Simão Rodrigues De Azevedo

Place: Vouzela

Born: 1510

Death: 1579

Biography:

Simão Rodrigues de Azevedo, SJ, also known in English as Simon Rodericks, was a Portuguese Catholic priest and one of the co-founders of the Society of Jesus. He was born in Vouzela, Portugal, in 1510, and died in Lisbon in 1579. Rodrigues was one of the six very first companions of Ignatius of Loyola at the University of Paris who took vows of poverty and chastity at the chapel of Montmartre, on the 15 August 1534. The group of 'Friends in the Lord' will ultimately form the nucleus of the Society of Jesus, approved in 1540. After some years working under the direction of Ignatius in Italy, he was sent to Portugal, where his strong personality immediately attracted many young men to the Society and he became very influential at the royal court. However, as the Provincial of the Portuguese Jesuits he allowed certain spiritual devotions to develop into extreme ascetical practices, and thus cause public scandal. He was recalled to Rome, where he was tried and found guilty of 'excesses and lack of obedience'. All penances were lifted by Ignatius except that he was not allowed to return to Portugal. He was assigned to other duties in Italy and, later, Spain. Eventually, he gave up these attempts and returned to obedience. As an old man, he was allowed to go back to his native country, where, before dying, he wrote a history of the early years of the Society.