Pierre Favre and Discernment

Pierre Favre (1506-1546) met Ignatius Loyola in Paris, and was the first of nine men whom Ignatius recruited there to join him in a company dedicated to the apostolic service of Christ. After the Society of Jesus became established in Rome in 1540, Favre lived a life on mission, largely in Germany, but also in what are now Italy, Spain, Portugal, Belgium and France. He was nominated by Pope Paul III to serve as a theologian at the Council of Trent, but died before he could attend any of the sessions. He left behind his Memoriale, a marvellously sensitive, intimate record of his inner experiences. Brian O’Leary’s definitive study helps us appreciate the richness of this moving human document, and explores how this remarkable man lived out what Ignatius had taught him about discernment through the Spiritual Exercises.