have a clearer understanding of the Holy Scripture and of the teachings of the [early church] doctors, but also, being enlightened and inspired by the Divine Power, they are helped by the Councils, Canons, and Constitutions of our Holy Mother Church. . . .
If we wish to be sure that we are right in all things, we should always be ready to accept this principle: I will believe that the white that I see is black, if the hierarchical Church so defines it. For, I believe that between the Bridegroom, Christ our Lord, and the Bride, His Church, this is but one spirit, which governs and directs us for the salvation of our souls, for the same Spirit and Lord, who gave us the Ten Commandments, guides and governs our Holy Mother Church.
Although it be true that no one can be saved unless it be predestined and unless he have faith and grace, still we must be very careful of our manner of discussing and speaking of these matters.
We should not make predestination an habitual subject of conversation. If it is sometimes mentioned we must speak in such a way that no person will fall into error, as happens on occasion when one will say, "It has already been determined whether I will be saved or lost, and in spite of all the good or evil that I do, this will not be changed." As a result, they become apathetic and neglect the works that are conducive to their salvation and to the spiritual growth of their souls.
In like manner, we must be careful lest by speaking too much and with too great emphasis on faith, without any distinction or explanation, we give occasion to the people to become indolent and lazy in the performance of good works, whether it be before or after their faith is founded in charity.
Also in our discourse we ought not to emphasize the doctrine that would destroy free will. We may therefore speak of faith and grace to the extent that God enables us to do so, for the greater praise of His Divine Majesty. But, in these dangerous times of ours, it must not be done in such a way that good works or free will suffer any detriment or be considered worthless.
supererogation: the performance of good works beyond what God desires
Ember Days: three days set aside by the church each season for special prayers and fasting
Master of the Sentences: Peter Lombard (ca. 1100-1160 CE), Italian theologian