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Dec 24, 1491
Birth of Inigo de Loyal
Inigo de Loyal, Ignatius of Loyal was born on this date in Guipuzcoa, Spain. Ignatius would come to be both a saint and the founder of the order of priests, the Society of Jesus. Given his noble birth however, much of his early life would be dedicated to the hedonistic pleasures of royalty. -
May 5, 1521
Beginning of the conversion of Ignatius
While defending against the French in Pamplona, Ignatius was injured by canon fire, which brought him near death and under bed rest for an extended period of time. During this period Ignatius resorted to reading books on the lives of the saints and Christ. Ignatius began to question his own life in response to his readings. This would be the beginning of his conversion. -
Oct 5, 1522
Continued conversion at Manresa
After reflecting, Ignatius vowed to travel to the holy land of Jerusalem. During his journey Ignatius stopped at the shrine of Montserrat, where he inconically left his sword at the altar. Ignatius also stopped at the town of Manressa, where he spent ten months in reflection. It was here Ignatius felt deep religious inspriation and began to develop the Spiritual Exercises. -
Jul 5, 1523
Humility in School
After being asked to leave the holy land by Franciscans, Ignatius returned to school to learn Latin and pursue other studies. At age 33 Ignatius appeared foolish alongside young boys in grammar school; however Ignatius by this time had developed the sense of Jesuit humility that would continue within the order and its distribution of education. -
Sep 27, 1540
Founding of the Society of Jesus
While studying in Paris Ignatius attracted followers, including Francis Xavier. He and his followers eventually went to Rome, where Pope Paul III instructed them to found a religious order, resulting in the formation of the Society of Jesus. While leader of the society Ignatius finally published his Spiritual Exercises and adopted the phrase "Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam", For the Greater Glory of God. -
Jul 5, 1548
Founding of the first Jesuit school
Not long after the founding of the order, Ignatius was approached by town leaders from Messina, Sicily requesting that the order found a school for lay persons in addition to priests. This would be the beginning of Jesuit dedication to the education of lay people. -
Jul 31, 1554
Constitution of the Society of Jesus
In the last two years of his life Ignatius wrote the consitution concerning the future plans for the Society of Jesus. In this can be found plans for education that are evident in today's Jesuit pegagogy. One of the concepts was the specific teaching of future educators who would then go out and influence the world. Another concept stresses the importance of studying in multiple disciplines which is seen today in Jesuit institutions' commitment to liberal arts education. -
Jul 5, 1579
Jesuit Missionary Education (China)
Jesuit Michele Ruggieri travels to China, where the Jesuits are amongst the few Westerners allowed to remain within the country. Chinese magistrates welcomed Jesuits as their knowledge of astonomy fascinated them. Education proved to be an essential component for the Jesuit missionary go-between. Ruggieri was also successful in creating a Portugeuse-Chinese dictionary. -
Issue of the Ratio Studiorum
In 1599 the Ratio Studiorum was formally issued which stood as a guideline for the hundreds of Jesuit institutions across Europe. The statement was the product of a collaboration between various Jesuits, but namely those at the Collegio Romano. While the Ratio is no longer the universal code for Jesuit institutions, it was instrumental in establishing Jesuit tradition as the benchmark mission statement for all Jesuit institutions. -
Founding of First Jesuit Univeristy in United States
Despite the suprepression of the Jesuits by Papal declaration in 1773, the order was successful in the foundation of Georgetown College in the state of Maryland. This would be the beginning of Jesuit education's spread throughout the United States in the form of highschools and universities. -
Catholic Response to Common School Movement
Facing assimilation by the threat of the Protestant agenda in the Common School Movement, Catholic immigrants turned to private schools for the preservation of both religion and culture. Had it not been for this turn to private education, the Jesuits may have not found relevance outside the realm of smaller private universities for their own institutions. -
Founding of St. Ignatius College
St. Ignatius College was founded as both a highschool and college. in 1902 the college would relocate to University Heights as John Carroll University. The highschool would remain as St. Ignatius High School. Both of these institutions have been monumental in my formation as a subject of education. -
St. Ignatius Admits First African American Student
During the 1930s George Anthony Moore became the first black student to attend St. Ignatius High School. Moore was only admitted after his mother employed the bishop's intervention. While the school reflected the discriminatory nature of the time, it has come a long way to this day. This includes the REACHing MAGIS program which is a mentor based program aimed toward giving area boys the opportunity to attend St. Ignatius who may not initially meet the intellectual or financial requirements. -
Cleveland Commitment Campaign
