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The Collected Letters Of St. Teresa Of Avila: 1578 1582, Volume 2
This second and final volume of St. Teresa's correspondence begins with the year 1578, a most troubling time for Teresa. A keen observer of the reality around her as well as within, Teresa in these letters focuses light on many of the struggles in both the Carmelite order and the church of sixteenth-century Spain. She introduces us to major personalities who have left their mark on history.
Through her letters historians gain a better knowledge of the chronology of events in Teresa's life and how she related to the diverse people she had dealings with. A number of everyday particulars that compilers and editors of those times considered unimportant are today prized. Her worries, her troubles and triumphs, her expressions of sadness and joy, are all present here. With a compelling spontaneity, these letters disclose a Teresa in a complex variety of circumstances. The extraordinary gifts of grace bestowed by God on this Spanish Madre fortified her for a demanding ministry of service which entailed heavy responsibilities and that drew her contemplative soul into a whirl of activities. Because of the limited means of travel and communication in the sixteenth century, the organization of a reform like hers, with its unavoidable business matters, had to be dealt with chiefly through correspondence, a chafing duty that became one of Teresa's greatest trials. She often repeated that letter-writing was her biggest burden, a wearisome task that cost her more than all the miserable roads and bad weather experienced on her journeys through Spain. With its endnotes, biographical sketches, and above all, fresh translation, this second volume of Teresa's Collected Letters opens again another door into the fascinating world of this saint, one of the greatest women history has known.
Through her letters historians gain a better knowledge of the chronology of events in Teresa's life and how she related to the diverse people she had dealings with. A number of everyday particulars that compilers and editors of those times considered unimportant are today prized. Her worries, her troubles and triumphs, her expressions of sadness and joy, are all present here. With a compelling spontaneity, these letters disclose a Teresa in a complex variety of circumstances. The extraordinary gifts of grace bestowed by God on this Spanish Madre fortified her for a demanding ministry of service which entailed heavy responsibilities and that drew her contemplative soul into a whirl of activities. Because of the limited means of travel and communication in the sixteenth century, the organization of a reform like hers, with its unavoidable business matters, had to be dealt with chiefly through correspondence, a chafing duty that became one of Teresa's greatest trials. She often repeated that letter-writing was her biggest burden, a wearisome task that cost her more than all the miserable roads and bad weather experienced on her journeys through Spain. With its endnotes, biographical sketches, and above all, fresh translation, this second volume of Teresa's Collected Letters opens again another door into the fascinating world of this saint, one of the greatest women history has known.
- GenresCatholic
661 pages, Paperback
First published August 30, 2007
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About the author
Teresa de Ávila
573 books496 followersSaint Teresa of Jesús, also called Saint Teresa of Ávila, was a prominent Spanish mystic, Carmelite nun, and writer of the Counter Reformation. She was a reformer of the Carmelite Order and is considered to be, along with John of the Cross, a founder of the Discalced Carmelites. In 1970 she was named a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI.
Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda Dávila y Ahumada Borned in Ávila, Spain, on March 28, 1515, St. Teresa was the daughter of a Toledo merchant and his second wife, who died when Teresa was 15, one of ten children. Shortly after this event, Teresa was entrusted to the care of the Augustinian nuns. After reading the letters of St. Jerome, Teresa resolved to enter a religious life. In 1535, she joined the Carmelite Order. She spent a number of relatively average years in the convent, punctuated by a severe illness that left her legs paralyzed for three years, but then experienced a vision of "the sorely wounded Christ" that changed her life forever.
From this point forward, Teresa moved into a period of increasingly ecstatic experiences in which she came to focus more and more sharply on Christ's passion. With these visions as her impetus, she set herself to the reformation of her order, beginning with her attempt to master herself and her adherence to the rule. Gathering a group of supporters, Teresa endeavored to create a more primitive type of Carmelite. From 1560 until her death, Teresa struggled to establish and broaden the movement of Discalced or shoeless Carmelites. During the mid-1560s, she wrote the Way of Perfection and the Meditations on the Canticle. In 1567, she met St. John of the Cross, who she enlisted to extend her reform into the male side of the Carmelite Order. Teresa died in 1582.
