The Diocese of Erie celebrated the feast day of St. Ignatius of Loyola on July 31, holding up the saint as an example of someone whose life changed through reading.

“Have you ever read a book that changed your life? Ignatius of Loyola had a blossoming career in the military, which ended abruptly when a cannonball struck him in the legs,” the diocese posted on Facebook. “While he was healing, he read a series of religious books, and they impacted them so deeply, that he decided to renounce material possessions and comforts. His journey in life led him to write a book of his own and start the Jesuit order which is known for educational, missionary and charitable works.” 

St. Ignatius of Loyola was born in 1491 in Spain to a noble family with 13 children. According to Britannica, his mother died when he was young, and he became a page for the treasurer of the kingdom of Castile. Around the age of 26, Ignatius became a knight, and he spent his time on military undertakings and diplomatic missions. Several years later, while defending the citadel of Pamplona against the French military, Ignatius was injured. The injury brought a chapter of life to an end during which he described himself as "a man given to the vanities of the world, whose chief delight consisted in martial exercises, with a great and vain desire to win renown." 

While he was recovering from his injury, Ignatius read about Jesus and the lives of the saints. Ignatius was deeply moved during this time, and Mary visited him in a vision, so once he was able, he traveled to her shrine near Barcelona, according to Franciscan Media. He spent a year with a nearby Dominican Order and by himself in an isolated cave, and he began to write down what would become his greatest work, "The Spiritual Exercises."

Ignatius made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and then spent years traveling to different universities to study, according to Catholic.org. Several men began to follow Ignatius, and the group started to refer to themselves as "Friends in the Lord." The group traveled to Rome, where they presented themselves to the pope and offered to serve him. Pope Paul III approved the group as an official religious order, and they became known as the Society of Jesus, or the Jesuits. The Jesuits are known today for their work in educating people around the world. Ignatius is the patron saint of the Society of Jesus, soldiers, educators and education. 

Today, there are more than 800 Jesuit schools around the world, including 28 colleges and universities, and 62 high schools in the U.S.