In 1522 St. Ignatius laid down his sword before Our Lady of Montserrat. The Benedictine abbey that houses that statue celebrates its 1,000th anniversary in 2025. In honor of that anniversary, we asked Loyola Press pilgrims to share photos and memories of their experiences in Montserrat.
“The expansive beauty of Montserrat had a profound impact on me. The bus ride was breathtaking and treacherous, and the walk from the hotel to the top of the mountain was amazing and challenging. To imagine St. Ignatius making that entire journey on foot was deeply moving. His deep faith and passion for the mission inspire me beyond words.”
—Valerie Vogel
“Montserrat was an experience of liminal and sacred space for me. In the same way that St. Ignatius experienced a thin place at Montserrat, I left renewed in hope and joy.”
—Julianne Stanz
“I’ve always told people that Montserrat was the highlight of my Ignatian pilgrimage in 2015. Not only did I marvel at the astounding beauty, but I was also inspired by the notion that Ignatius traversed the hilly, rocky terrain with a bum knee!”
—Joe Paprocki
“As my husband and I hiked to this cross from the monastery at Montserrat, we were awestruck by the view as well as the rugged incline. This breathtaking (in more ways than one!) hike led us to these topics of conversation: It’s no wonder that the Benedictines put a monastery here. It’s so majestic; you actually do feel closer to God when you’re here! How did St. Ignatius make it this far on a bad leg while carrying a heavy sword? What must his determination and faith have been like to keep going? My husband and I have been on a lot of hikes, and this one was the best by far!”
—Joellyn Cicciarelli
“I love this picture as it looks like fingers reaching to heaven. Montserrat was one of the most moving parts of the pilgrimage for me. I often go back to the idea of laying down ‘my sword’ so I can move forward.”
—Janet Czerwinski