St. Teresa left to posterity many new convents, which she continued founding up to the year of her death. She also left a significant legacy of writings, which represent important benchmarks in the history of Christian mysticism. These works include the Way of Perfection and the Interior Castle. She also left an autobiography, the Life of St. Teresa of Ávila.
Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda Dávila y Ahumada Borned in Ávila, Spain, on March 28, 1515, St. Teresa was the daughter of a Toledo merchant and his second wife, who died when Teresa was 15, one of ten children. Shortly after this event, Teresa was entrusted to the care of the Augustinian nuns. After reading the letters of St. Jerome, Teresa resolved to enter a religious life. In 1535, she joined the Carmelite Order. She spent a number of relatively average years in the convent, punctuated by a severe illness that left her legs paralyzed for three years, but then experienced a vision of "the sorely wounded Christ" that changed her life forever.
From this point forward, Teresa moved into a period of increasingly ecstatic experiences in which she came to focus more and more sharply on Christ's passion. With these visions as her impetus, she set herself to the reformation of her order, beginning with her attempt to master herself and her adherence to the rule. Gathering a group of supporters, Teresa endeavored to create a more primitive type of Carmelite. From 1560 until her death, Teresa struggled to establish and broaden the movement of Discalced or shoeless Carmelites. During the mid-1560s, she wrote the Way of Perfection and the Meditations on the Canticle. In 1567, she met St. John of the Cross, who she enlisted to extend her reform into the male side of the Carmelite Order. Teresa died in 1582.
St. Teresa left to posterity many new convents, which she continued founding up to the year of her death. She also left a significant legacy of writings, which represent important benchmarks in the history of Christian mysticism. These works include the Way of Perfection and the Interior Castle. She also left an autobiography, the Life of St. Teresa of Ávila.
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July 23, 2025
Whereas Volume I of St. Teresa’s letters covered 31 years, Volume 2 covers only the last five years of her life, from 1578 to 1582. Still there are 243 letters in this collection, as compared to 224 in the first volume. A preponderance of the letters is written to Padre Jerónimo Gracián, as this was the time when the Discalced order was being established and Teresa greatly favored Gracián as its head, when and if it could be separated from the Calced. However, I was about as interested in these politics as I am in the politics of our own day, so that is all I will write about that, except to mention that this was the time when St. John of the Cross was kidnapped by his confreres on the Calced side of the house and held in captivity for seven months from 1577-1578.
What I loved about Teresa’s letters were the many beautiful courtesies she observed such as how she opened her letters:
“Jesus. May the Holy Spirit be with your honor.”
“Jesus. The grace of the Holy spirit be with your paternity, mi padre.”
“To the very magnificent Señor Roque de Huerta, chief forest guard of His Majesty. Jesus be always with your honor, amen.”
“Jesus. The grace of the Holy Spirit be always with your excellency, amen.”
There was great consistency in these openings. For the most part, it was only the addressee’s title which varied. What a good option/reminder to begin letters with the Holy Name of Jesus! I wonder if we did this, if overall our words would be kinder and sweeter.
Another one of her courtesies was the ‘kissing of hands’, which seemed to be an especially tender way to show gratitude, dedication and ultimate affection. Here are just a few of the MANY examples where Teresa employs this highly complementary idiom:
“María de San Jerónimo, who is the one who was subprioress in this house, also kisses your hands.”
“These sisters and Mother Prioress kiss your hands many times; I kiss those of Señora Doña Beatriz.”
“My brother kisses your hands, and little Teresa (his daughter) is very content and as much a little child as ever.”
“Now I kiss your hands an infinite number of times, and I would like to do so through deeds rather than with words.”
Teresa, as you can see was an exuberant and creative letter writer. What it must have been like to get a letter from her! And yet not all of her letters were sweetness and light; she could also show her disfavor. She didn’t hesitate to tell Padre Gracián and her nuns what she thought when she was displeased with them, although usually she would tell someone how much she missed them and their letters and how sad/worried she was when they didn’t write. This was especially true with Padre Gracián and as I have learned how largely he figured in her life I want to know his side of the story so much, I’m going to read his biography next.
