Father John A. Hardon, S.J. Archives

Fr. Hardon

1936 – Sixty Years in the Society

by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.

Teacher, writer,
Gesu Parish, Detroit

“My years in the Society have been the happiest I can imagine as I have tried to do God’s will according to the spirit of Ignatius. He has more than repaid me for my poor efforts. Over the years, giving the Spiritual Exercises, I never tired of telling people that God wants us to be happy in eternity and on this side of heaven. The price is the acceptance of God’s will in our lives.

“When I first entered the Society, I never dreamed how literally Christ spoke when He told us to take up our cross daily and follow Him. The last 60 years in the lives of millions of Christians have been demanding in the extreme. Hundreds of thousands have died for the faith since the turn of the century. There are two kinds of martyrs; those who shed their blood and those who remained alive but were willing to die for what they believed. Only God knows how loyal I have been, but I have honestly tried never to compromise my faith in Jesus Christ.”

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