Letters from María Teresa Ferragud
4th of June 1936, from the mother, not written by her
Praised be the Blessed Sacrament
Algemesí, 4th of June 1936
My dear daughters:
I hope this finds you in good health. We are well, thanks to God.
I am writing to tell you that in Algemesí, everything is peaceful, thanks to the Lord. Since in Alzira and other surrounding towns they have burned all the churches, people have to come here to receive the holy sacraments. It is heartbreaking to see the poor people coming every day to hear Mass, children making their First Communion, couples coming to marry, and many priests arriving to celebrate Mass.
In short, we are in one of the safest places in this area, but you should know that there is a lot of work and vigilance to maintain order. Everyone on the right is very united in defending it, and with God’s grace and the protection of the Virgin of Health, we hope nothing will happen.
I am sending you 50 kilos of rice , and with María, Concepcioneta’s brother, we are sending you 10 kilos of flour. They say they will leave on Monday, and by Tuesday, you should have it. Don’t worry about anything—we’ll sort everything out.
Serafín wrote to us; he says he is well and that nothing has happened there. We will see if he comes.
Receive the regards of Sister Felicidad and Sister Purificación.
Note to her daughters, undated
My dear daughters, I am writing these few lines to tell you what happened. Bautista, at his house, had a visit from the person you know, and on Monday, he went to Valencia for the doctor to see him [these words and the syntax of the sentence are unclear] he gets used to it, because the child is chubby, it’s cold. Whatever you need, let me know. Warm regards.
We had some exercises here aswell this week and they finished on Sunday.
Teresa Ferragud
Man was created to know, love, and serve God. Natural life is driven by appetites; supernatural life involves mortifying the senses. By mortifying them, the life of the Holy Spirit emerges. The Holy Spirit is always loving and calling. The senses, when not guided by grace, may lead to a sense of loss, even in Heaven, for wasted opportunities to embrace grace. The Christian life is one of mortification: dying to self and rising in the life of grace. […]
There are souls that, if they do not experience some tribulation or suffering each day, feel discontent because they cannot offer anything to God. Where there are attachments, self-love, or other distractions, the Holy Spirit cannot enter. He calls everyone, provided they are faithful to grace, which is felt in the heart. Even when provoked, before uttering a word of discouragement, one should embrace prayer and penance together, always.
