Alumna Pens Tribute to “Patron Saint for Difficult Times”

In honor of yesterday’s Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Jessica Pipes (’16) has written a wonderful tribute to the soldier-turned-priest — whom she dubs “a patron saint for difficult times” — in the National Catholic Register.

“Sometimes it’s all too easy to imagine that the saints’ paths to holiness were uncomplicated, that whatever they may have suffered from sickness or the temptations of Satan, they at least knew clearly what God’s will was for them,” writes Miss Pipes. “But for nearly 20 years after his conversion, Ignatius had very little idea what he was doing. He dealt with failure, disappointment, sickness, and severe spiritual darkness.”

Yet through his faithful perseverance, Miss Pipes observes, St. Ignatius found his path to sanctity. “His journey gives us a battle plan for navigating our own dead ends,” she continues. “Whether [we are] making hard choices, recovering from unexpected events, going through physical sickness or spiritual darkness, Ignatius of Loyola faced a similar situation.”

St. Ignatius of Loyola, pray for us!