Sadly, none of her letters to Fray John of the Cross survive. I wondered about this at first, but I have come to believe that she urged her philosophy of moderation—as is evident in all her other letters to those she loved—and he thought she was being too motherly/soft, so he wanted no trace of this to remain. Most likely the deep love and respect he had for her, saw her getting old and considering the times (the Inquisition) thought her views might not reflect well after her death. His personal leaning was much more spartan than hers. Of course, I could be totally wrong.
One of Teresa’s most infamous letters has earned the title, “The Terrible Letter”. It is Letter 451 written May 30, 1582, when Teresa was in Burgos, the last year of her life, to Madre Ana de Jesús, who was in the process of establishing a new foundation in Granada. Here are a few choice sentences:
I wondered what Venerable Anne of Jesus’ reaction to getting this letter was, so I pulled out the biography, The Life of the Venerable Anne of Jesus: A Companion of St. Teresa of Avila I had of hers and in Chapter 9, The Foundation at Granada, a portion of the letter is included. While all the things Teresa brings up are not addressed, the important point of poor travel conditions over the winter months, meant that nothing could have been communicated between the two convents from the fall of 1581 until the spring of 1582 when Teresa wrote. John of the Cross was there to assist with the foundation and so far as is known offers no recriminations about anything. It seems there were no follow-ons to this letter, only a resolution of the problems mentioned, and the two saintly sisters remained of one spirit until the foundresses’ death shortly thereafter. Chapter 10 in the book cited above goes on to describe Anne of Jesus’ four peaceful years as prioress at Granada. The book claims that though the monastery was founded in poverty, it did not remain so. There are black and white pictures of it today.
There is so much more that I could write about these letters. They reveal a mother’s heart, Teresa’s deep love for her daughters and sons and the Carmelite order, which was based on her love for the Catholic Church and above all else, her love for Jesus. Somehow, I just imagine Teresa saying His Name, His Holy and Sacred Name with such love each time she wrote It. Most people know but it’s still worth repeating the vignette about Teresa telling Jesus that she was Teresa of Jesus and He told her that He was Jesus of Teresa. We cannot begin to fathom His Love.
One final thought, someday, if God lets me live long enough, I would love to sit down with this book, Volume 1, The Divine Adventure: St. Teresa of Avila's Journeys & Foundations, Teresa of Avila: The Book of Her Foundations: A Study Guide and God Speaks in the Night: The Life, Times and Teaching of St. John of the Cross and do an armchair study of all of the monasteries founded by St. Teresa. His Will be done!
St. Teresa of Jesus, pray for us!
What I loved about Teresa’s letters were the many beautiful courtesies she observed such as how she opened her letters:
“Jesus. May the Holy Spirit be with your honor.”
“Jesus. The grace of the Holy spirit be with your paternity, mi padre.”
“To the very magnificent Señor Roque de Huerta, chief forest guard of His Majesty. Jesus be always with your honor, amen.”
“Jesus. The grace of the Holy Spirit be always with your excellency, amen.”
There was great consistency in these openings. For the most part, it was only the addressee’s title which varied. What a good option/reminder to begin letters with the Holy Name of Jesus! I wonder if we did this, if overall our words would be kinder and sweeter.
Another one of her courtesies was the ‘kissing of hands’, which seemed to be an especially tender way to show gratitude, dedication and ultimate affection. Here are just a few of the MANY examples where Teresa employs this highly complementary idiom:
“María de San Jerónimo, who is the one who was subprioress in this house, also kisses your hands.”
“These sisters and Mother Prioress kiss your hands many times; I kiss those of Señora Doña Beatriz.”
“My brother kisses your hands, and little Teresa (his daughter) is very content and as much a little child as ever.”
“Now I kiss your hands an infinite number of times, and I would like to do so through deeds rather than with words.”
