Peter Faber

Lore & Background

Faber was born in 1506 to a peasant family in the village of Villaret, in the Duchy of Savoy (now Saint-Jean-de-Sixt in the French Department of Haute-Savoie). As a boy, he was a shepherd in the French Alps. He studied at the Collège Sainte-Barbe in Paris, where he shared lodgings with Francis Xavier and later met Ignatius of Loyola.

He was the first among the small circle of men who formed the Society of Jesus to be ordained, becoming a priest on 30 May 1534. He traveled extensively across Europe, including to Germany, Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands, promoting Catholic renewal and guiding souls in the Spiritual Exercises. He died in Rome on 1 August 1546, reportedly in the arms of Loyola, and his remains are now in the crypt near the entrance to the Church of the Gesù.

Reader's Guide

Faber is remembered for his great skill in directing the Spiritual Exercises and for his engaging conversations and guidance of souls. He emphasized personal reformation over theological debate, and he invoked the intercession of saints and angels, especially guardian angels, when entering new towns or dealing with individuals. He sought to bring each person he met to a closer relationship through spiritual friendship and conversation.

Did You Know?

• Faber could hear a sermon in the morning and repeat it verbatim in the afternoon for his friends.
• He kept a spiritual diary known as his Memoriale, mostly dating from June 1542 to July 1543.