Luis Martín facts for kids
Luis Martín García (born August 19, 1846, died April 18, 1906) was an important Spanish priest. He was a member of a religious group called the Jesuits. He became the 24th leader of the Jesuits, known as the Superior General.
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Early Life and Education
Luis Martín García was born in a small village called Melgar de Fernamental. He was the third of six brothers. His family was not wealthy.
He started his schooling in his village. In 1858, when he was 12, he went to a special school for priests in Burgos. He studied there for six years.
Joining the Jesuits
Luis was very smart and loved to learn. In 1864, he decided to join the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits.
He began studying philosophy in Léon, Spain. But there was a revolution in Spain at that time. People who were against the Church made it hard for him to stay. So, he moved to France to continue his studies. He studied in Vals and then in Poyanne.
While in France, he also taught subjects like history and public speaking. From 1873 to 1877, he studied theology, which is the study of religious faith. He became a priest on September 14, 1876.
Teacher and Leader
In 1880, new laws in France forced Jesuits to leave the country. Luckily, the king had returned to Spain. This made it safe for Jesuits to go back home.
Luis Martín García returned to Castile, Spain. Even though he loved literature, he was asked to focus on Bible studies and teaching.
Leading Schools and Journals
He became the head of the Seminary in Salamanca from 1880 to 1884. A seminary is a school where people train to become priests.
After that, he led a religious newspaper called El Mensajero del Corazon de Jesus. Then, he became the head of a special study center in Deusto-Bilbao. This center later became the University of Deusto.
Provincial of Castile
As the head of the Salamanca seminary, Luis Martín García showed great leadership skills. He was also very good at helping people grow spiritually and intellectually.
Because of this, the main leader of the Jesuits made him the Provincial of Castile in 1886. A Provincial is like a regional leader for the Jesuits.
He had to deal with big disagreements among Catholics in Spain. These disagreements were especially strong in the Basque area. He handled these problems very carefully.
Called to Rome
In 1892, Luis Martín García was called to Rome by the Jesuit leader, Anton Anderledy. He was asked to help with a new plan for studies within the Jesuit order.
Just hours before he died, Anderledy made Luis Martín García the Vicar General. This meant Luis was in charge of calling and organizing a big meeting. This meeting would choose the next main leader of the Jesuits.
Meeting in Spain
It was hard for the meeting to happen in Italy. This was because of political problems between the Church and the new Kingdom of Italy.
Luis Martín García asked Pope Leo XIII if the meeting could be held in Loyola, Spain. Loyola is a very important place for Jesuits. The Pope agreed. This was the only time a major Jesuit meeting like this happened outside of Italy.
General Congregation XXIV
The 24th General Congregation (big meeting) started on September 24, 1892. Luis Martín García was chosen as the new Superior General on October 2. He won the election on the second try.
After the meeting, Martín traveled back to Fiesole, Italy. On his way, he visited France, England, Ireland, Belgium, and Germany. This was his only trip to these countries. Many of the challenges he faced as leader came from these areas.
It was sometimes hard for him to understand Jesuits from Northern Europe. He was used to dealing with very traditional Jesuits in Spain. This did not prepare him for the more modern ideas of Jesuits in other countries.
Martín’s Leadership
Luis Martín García worked hard to lead the Jesuits according to the wishes of the General Congregation.
- He wrote several important letters to all Jesuits. These letters talked about religious rules and how to manage money. They reminded Jesuits to live simply.
- He also wrote letters about the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola. These are special spiritual practices for Jesuits. He also wrote about Bible studies.
- He had a very good relationship with Pope Leo XIII and Pope Pius X. He strongly supported them, especially through a Jesuit newspaper called Civiltà Cattolica.
- In 1895, he moved the main office of the Jesuits back to Rome. It had been in Fiesole.
- In France, he encouraged Jesuits to accept the idea of a republic. This was something Pope Leo XIII also wanted.
- Across Northern Europe, he encouraged Jesuits to get more involved in helping people with social problems. This was based on a papal letter called Rerum novarum (1893).
- In England, he successfully opened or reopened Jesuit schools. This happened even though there was strong opposition.
- He started new mission areas in Jamaica and Honduras. He asked American Jesuits to lead these missions. He also sent a special visitor to Australia in 1895.
- Peter Claver, a Jesuit saint, was made a patron saint of missions to Africans in 1896.
- His biggest concern was his home country, Spain. He worked to stop extreme traditional views among Jesuits there. He also strongly supported intellectual work. He helped start a new journal called Razon y Fe in 1901.
- Historians are very thankful to Martín. He started a project to publish important historical documents about the Jesuits. This project, called Monumenta Historica Societatis Iesu, began in Madrid in 1894.
- Near the end of his life, he faced a difficult time for the Church called Modernism (Roman Catholicism). Some Jesuits, like George Tyrrell, were removed from the Society. Martín tried to help Tyrrell, but it did not work.
- The number of Jesuits grew a lot during his time as leader. It went from 13,274 in 1892 to 15,661 in 1906.
Illness and Death
Luis Martín García was not very healthy even when he first became the leader. His health got worse over the years.
In 1905, he had a tumor. Doctors had to remove his right arm. Pope Pius X gave him special permission to celebrate Mass, even with his disability. He was very thankful for this.
However, the cancer spread to his lungs. He died in Rome on April 18, 1906.
Writings
- Epistolae Selectae (Selected Letters), Rome.
- Memorias del P. Luis Martin (Memoirs of Father Luis Martin), 2 volumes, Rome, 1988.
See also
In Spanish: Luis Martín García para niños
