The narrator of “The Star” is speaking to an image of “Loyola” depicted in an engraving by the Flemish artist Rubens; it hangs on the spaceship wall. The Spanish priest Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1566), whom he addresses as “Father” or “Father Loyola,” was the founder of the Society of Jesus, a Catholic order generally known as the Jesuits.
As he speaks, he refers to a book that the engraved figure is holding. On it, he reads the words “Ad maiorem Dei gloriam,” which is the motto of the Jesuit order and means “for the greater glory of God.” “Majorem” is an alternate spelling of the motto, which is often abbreviated AMDG. The narrator tells Father Loyola that he no longer believes this message. However, the fact that he continues to speak with and question him shows that his loss of faith is probably not total.
The questions he poses include how the annihilation of an entire society can “be reconciled with the mercy of God,” He can arrive at no answer, even though he has consulted the Exercitia Spiritualia—in English, “Spiritual Exercises.” These are a set of Christian meditations that Loyola wrote from 1522 to 1524.
https://sites.uni.edu/morgans/astro/course/TheStar.pdf
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Jesuits
Sunday, December 28, 2014
How does the narrator's reference to several Latin writings remind the reader of his roots as a Jesuit priest?
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