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"After his injury at the battle of Pamplona, St. Ignatius of Loyola experienced a profound conversion. During his long recovery at his family home in Loyola, he was offered two books to pass the time: the life of Christ, and the lives of the saints. He read these books with fervor and found himself inspired to change his life. From this moment, a deep desire to imitate the saints was enkindled within him. This desire to imitate the saints, and for each person to discover a personal calling to be a saint, contributed to the eventual founding of the Society of Jesus. The Society would eventually establish a community of Jesuit saints and blesseds who would inspire generations of future believers to give their lives for the greater glory of God. With over 70 biographies, both devotional and informational, compiled by Jesuits from around the world, this book aims to introduce this community of holy men and to contemporary readers and to inspire them to be selfless in their own pursuit of a greater good. Excerpt from the preface by Arturo Sosa, SJ: "Our saints and blesseds have been recognized as models of union with Christ and as 'men for others.' ... all of them show well 'the most beautiful face of the Church,' as Pope Francis said (Gaudete et Exsultate, 9). That face is shaped by the examples of people who abandoned themselves to God and followed more closely and intensely the way of Jesus Christ. They are the beacon that illuminates and guides us in our mission.""--