Tuesday, May 21, 2013

First, In The Purgative Way; Next, In The Illuminative; And Finally, In The Unitive.

St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, should be ranked among those apostolic the ministry of salvation and taught the principles of holiness. Truly he was born to help men. God taught him much, and from these heavenly communications Ignatius composed his admirable book of Exercises. This work is exceedingly well fitted to direct souls in the paths of salvation and perfection,  The clients of this great Saint then look upon him as a mediator and a patron in the important matter of eternal salvation, and as a guide and pattern in the dangerous paths of the spiritual life. The virtues of Ignatius, therefore, which are herr proposed for meditation, will be arranged in accordance with the three degrees of the spiritual life.
men who have exercised
Hence, the Saint will be presented as a bright model—first, in the purgative way; next, in the illuminative; and finally, in the unitive. 
At the end some considerations will be added on the Saint's most precious death. Each meditation will be accompanied by a prayer to St. Ignatius, three of his practical sayings, an example, a practice, and an aspiration to be made frequently during the day. The meditations will be ten in number, in memory of the ten months which St. Ignatius spent at Manresa, amid great bodily sufferings and heavenly joys of soul. These meditations can be used for the ten Sundays, or for the nine days proceeding the Saint's feast; and for the feast itself, in order to secure his powerful protection and obtain the grace to imitate, in some degree, his wonderful virtues. The meditations will also serve to gain more largely and surely the plenary indulgences, which two Popes granted for the purpose of promoting and spreading devotion to St. Ignatius. By the brief "Splendor Paterna gloria," our most holy Lord, Gregory XV., granted a plenary indulgence to all the faithful, who, on the feast of St. Ignatius, after confession and communion, shall pray for the Pope's intention in a church of the Society.
Clement XIII. graciously issued the following:
Decree.
Plenary indulgence of the ten Sundays in honor of St. Ignatius of Loyola, 
at the audience granted by the Holy Father, (January 27, 1767).

Moved by the humble prayer of Lawrence Ricci, General of the Society of Jesus, our most holy Lord, Clement XIII., kindly granted a plenary indulgence for all their sins to all the faithful, who, on ten consecutive Sundays before the feast of St. Ignatius, or on any other ten Sundays of the year, shall, with true repentance, confess their sins, go to communion, make pious meditations, pray or perform other Christian works in honor of the said Saint, and for the glory of God, and shall devoutly visit a church of the Society. This indulgence can be gained on any one of the ten Sundays. His holiness willed that this favor should hold good for all time to come. 

Given at Rome, in the office of the Secretary of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, 
on the day and in the year of the aforesaid audience.
CARDINAL ANTONELLI. S. Borgia,
Secretary to the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences.
 
Link (here)

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