Letter 436. To Father Pedro Sancho, Alba, Valladolid, September 5, 1582

Thanks for his favourable opinion of the community.

JESUS! May the grace of the Holy Spirit ever be with you, my Father.

Aree letter was a great relief to me. May God bless you, for the convent will never be a loser through your fault. Your Honour pleads well in their excuse, and I see no harm in your being a thorough father to the nuns. You owe it to them for they are always praising you to me. After all, they are good souls, and though the devil finds means of disturbing them, God does not desert them. May His name be praised for He always shows loving-kindness to His creatures. Your Reverence has shown me great kindness by relieving my anxiety about that house for your opinion of the sisters as their confessor carries more weight with it than any other. God willing, I shall visit Alba soon,” and we shall be able to discuss the subject at leisure.

Will you pray for me. I am extremely pressed for time on account of the many business matters to be settled here. Give kind messages for me to

Sefiora Teresa de Laiz as I do not think I can’

manage to write to her. Will you say that I was pleased with her letter and that, God willing, matters will come right. May He bestow His grace on your Reverence. Valladolid, September 5. Teresa de Jesus.

x

CCCCLXITI Prefatory note.

St. Teresa left Valladolid on September 15, with the intention of going to Avila. Blessed Anne of St. Bartholomew in herautobiography relates that the prioress, Mother Mary Baptist, ordered us to leave the convent. As we were going out of the door she plucked me by the sleeve, saying: ‘Go away, both of you, and never come back.’ The Saint’s parting words to the nuns are given below. At Medina the travellers found the Vicar-provincial, St. Teresa died at Alba a month after the date of this letter.