Vision

In the garden between the Loyola House of Studies and the Loyola School of Theology is a statue of St. Ignatius as a pilgrim beside the Cardoner River, which runs through the town of Manresa in Catalonia, Spain. It was here, between 1522 and 1523, that Ignatius had one of the most profound experiences of his life.

From The Life of St. Ignatius page of the Jesuits of New Orleans Province:

He continued towards Barcelona but stopped along the river Cardoner at a town called Manresa. He stayed in a cave outside the town, intending to linger only a few days, but he remained for ten months. He spent hours each day in prayer and also worked in a hospice. It was while here that the ideas for what are now known as the Spiritual Exercises began to take shape. It was also on the banks of this river that he had a vision which is regarded as the most significant in his life. The vision was more of an enlightenment, about which he later said that he learned more on that one occasion than he did in the rest of his life. Ignatius never revealed exactly what the vision was, but it seems to have been an encounter with God as He really is, so that all creation was seen in a new light and acquired a new meaning and relevance, an experience that enabled Ignatius to find God in all things. This grace, finding God in all things, is one of the central characteristics of Jesuit spirituality.