"The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola were approved and commended by Pope Paul III in the Brief Pastoralis officii cura, dated July 31, 1548. In this Brief the Pope says that Francis Borgia, Duke of Gandia, had related to him that "St. Ignatius, then general of the Society which the same Pope had erected in Rome and confirmed by Apostolic authority, had composed certain documents or Spiritual Exercises, drawn from the Sacred Scriptures and experiences of spiritual life, and had reduced them to the order most fitted to move the minds of the faithful to piety; and as Duke Francis had found that they were extremely useful and salutary for the spiritual consolation of and advancement of the faithful, not only from public report from many places, but also from his own plain experience at Barcelona, Valentia, and Gandia; and had therefore humbly petitioned, in order that their fruit might be increased, and more of the faithful be induced to use them with greater devotion, that the Pope would cause them to be examined, and if he should find them worthy, to approve and praise them; and that, having caused the Exercises to be examined by the Cardinal Bishop of Burgos, by the Vicar General of Rome, and by the Master of the Sacred Palace, adn having learned by their report that they were full of piety and sanctity, and very useful and salutary for the edification and spiritual advancement of the faithful...His Holiness, by his Apostolic authority, "of his own certain knowledge, approved, praised, and by the Brief protected the Exercises and all everything contained in them, strongly exhorting in our Lord all the faithful of both sexes, wherever they may be, to use such pious documents and Spiritual Exercises, and devoutly be instructed by them." Orlandini, in his History of the Society (Lib. viii, n.1.), informs us that two versions of the Exercises in Latin were submitted to the Censors appointed by the Pope, and both were approved without the alteration of a single word. Of these, the version chosen for printing was that which was the better Latin and therefore the freer translation. It was first printed for the use of the Society, though not published, in August, 1548. It bears the name in the Society of the Vulgate version, and was approved by the Fifth General Congregation, which showed its respect for it by placing the chief variations between it and the Spanish autograph original in footnotes, so that the Vulgate text might remain unaltered. The translation thus received was made by Father Andrew Desfreux. It is not certain whether the second Latin version that was submitted to the Censors is still in existence, but it seems probable that it is that contained in an ancient manuscript belonging to the Archives of the Society, which was written in 1541. It is but a rough translation, and this is probably the reason why, if it was one of the two versions examined by the Pope's orders, the other was preferred for publication. But this version has a special value as it was used by St. Ignatius himself, and has on its outer leaf the words in the handwriting of the Saint, "Todos exercitios breviter en latin," by which he meant to indicate, not that the book was an abbreviation of his Spanish original, but that the Exercises which are given only at length by word of mouth are here to be found in the terse brevity with which he had written them down. The original copy of the Exercises, as the Saint wrote them, is no longer in existence. But in the Archives of the Society a very precious manuscript is preserved, which consists of a Spanish copy of the Exercises, having on its margin some corrections in the handwriting of St. Ignatius. This was called by the Fifth General Congregation of the Society the Autograph. The principal variations or obscurities of the edition were corrected from this most venerable copy of the Exercises, and printed in a new edition for the Society's use in 1596. The late Father General John Roothaan conceived the happy thought of making a new and literal translation from the original Spanish, adding at the same time notes which were suggested mainly by the differences he discovered between the Spanish in which St. Ignatius wrote and the free Latin translation of Father Desfreux, and by the manner in which he carried out his design he has done more for the Exercises than any one who has ever lived since the time of St. Ignatius. At first, he remarks, the Exercises came down in a living tradition through the men who had received them from the lips of St. Ignatius himself; but in later times as they passed through the hands of such a large number, the original form had come to be disregarded to some extent. Since the publication of Father Roothaan's translation in parallel columns with the Vulgate text, no one has felt tempted to wander from the exact form in which the Exercises were bequeathed by St. Ignatius to the Society. The first translation of the Spiritual Exercises into English was printed "with approbation of Superiours at St. Omers by Nicholas Joseph Le Febvre," and the colophon of the book gives the date 1736. It contains, however, some meditations that St. Ignatius has not given, and the order of the whole book has been greatly changed. ... The present translation is taken directly from the Spanish, but it is needless to say that the translators have had Father Roothaan's Latin version constantly before their eyes. John Morris, S.J."--

These Spiritual Exercises were written by Ignatius of Loyola, a theologian, priest and founder of the Society of Jesus, in the sixteenth century. They are Catholic prayers, reflections, meditations, mental exercises and directions designed to be read and carried out over a 28 to 30 day time period. These exercises are for Catholics and non-Catholics alike and grew out of Ignatius' own desire to seek God's will and to follow Christ no matter what the cost. Ignatius' intent was that the exercises would help others to discern God's will and to set the world on fire for Christ!

The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola is a foundational work in Christian spirituality, outlining a series of meditations and contemplations for spiritual growth and discernment. Written in a clear and concise style, the book offers a structured guide for individuals seeking to deepen their relationship with God and find inner peace. Ignatius' emphasis on self-examination and prayer sets this work apart in the context of religious literature, making it a timeless resource for spiritual seekers. Ignatius of Loyola, the author of this influential work, was a Spanish Basque priest and theologian who founded the Society of Jesus, known as the Jesuits. His own spiritual journey and experiences with prayer and meditation inspired him to develop the Spiritual Exercises as a way to help others cultivate a deeper connection with God. Ignatius' background in military service also influenced the structured and disciplined approach of the Exercises. I highly recommend The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola to readers interested in exploring their faith and spirituality in a practical and impactful way. Ignatius' thoughtful reflections and guidance provide a valuable resource for anyone seeking to deepen their spiritual practice and discern God's presence in their lives.

The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, (composed from 1522-1524) are a set of Christian meditations, prayers and mental exercises, divided into four thematic 'weeks' of variable length, designed to be carried out over a period of 28 to 30 days. They were composed with the intention of helping the retreatant to discern Jesus in his life, leading then to a personal commitment to follow him. Though the underlying spiritual outlook is Catholic, the exercises are often made nowadays by non-Catholics. The 'Spiritual Exercises' booklet was formally approved in 1548 by Paul III. This is the annotated edition including a biographical annotation about the author and his life

“The intention is to produce a clear, idiomatic, and readable translation.” —LOUIS J. PUHL, SJ Louis J. Puhl’s translation of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola has been a standard in the Jesuit community and the world of Ignatian spirituality since its initial publication in 1951. The Exercises contain instructions for spiritual directors, prayer practices and meditations, principles for spiritual progress, and the timeless Rules for Discernment. The classic and trusted translation of St. Ignatius’s seminal work returns with a new layout and a foreword from Kevin O’Brien, SJ. This fresh presentation of Puhl’s translation offers the classic text unchanged yet redesigned for ease of reading. The new foreword from Kevin O’Brien, acclaimed author of The Ignatian Adventure, contextualizes the Exercises while emphasizing their enduring relevance.

This classic translation is now available in an new edition with a foreword by Kevin O'Brien, SJ, and an easier-to-read design. Available in both print and ebook editions. Search for the ASIN "0829451293" to find it! The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius come to life in this book by Louis Puhl. This smoothly and faithfully translated text of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius has been a favorite of Jesuits, spiritual directors, retreatants, and general readers for decades.