Saint Ignatius of Loyola joined the Spanish Army when he was 13 years old. In 1521, the French attacked the fortified town of Pamplona. After a brief bit of fighting the small number of Spanish soldiers were ready to surrender — that is, all of them except for Ignatius. He defended Pamplona by himself until he was hit by a cannon ball, which permanently disfigured his leg. As he recovered from the wound he read about the lives of the saints. Ignatius eventually committed himself to God and founded the Jesuits in 1540. His feast day is celebrated on July 31.

Young Adult Ministry Idea: Ask young adults what saints they find inspiring and why. What traits in them do they try to emulate in their life today?