Another highlight of the Ignatian Year will take place on March 12, 2022, when a Mass is offered at the Church of the Gesù in Rome marking the 400th anniversary of St. Ignatius’ canonization. The commemorative year will end on July 31, 2022, the Jesuit founder’s feast day.
In his video message, the pope said that St. Ignatius’ conversion deepened through a practice known as discernment.
“Discernment does not consist in always succeeding from the beginning, but in navigating and having a compass in order to be able to set out on the path, which has many twists and turns, but always allowing oneself to be guided by the Holy Spirit, who leads us to the encounter with the Lord,” the pope said.
He added that other people are “signs” that can help us to discern God’s will.
“Listen to others. Read situations,” he said. “We are road signs for others, we too, showing God’s way. Conversion is always done in dialogue, in dialogue with God, in dialogue with others, in dialogue with the world.”
He continued: “I pray that all those who are inspired by Ignatian spirituality will make this journey together as an Ignatian family. And I pray that many others will come to discover the richness of this spirituality that God gave to Ignatius.”
“I bless you from my heart, that this year may truly be an inspiration to go out into the world, helping souls, seeing all things new in Christ. And also an inspiration to let ourselves be helped. No one is saved alone: either we are saved as a community or we are not saved. No one shows the other the way. Only Jesus has shown us the way. We help each other to find and follow this path.”