Letter 132. To Father Gracian, Seville, Toledo, November, 1576

The Saint warns him to be reticent with the nuns and not to read her letters to them.

. . . . TIME will deprive your Paternity of some of your ingenuousness which I am convinced is that of a saint. But as the devil strives to prevent our all becoming saints, those who, like myself, are wicked and malicious try to deprive him of the opportunity. There are many reasons why I may feel and express aífecílion for you and why all the sisters may not do the same: nor are all superiors like my father, towards whom they can a¿l with perfed: simplicity. Although God has bestowed on you this treasure of guilelessness, you must not suppose that every one has preserved it to the same extent, and I assure you that I fear men's robbing you more than Satan's injuries. Whatever the nuns learn of my doing and saying to you ( I know to whom I am talking and my age permits of it ) they imagine is allowed to them, which is reasonahle. This does not mean that you are to cease to love them, hut that you are to bear them very strong affedlion.

It is the fad: that, wicked as I am, ever since I have had nuns in my charge I have a¿led with such reserve and circumspeólion, watching over the points whereby the devil could tempt them through me, that, glory be to God Who has helped me in the matter, I believe they have deteóled few very grave faults in me. I own that I have striven to hide my imperfeitions although they are so numerous that the sisters have discovered some; for instance, my love for Paul and the care I take of him. I often explain how important he is to the Order, that we are forced to ad: as we do, and that, but for that, I should behave differently.

How prosy I am! But do not let my Father be wearied by what I say. You and I are charged with a heavy burden of which we must render an account to God and man. Knowing the love that prompts my words you will forgive me and grant me the favour I have asked before — that of not reading my letters in public. People's minds differ, and there are some things that superiors should never say outright. What I write either about others or about myself should be told to no one. There is a great difference between our discussing a matter privately or in the presence of some one else, even my sister. I should not like any one to overhear what I say to God nor to disturb my intercourse with Him, and it is the same as regards Paul. . .

CXXXVIP