Very Rev. Diego Laynez, S.J. (or Laínez) (Spanish: Diego Laynez) (1512 – 19 January 1565) was a Spanish Jesuit priest and theologian, and the 2nd Superior General of the Society of Jesus.

He was born in Almazán in Castile. Though a Catholic he was of Jewish ancestry (probably a fourth generation Catholic). He graduated from the University of Alcalá, and then continued his studies in Paris, where he came under the influence of Ignatius of Loyola. He was one of the six men who, with Loyola, formed the original group of Friends in the Lord, later Society of Jesus, taking, in the Montmartre church, the vows of personal poverty and chastity in the footsteps of Christ, and committing themselves to going to Jerusalem.

Because of unfavourable circumstances (no ship going to Holy Land) the pilgrimage to Jerusalem fell through, and Laynez with Loyola and the other Friends in the Lord (by then they were ten) offered their services to the Pope. After the Order had been definitely established (1540) Laynez, among other missions visited Germany. Laynez was a papal theologian during each of the three periods of the Council of Trent. At one point he was also professor of scholastic theology at La Sapienza.

From St. Ignatius of Loyola and the Jews by James W. Reites, S.J.

Not until his years of study at the University of Paris did Ignatius’ more mature attitude become gradually recognizable. There he met Diego Laynez, a young man who had heard so much about Ignatius that after finishing his studies at Alcala in 1532, he went to meet him in Paris.

Born in 1512 in the old Castilian town of Almazan, Diego, whose father was a New Christian, came from a well-to-do family. Though his Christian faith descended from three generations, Diego, because of his great-grandfather’s Jewish origin, was still considered a Jew. Certainly Diego must have confided this information to his friend during their acquaintance, for the two were the closest of companions, ” but it evidently made no difference to Ignatius.

We suggested an important role for Diego Laynez in the formation of Ignatius’ attitude toward Jewish Christians. This seems to be borne out not only by Ignatius’ close association with Laynez, but also by a letter that Laynez wrote to Araoz over this same issue—whether New Christians should be excluded from the Society. Laynez, superior general of the Jesuits at this time, told Araoz why this is unacceptable:

The reason why we cannot exclude them is that, if you remember, Your Reverence wrote about this to our Father [Ignatius], and then our Father, after carefully considering the matter and recommending it to our Lord, decided against it [the exclusion] , and this [attitude] is what he put into the Constitutions . . .

According to Laynez, then, Araoz’ first letter on the subject, written in December, 1545, was the occasion of Ignatius’ seriously considering the issue with regard to inclusion in the Constitutions. Since Laynez was in Rome with Ignatius when Araoz’ letter was received and when Ignatius was considering how to respond, it is likely that Ignatius would have discussed the question with Laynez. Even the nearness of Laynez, the New Christian, must have had some influence on his considerations. Ignatius knew that he could not categorically exclude people of the quality of Laynez just because they were from Jewish ancestry.

Prayer: Lord Yeshua, teach me to be generous. Teach me to serve you as you deserve, To give and not to count the cost, To fight and not to heed the wounds, To toil and not to seek for rest, To labor and not to seek reward, Except that of knowing that I do your will. Amen.

http://www.oztorah.com/2009/11/the-jews-the-jesuits/ rabbi Raymond apple

Rabbi Dr Raymond Apple AO RFD

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diego_Laynez

http://www.histgueb.net/gomez_de_leon/

http://ejournals.bc.edu/ojs/index.php/jesuit/article/viewFile/3714/3292

St. Ignatius of Loyola and the Jews by James W. Reites, S.J.