During the 1970s the prospect of moving St. Ignatius High School to the suburbs was a subject of debate. The final decision was founded upon the idea of commitment to both the city of Cleveland and the community around the high school. This has become the mission of many Jesuit high schools and universities that are located in communities in need. -
Foundation of the Arrupe Neighborhood Partnership
St. Ignatius High School began the Fr. Pedro Arrupe Neighborhood Partnership, offering students the chance to work with members of the immediate community around the high school. Such activities include working with area church and outreach centers, as well as tutoring area children after school. I myself was involved with a few of the programs that were run out of the Arrupe Program, specifically tutoring which helped attract me toward the field of education. -
Ignatian Pedagogy: A Practical Approach is Issued
In 1993 The Inernational Centre for Jesuit Education issued Ignatian Pedagogy: A Practical Approach. Much of the work deals with the teacher-learner relationship. The characteristics of Ignatian Pedagogy which include context, experience, reflection, action, and evaluation are all outlined. Like a modern day Ratio Studiorum, the work has been used in the formation of many Jesuit intsitutions' mission. -
Gradeschool Visit to Borremeo Seminary
Near the end of gradeschool our class made a field trip to Borremeo Seminary in Wickliffe, Ohio. While those we interacted with were not necessarily Jesuits, this was formative in how I considered priests in relation to education. We learned that those making their vows also attended college. Up until this point I had not considered priests in an academic setting. This was also an introduction to a possible vocational calling. The importance is evident when combined with a later event. -
Beginning of my time at St. Ignatius High School
My education leading up to this point, while Catholic, had not included the additional componets of a Jesuit education. While not initially obvious to me, the importance of the multidisciplined teachings of the Jesuits eventually became clear. This idea developed alongside the growth of my intellect, spirituality, and commitment to social justice, all which were fostered during my edcuation at St. Ignatius High School. -
Sophomore Service
During my sophomore year at St. Ignatius I underwent the requirement of semester long service learning during which I tutored at Waverly Elementary School in Cleveland. This was formative moment in my education where I began to understand learning outside the realm of the classroom and in relation to helping others. -
First Expereince with Labre Ministry to the Homeless
My experience with Sophomor Service had instilled in me a desire to continue my education through service learning. During the summer between my sophomore and junior years I began to take part in the Labre Ministry to the homeless, in which students and faculty prepared food for the homeless of Cleveland, and drove to the locations where these individuals stayed. Many of my Jesuit educators atteneded this ministry right along side us, practicing what they preached. -
Kairos Retreat
During junior year, St. Ignatius students are required to attend a retreat of their choice. One such retreat is called Kairos. During this period I underwent the deepest period of self reflection I have ever experienced. Like Ignatius at Manresa, I too questioned and reflected on my life. In relation to education I believe periods of reflection are important in not only ensuring a full grasp of content, but more importantly in understanding the value of knowledge gained. -
Article Supporting the Importance of Service Learning
Service Learning Article It is evident that I feel service learning is important to education. It should also be clear that I developed this idea namely during my time at St. Ignatius High School. To support the importance of service learning, specifically in the realm of Jesuit edcuation I have attached an acadmeic article exploring the issue. -
Senior Year Prayer Group
As a senior at St. Ignatius I met weekly with a small group of seniors and one of the resident Jesuits. During our time together, we would reflect and pray. In addition to this we took part in some of the preliminary stages of St. Ignatius's Spiritual Excercises. This group was formative for me in education in that it showed me the importance of support groups for students, as well as it allowed me to put into practice some of the direct spiritual teachings of St. Ignatius. -
Considering Jesuit Vocation
Near the end of my final year at St. Ignatius I was thinking of what I wanted to do in life. One of the resident Jesuits, the same one who led our prayer group, invited me to consider following a call to the Jesuit order. While I had only given the concept passing thought since my gradeschool visit to Borremeo, this extension made me consider the prospect more seriously. While in the long run I seem to have turned down the calling, I know I will model my lay teaching around Jesuit pedagogy. -
Beginning of my time at John Carroll University
After a brief semester at Case Western, I choose to transfer to John Carroll University. My education would once again enter the realm of Jesuit identity. But as I quickly learned, spirituality was not as stressed in a university atmosphere in which the a significant proporation does not share the same religious beliefs. While this was a change, it allowed for a wider understanding of the population at large.
