Letter V. To Sister Maria Vittoria Trievi, again

He condoles with her on her fathers death, and gives her some spiritual instructions.

Dearest Niece, — I know that the death of your respected father (may God have taken him to Himself in glory) will have caused great sorrow to his family, as well from the loss of so kindly and able a man's guidance, as from his having left the responsibility of his property and family affairs on the shoulders of his son, who is still a very young man, and certainly not of a fit age to be master; for one must have lived long and had much experience to acquire prudence and sound judgment, so as to know how to command and steer the bark both in calm and tempest. However, I have confidence in our good God (Messer. Domineddio), that He will give him virtue and wisdom enough to make up for lack of years : and then I know he has had a good education, and I believe good Messer. Bernaba has left his affairs in very good order, and unembarrassed ; so that by continuing to walk in the road pointed out to him, I do not doubt that the family will persevere in well-doing and the fear of God, and in the good management that existed in your father s lifetime. For the reasons already mentioned, I for my part have felt much grieved at this loss, and have not failed to pray to God, and to get others to pray, for his blessed soul ; neither do I ever forget, either in my sacrifices or prayers, to remember all of you, his children, and my nephews and nieces, begging of Almighty God that you may be assisted by His Divine Goodness and prudence, as regards the spirit, to the salvation of your souls, and protected, as regards the body, in your temporal affairs, according as the Lord shall see expedient for what we ought most of all to hope for and to love, namely, the glory of God by means of a good life. I need make no formal offer to you of my services, both because the relationship which exists between us puts me under an obligation to assist you, and also because I can do but very little for you in a temporal point of view, as, by the grace of God, I am poor, and old, and infirm ; but in any way I am able, I shall always willingly strive to help you whenever you need it, loving you, as I do, with all Christian sincerity, and being to you both by years and relationship in the place of a father. You who live in a convent are not subject to these changes and diversities of the world. I suppose, however, that according to charity, you sympathize in due moderation with your brothers and sisters ; nevertheless, as you say in your letter, you receive all things as from the hand of God, conforming and resigning yourself entirely to His Divine Will ; a road, in good truth, by which one cannot err, and which alone brings us to taste of and enjoy that peace which carnal and worldly men know not of. Give thanks to the Lord, for the noble and secure state of life He has called you to : if, indeed, as I trust you do, you know the value of so high a vocation. With regard to the wish you express of coming to confession to me if you were but within reach of me, believe me, my dearest niece, that you are under the direction of very good religious ; and if you are but sincere, and will open your heart with simplicity to your confessor, our good God (Messer, Domineddio) will never fail to do for you all that is necessary for your spiritual profit; for God neither withholds what is necessary, nor is prodigal of what is superfluous : therefore, since you are in a place where you must necessarily pass through only one man's hands, all that you have to do is to pray, and have an honest wish to be good, and God (Messer. Domineddio) will put Himself in the mouth of your confessor, even though he be deficient, so as not to let your faith and the preparation of your soul be cheated. Put in practice this plan of humbly recommending yourself to the Lord, before you either go to confession to, or seek counsel of your superior; put on him the person of Christ Jesus our Lord, and consider that God Himself is speaking to you ; be ready to obey, and rather be* lieve him than yourself, or those of your companions who have but little spirituality; you will then see how true are those words of the Holy Spirit, who says of the prelates and our pastors, '' He who hears and obeys his superiors, hears and obeys Me ; and he who despises them, despises and disobeys Me." I am aware that you know these things already, for you were brought up in a good school; but seeing your faith, I did not like to omit saying these few words, that you may be the more confirmed in good, although I know that it is unnecessary. Sister Dionisia, who has been such a long time ill, is much to be pitied, and her desire of being cured, provided it is always made conditionally, that it so pleases God and is expedient for the salvation of her soul, may be allowed of, because in health people can do many things, which sickness prevents them doing. I believe indeed that the safer thing would be what God wills, and to ask Him for patience in the sickness ; because often when we are cured, we not only do not perform the good we had proposed to do when we were ill, but we multiply sins and ingratitude, and become tender of our body and sensual ; nevertheless I will pray for her with the conditions I spoke of. I recommend myself to the fervour and devotion of your novices, and the prayers of all the venerable mothers. I will not forget to make up the number of rosaries; so that you may be able to give one to each of the nuns, but then they must pray as they say them, according to my intention, that I may be enabled to do something that may please the Lord. God bless you, and your brothers and sisters too, and I desire that this letter may be communicated to them. Recommend me to them. — Your loving uncle,

Philip Neri.

Rome, December 8, 1575.

P.S. — The beads shall be blessed, and sent by the first opportunity.