BOBADILLA, NICOLÁS ALFONSO DE

One of the first companions of ignatius of loyola; b. Bobadilla, León, Spain, c. 1509; d. Loreto, Italy, Sept. 23, 1590. He studied rhetoric and logic in Valladolid, philosophy and some theology at Alcalá, and more theology under the Dominicans in Valladolid, then went to Paris in 1533 to complete his studies. He joined Ignatius there and went to Italy, being ordained in Venice on June 24, 1537. In Italy he traveled through more than 70 dioceses as a preacher and missionary. He worked also in Germany (1541–48), in the Valtelline (1558–59), and in Dalmatia (1559–61). As he writes in his autobiography, he had dealings with eight popes, three emperors, numerous electors and German princes, and cardinals and prelates through all of Italy. He was a man of much talent and great contrasts, independent and impulsive, outstanding for both accomplishments and imprudences. The pope kept him from participating in Jesuit deliberations in Rome in 1539 and 1541, Charles V expelled him from Germany in 1548; after the death of Ignatius, Bobadilla's unsuccessful demands for modifications in the society caused papal intervention. His autobiography is an unburdening of his soul and contains many important notices for the early history of the Jesuits. He left a list of his own works, which are concerned with preaching, exegesis, and theology. His important plan of reform of the Church, presented to Paul IV in 1555, has been studied by P. de Leturia [Estudios ignacianos, v.1 (Rome 1957) 447–459]. His work on frequent and daily Communion was the only one of his works published during his lifetime.

Bibliography: j. f. gilmont, Les Écrits spirituels des premiers Jésuites (Rome 1961). m. scaduto, Storia della Compagnia di Gesù in Italia (Rome 1964). r. broiullard, Catholicisme 2:99100. e. lamalle, Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie ecclésiastiques 9:270–272.

[i. iparraguirre]