Seekers and Friends · Week 4 · Grades 3–5
Guided Notes: St. Ignatius of Loyola
- Name
- Date
- Class
Follow along as your teacher presents. Fill in each section when its slide is on the screen.
St. Ignatius of Loyola
A cannonball changes everything
Ignatius was born in blank 1 in the castle of Loyola, in the Basque country of northern Spain. As a young man he served at court and became a soldier. He dreamed of fame and honor.
In blank 2 he was defending the city of Pamplona when a cannonball badly injured his legs. He was carried home to Loyola.
He had to lie in bed for months while his legs healed. He was bored and asked for blank 3 stories about knights.
Words to know
Write what each word means.
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Discernment | Write your answer |
| Pilgrim | Write your answer |
| Jesuit | Write your answer |
| Retreat | Write your answer |
| Canonized | Write your answer |
What his daydreams taught him
The castle had no knight stories. It had only a book about the life of Jesus and a book about the saints. So Ignatius read those.
He noticed something. Daydreams about fame were exciting, but blank 4 he felt dry and sad. Daydreams about living like the saints left him joyful, and the joy stayed.
He decided to follow Jesus. In 1522 he left his sword at a shrine of blank 5 at Montserrat. Later he studied, became a priest and started the Jesuits with his friends.
Quick check
What did Ignatius notice about his daydreams? Circle one.
- A They all made him feel sleepy
- B Some left joy that stayed, some did not
- C They always came true the next day
- D They were all about knights and war
How does it leave me?
Ignatius noticed how he felt afterward. Sort each screen choice by how it usually leaves a person feeling. Check one box for each.
| Item | Glad afterward | Empty afterward |
|---|---|---|
| Video calling a grandparent | ||
| Watching videos long past bedtime | ||
| Building something in a game with a friend | ||
| Comparing myself with pictures of other kids | ||
| Learning to draw from a how-to video | ||
| Reading mean comments again and again |
Quick check
What group did Ignatius start with his friends? Circle one.
- A The Knights of Spain
- B The Pilgrims of Rome
- C The Order of Loyola
- D The Society of Jesus
Think, pair, share
Ignatius paid attention to how he felt after his daydreams, not only during them. Think of a game, show or app you like. How do you feel when you are done?
Think: my idea before we talk
Sentence starters: “After I play or watch ..., I usually feel ...”“Something that leaves me glad for a long time is ...”“One thing I want to notice this week is ...”
Pair: something my partner said
Let us pray
Lord Jesus, thank you for the gift of this day.
Help us notice what brings us closer to you.
Give us courage to choose it.
St. Ignatius of Loyola, pray for us.
Amen.
My own prayer or intention:
Well done!
Ignatius died in Rome in 1556 and was canonized in 1622. His feast day is July 31.
One thing I learned today:
One question I still have:
Challenge: Each night this week, name one moment that left you glad and one that left you empty. Thank God for the first.