Teresa, as you can see was an exuberant and creative letter writer. What it must have been like to get a letter from her! And yet not all of her letters were sweetness and light; she could also show her disfavor. She didn’t hesitate to tell Padre Gracián and her nuns what she thought when she was displeased with them, although usually she would tell someone how much she missed them and their letters and how sad/worried she was when they didn’t write. This was especially true with Padre Gracián and as I have learned how largely he figured in her life I want to know his side of the story so much, I’m going to read his biography next.
Sadly, none of her letters to Fray John of the Cross survive. I wondered about this at first, but I have come to believe that she urged her philosophy of moderation—as is evident in all her other letters to those she loved—and he thought she was being too motherly/soft, so he wanted no trace of this to remain. Most likely the deep love and respect he had for her, saw her getting old and considering the times (the Inquisition) thought her views might not reflect well after her death. His personal leaning was much more spartan than hers. Of course, I could be totally wrong.
One of Teresa’s most infamous letters has earned the title, “The Terrible Letter”. It is Letter 451 written May 30, 1582, when Teresa was in Burgos, the last year of her life, to Madre Ana de Jesús, who was in the process of establishing a new foundation in Granada. Here are a few choice sentences:
“I was amused by the loud complaining of all of you about our Father Provincial and your neglect to keep him informed after the first letter in which you told him that you had made the foundation. And you all acted in the same way with me. … But down there you're so crafty at not obeying that this latest fact pained me in no small way because of the bad impression it will make in the whole order and also because of the custom that may result by which prioresses will feel independent and will also think up excuses. … So, the fault is all yours. ... You paid no more heed to our padre than you would have if he hadn't received the office of superior. … The nuns are very tired and understandably, since they are martyrs in that house and undergo many more trials than you -- although they don't complain as much. … and the more you suffer from this the more you will serve him. … Oh, true spirit of obedience, how when seeing someone in the place of God no repugnance is felt toward loving her! For the sake of God, I beg you to take care to inspire souls to be brides of the Crucified, that they crucify themselves by renouncing their own will and the pursuit of childish trifles. … I am ashamed that in so short a time the discalced nuns are paying attention to these trivialities, and after paying attention to them, making them the topic of their conversations, and that Madre María de Cristo makes such an issue out of it. Either through trials you have all become silly or the devil has introduced hellish notions into this order.”Teresa’s P.S. was, “Let Mother Subprioress, her two companions, and Padre Fray John of the Cross read this letter addressed to you, for I don't have the head to be writing more.”
I wondered what Venerable Anne of Jesus’ reaction to getting this letter was, so I pulled out the biography, The Life of the Venerable Anne of Jesus: A Companion of St. Teresa of Avila I had of hers and in Chapter 9, The Foundation at Granada, a portion of the letter is included. While all the things Teresa brings up are not addressed, the important point of poor travel conditions over the winter months, meant that nothing could have been communicated between the two convents from the fall of 1581 until the spring of 1582 when Teresa wrote. John of the Cross was there to assist with the foundation and so far as is known offers no recriminations about anything. It seems there were no follow-ons to this letter, only a resolution of the problems mentioned, and the two saintly sisters remained of one spirit until the foundresses’ death shortly thereafter. Chapter 10 in the book cited above goes on to describe Anne of Jesus’ four peaceful years as prioress at Granada. The book claims that though the monastery was founded in poverty, it did not remain so. There are black and white pictures of it today.
There is so much more that I could write about these letters. They reveal a mother’s heart, Teresa’s deep love for her daughters and sons and the Carmelite order, which was based on her love for the Catholic Church and above all else, her love for Jesus. Somehow, I just imagine Teresa saying His Name, His Holy and Sacred Name with such love each time she wrote It. Most people know but it’s still worth repeating the vignette about Teresa telling Jesus that she was Teresa of Jesus and He told her that He was Jesus of Teresa. We cannot begin to fathom His Love.
One final thought, someday, if God lets me live long enough, I would love to sit down with this book, Volume 1, The Divine Adventure: St. Teresa of Avila's Journeys & Foundations, Teresa of Avila: The Book of Her Foundations: A Study Guide and God Speaks in the Night: The Life, Times and Teaching of St. John of the Cross and do an armchair study of all of the monasteries founded by St. Teresa. His Will be done!
St. Teresa of Jesus, pray for us!
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