Letter 97. To Mother Mary of St. Joseph, Prioress of Seville, Malagon, June 18, 1576

The Saint's anxiety about her daughters at Seville. A postulant. Profession of Beatriz de la Madre de Dios. Tere sit a regrets the nuns of Seville.

JESUS Be with your Reverence, my daughter!

I ASSURE you that if you suffer somewhat at my absence it is only due to me. God grant that all the grief and pain I feel at being separated from the daughters I love so dearly may be of some service to Him, and that your Reverence and all the nuns may be in good health as I am at present, glory be to God ! By this time you will have received the letters brought by the muleteer; this one will be very short. I expelled to make a longer stay, but as Sunday is St. John's day I shall start sooner, so that I have little time to spare. However, that matters little as Father Gregorio is to give my note to you. I am taking precautions to prevent your having any difficulty about paying the rent this year. After that, I hope God will send you some one with money.

The Mother Prioress praises a sister of Sant-angel who is here and whom she prefers to Santangel herself. They would both bring a dowry of three hundred ducats. Santangel's year of noviciate will end in August. With this sum you could settle the year's rent. The amount is small, but if what they say of her is true, she would suit us were she penniless. As she belongs to your part of the country, speak about her to our Father and take her if you can find no other means of paying your debts. The drawback is that she is only fourteen: that is why I advise you to receive her only as a last expedient. You will see how the matter stands.

I think it would be well for our Father to admit Beatriz to her profession soon, for several reasons, one of which is that it would put an end to her temptations.' Remember me very kindly to her, to her mother, to any one you see, to the Mother Subprioress,' and particularly to my infirmarian. May God watch over you for me, my daughter, and make you a great saint! Amen.

My brother wrote a few days ago, asking for your prayers. He is more just than Teresa who approves of no one but the sisters at Seville. The Mother Prioress (who has been the greatest comfort to me), and Fray Gregorio will write and tell you all the news, so I will say no more. As I exped: to stay at Toledo for a few days, letters can be sent to me there. Yesterday was Trinity Sunday.

Try to persuade our Father to write to me or else tell me all about him, for I have heard nothing of him. May God make you all holy!

The year 1576.

Yours,

Teresa de Jesus.

I have made further enquiries about the postulant; there is no longer any question of receiving her at present.