Letter (number unidentified). To the Prioress and Nuns at Seville, Malagon, January, 1580

Congratulations to the newly professed and the reeleSled Prioress. Messages to Be atriz and Margarita.

JESUS!

May the grace of the Holy Spirit be with your Charities, my sisters and daughters !

Your notes gave me great pleasure: I should have liked to write a long letter to each nun in return, but time failed me for I am overwhelmed with work,, so vou must excuse me and take the will for the deed. I should very much like to make the acquaintance of the newly entered and professed and I am extremely glad they have made their espousals. May His Majesty make them such as I wish and ask of Him, that they may enjoy His Presence in the eternity which has no end.

Tell Sister Jeronima, who signs herself "dunghill", that I trust God this humility does not consist in words alone. Say to Sister Gabriela that I received the " St. Paul" which is very good : being tiny like herself, it is to my taste. May God make her great in His sight! He really seems to love you better than us, as He sends you such severe trials, unless you lose the merit of them through your own fault. May He be praised for all things. How well He has diredied the election! It is a great comfort to me.

Experience has taught us here that God seems to give more help and love for the house and nuns to the first prioress in a new foundation than to her successors, so that she benefits the sisters' souls more. In my opinion, unless there is any notable defe(fl in the prioress who starts a house, she should not be changed, as there are more obje<flions to it than the nuns can understand. May God give you light to do His will in all things! Amen.

I ask of Sister Beatriz de la Madre de Dios and of Sister Margarita what I have already asked of the rest: to speak no more of the past except to

Our Lord and their confessor. If they have been mistaken and given their information with a want of the truth and charity that God requires of us, let them be careful in future to be open and truthful. Thev should make what satisfaction is due, otherwise they will not be at peace and the devil will never cease tempting them. If they content our Lord, there is no need to think any more of the matter, for the devil was so furious, and strove so fiercely to prevent the good beginnings at your convent from developing, that the only wonder is he did not do more harm in every way.

God often allows the soul to fall to make it humble. If with sincerity and self-knowledge it returns to the right path, it makes greater progress in our Lord's service, as we see in many of the saints. So, my daughters, as you are all daughters of the Virgin, and sisters, try to love one another very much and take care that no one suffers. I speak to all of you.

I have been careful to pray specially for those who think I am displeased with them. My greatest sorrow has been (as it would be in future if they disobeyed) that they have not done what I now ask of them for the love of God. My dear Sister Juana de la Cruz has been often in my thoughts; I believe that she must have continually gained fresh merits. As she chose the title of the Cross' it has been a blessed lot for her. Let her pray to our Lord for me and not suppose that all the rest are doing penance for her sins — or for mine which

' Juana de la Cruz, a lay sister, mother of Beatriz who gave so much trouble.

are much greater. I ask all your Charities to remember me in your prayers: you owe it to me far more than these nuns do. May our Lord make you as holy as I desire. Amen.

Written in the year 1580. Your Charities' servant,

Teresa de Jesus, Carmelite.