He also had many visions when he said Mass, and when he was drawing up the constitutions he had them with great frequency. He could now affirm this more easily because every day he wrote down what passed through his soul and he had it now in writing. He then showed me a fairly large bundle of writings and allowed me to read a good part of them. Most were visions that he saw in confirmation of parts of the constitutions, at times seeing God the Father, at other times all three Persons of the Trinity, at other times Our Lady who interceded and at other times confirmed.

In particular he spoke to me about certain decisions over which he had said Mass each day for forty days, each day with many tears. The question was whether the churches would have any income and whether the Society could make use of that.

(The question concerned the degree of poverty the Society of Jesus would embrace, specifically whether the houses and churches of the Society should be permitted to have any fixed income. Ignatius decided not to allow a fixed income.)

The habit which he observed while he was drafting the Constitutions was to say Mass each day and to present the point that he was treating to God and to pray about it; he always said the prayer and the Mass with tears.

The Autobiography of St. Ignatius Loyola
John C. Olin

Reprinted from Witness Ministries, a lay apostolate dedicated to renewing appreciation for the Mass as the greatest gift which God has given to His beloved spouse, the Church. Their mission is to show how, in the Eucharistic Liturgy, Jesus renews and transforms us–and the world–in His life and love.